Was Your Foreign Death Life Insurance Claim Denied?
Life insurance usually covers death while traveling internationally, but there are circumstances when it may not.
This article will explore the potential problems beneficiaries may encounter when filing a claim for death benefits if the insured happens to die abroad, how to solve those problems, what happens to life insurance if the insured moves abroad, and the instances when life insurance will not cover foreign death.
If you are a beneficiary and your claim for life insurance death benefits was denied or is delayed because the insured died while traveling overseas, call our life insurance claim lawyers. We can help you get paid.
Foreign Death Claims are Often Denied or Delayed
A “foreign death claim” occurs when an insured dies outside of the U.S.
If you fail to inform your insurance company of your foreign destination, the length of time you will be there, and what activities you will engage in while there, your beneficiaries’ claims may be denied due to your misrepresentation. At the very least, your beneficiaries’ claims will be delayed due to the life insurance company’s need to investigate.
Common Reasons a Foreign Death Life Insurance Claim is Denied
- Insufficient proof of foreign death
- Failing to disclose international travel/misrepresentation in life insurance
- Failing to disclose engaging in risky activities
- Suspect that the insured committed suicide
- Death due to Act of War not covered by life insurance
- Suspicious death
It is Challenging to Obtain the Required Proof of Death
If a life insurance policy has been in place for at least two (2) years, the insured should be covered if they pass away abroad. But before a life insurance claim is paid to the beneficiary of the policy, the life insurance company must obtain satisfactory proof of the insured’s death.
If the person died in the United States, a death certificate will suffice. Providing proof of death becomes much more difficult, however, when the person dies overseas. Customary practices, resources, and technology all vary greatly from country to country, which can preclude a country from recording a death in the same way that we do in the United States.
The Insurance Company Will Delay Paying Death Benefits to Investigate
It is common for insurance companies to ask repeatedly for more documentation or to delay paying a claim for death benefits because ostensibly they are investigating the foreign death.
One case our life insurance lawyers handled arose when the insured died in Ghana on a business trip. A two-year “investigation” commenced into his death, meaning, payment of death benefits to the beneficiary was delayed for two years. Because the insurer did not act in good faith in their “investigation,” in that they made no attempt to verify any of the many documents our client submitted, we got our client paid, at last – with interest!
Our Life Insurance Attorneys Will Help You Get Paid if Your Foreign Death Claim Was Denied
When life insurance companies are given foreign proofs-of-death or death certificates that look unusual compared to the U.S.’s death recording practices, they often allege that they are being victimized by people faking their deaths and will likely launch their own investigations, delaying payout. They may also deny foreign death claims due to alleged misrepresentation, suicide, or suspicious death.
If your foreign death claim was denied or your foreign death claim payout is delayed, we can help you. Call us for your free case evaluation. Our experienced life insurance beneficiary lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning, there is no cost to you, and we do not get paid unless you do. Don’t take no for an answer!
