Can life insurance company deny claim after two years?

Asked by: Natasha Feil  |  Last update: November 13, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (9 votes)

If you die after two years of buying the policy, the company must pay the death benefit. They can't deny the payment unless you don't pay your premium, made a false statement, or withheld information.

Can life insurance be denied after 2 years?

Generally, if a life insurer tries to delay or deny payment or launch an investigation when the insured dies after the two year contestability period, this would be violating the law.

What is the 2 year rule for life insurance?

If you pass away in the first two years of your life insurance coverage, the insurance company has a right to contest or question your claim.

What is the 2 year contestable period for life insurance?

The contestability period is typically a 2-year window for insurers to verify application accuracy. Claim denials during this period are usually due to misrepresentation or fraud. Honesty on the application is crucial to avoid complications.

How far back can you claim on life insurance?

There is no time limit for beneficiaries to file a life insurance claim. However, the sooner you file a claim for a death benefit, the sooner you will receive your money. Filing as soon as possible makes sense because the insurer could need a month or longer to investigate the claim before paying out.

Life Insurance Company Refuses to Pay When a Family is Most at Need - Florida Lawyer Bob Dellecker

33 related questions found

Is there a 2 year waiting period for life insurance?

However, many policies include a two-year contestability period, allowing insurers to review claims for application inaccuracies, and some have a suicide exclusion period during this time. After these periods, beneficiaries are typically eligible for the full death benefit for all covered causes of death.

What is an example of an unfair claim settlement practice?

Another form of unfair claims practice involves insurers setting unreasonable requirements for coverage. One example of this is offering a minuscule settlement amount, requiring the claimant to file a suit against the insurer to recover the full settlement.

What is the time limit for life insurance claims?

LIC's claim settlement time depends on the type of claim that is being raised. However, the IRDAI mandates every insurer to attempt to settle all kinds of claims within 30 days from the receipt of requisite documents. It might extend in cases that require further investigations to verify the legitimacy of a claim.

How often do life insurance companies deny claims?

Almost 1 in 5, or 20%, of life insurance claims are denied by insurance companies, often due to material misrepresentation or incomplete medical history in the life insurance application. This high denial rate emphasizes the importance of working with a skilled life insurance lawyer to get the payout you deserve.

How far back can a life insurance policy be backdated?

Depending on your state's laws, you may be able to request that your insurance company backdate a life insurance policy, typically up to 6 months. However, it will be up to your insurance company to decide if they're willing to do it.

What disqualifies life insurance payout?

Life insurance proceeds can be denied. Some denials are legitimate, like in case of policy lapses, material misrepresentations, or exclusions in the form of illegal activities or war. In other cases, bad-faith insurers use elaborate methods to reject claims so they do not have to pay the proceeds.

What should not be done with life insurance?

If you take too much money out of your policy and your policy lapses, or runs out of money, all the gains you've taken out will become taxable. Not to mention, you may significantly reduce the death benefit available to your beneficiaries when you pass away.

Is there a way to get past the life insurance denial?

If your life insurance application is denied, you can find out why, appeal the decision, try another insurance company or look for alternative coverage options.

How many years do insurance companies look back?

In California, accidents typically stay on your driving record for a period of three years from the date of the accident. During this time, the accident will be considered a public record and, therefore, accessible by insurance companies, potential employers, and law enforcement agencies.

Can a life insurance claim be denied after contestability period?

After the two-year period, insurance companies are not allowed to go back and invalidate the policy. The rule holds true even if the insurance provider discovers that the policyholder flagrantly lied on their policy application.

Can a life insurance company deny a claim after 2 years?

A contestability period typically lasts for the first two to three years after the policy becomes effective, during which insurers may deny claims under certain circumstances. Be honest on your application and understanding the policy terms and conditions may help avoid a potential claim denial for your beneficiaries.

Which life insurance company denies the most claims?

Top 8 Worst Insurance Companies
  1. Allstate. We know you have seen the ads. ...
  2. Unum. Unum is a leading disability insurance provider in the United States has a reputation for denied and delayed insurance claims – even when claims include their own employees. ...
  3. State Farm. ...
  4. AIG. ...
  5. Anthem. ...
  6. Farmers Insurance Group. ...
  7. UnitedHealth. ...
  8. USAA.

Which case is likely to be declined by a life insurer?

People are typically denied life insurance because they fall into a high-risk category. This is often due to health challenges like diabetes, obesity or a previous diagnosis of serious disease. There are also nonhealth reasons for being denied life insurance.

Can life insurance be contested after 2 years?

The contestability period is a span of two years starting from the date that the life insurance policy was issued during which the insurance company is permitted to look over the application and make sure that there were no lies, mistakes or material misrepresentations made.

Do insurance companies have a time limit?

All states except South Carolina have rules requiring insurers to pay or deny claims within a certain time frame, usually 30, 45, or 60 days.

What happens if a beneficiary does not claim life insurance?

The beneficiaries will never receive payment if they do not claim the life insurance benefits. The money can remain with the life insurance company for a certain period, but as you will see below, the life insurance company does not keep the money forever.

What is twisting in insurance?

Twisting is also called external replacement and is the practice of inducing a person to drop existing insurance to buy similar coverage with another producer or company. Replacing existing life insurance with a new life insurance policy based upon incomplete or incorrect representation is called twisting.

Under what circumstances can an insurance company legally refuse to pay out on a life insurance policy?

Life insurance may not pay out if the policy expires, premiums aren't paid, or there are false statements on the application. Other reasons include death from illegal activities, suicide, or homicide, with insurers investigating claims thoroughly.

What is an example of settlement value?

The settlement price of 1.1009 is higher than the strike, meaning the buyer receives the payout. For this example, let's say the buyer and seller matched a trade at 1.1050. The buyer paid $150 to secure the trade, and the seller paid $100. Settlement value for buyer = $109.