chrismy said:
I live in Pennsylvania. My father recently commited suicide. He was very distraught over an illness. It was very unexpected to all. He had a life insurance policy through his place of employment. I am the sole beneficiary to the insurance. I received notification that the claim was denied due to the fact that he did not have the insurance for more than two years. (This is in his policy). However, he has had life insurance through his employer for approximately ten years. Recently the company changed the company they had for their benefits. I s this legal to deny this? It is not his fault that his employer changed companies to aquire insurance through. He has paid for years on life insurance. I am very distraught as I don't even have the money to pay for his burial!!! I don't know if anyone has any simular situation or some good advice!!!!!
Thanks
My response:
It's not the new insurance company's fault (if there is fault). The employer is the one who changed insurance companies.
However, most every policy of life insurance I've ever seen had a clause which states, in effect, that - -
"No benefits shall be payable under this policy for deaths directly or indirectly caused or contributed to by:
-- natural causes such as illness or disease;
-- intentional self-injury, suicide or attempted suicide;
-- the commission or attempted commission of an assault or any criminal offense;
-- participating in a riot, insurrection or war;
-- operating in or descending from any kind of aircraft (if the insured is a crew member, is receiving training, or is being flown for the purpose of descent from the aircraft while in flight);
-- taking of poison or asphyxiation from inhaling gas."
(or words very similar). So, it's highly doubtful that any insurance company would have paid out.
IAAL
