When an agent writes a life insurance policy, he or she gets a big commission upfront. What happens later is not of interest to the agent. Not surprisingly, there are unscrupulous agents who will tell clients to falsify information on the application so that it will go through.
Here’s their theory: There is a two-year contestability period on life insurance policies. Within two years, on the rare occasion that the insurance company catches the problem, the policy can be rescinded and the policyholder will get the premium back. If the two years pass and the problem is not caught, the policy generally cannot be contested. Agents happily take the bet that clients will outlive the contestability period.
The insurance company will review the deceased’s medical records with a fine-toothed comb. If there is anything that is even slightly inaccurate, regardless of whether or not the insurance agent stated that the inaccuracy would be okay, the life insurance policy will be rescinded and the claim will be denied. It doesn’t matter at all if the inaccuracy has nothing to do with the cause of death. If a person dies of cancer and the insurance company finds that the person neglected to mention a past problem with high blood pressure, the policy will be rescinded if within that two-year contestability period. Insurance companies will find any excuse not to pay.
You may feel as though you have no options, particularly if the insurance company is right about the fact that certain information was not provided or information was falsified. However, you may still be able to get the benefits your loved one paid for.
At Jaroslawicz & Jaros, our New York City injury lawyers have decades of experience taking on insurance companies. Their size and resources do not intimidate us, simply because we have the knowledge to overcome them and our record shows it. If there is any opportunity to get the life insurance benefits you need, count on us to find it.
Get a free consultation. Call us in NYC today at 212.227.2780 or complete our online questionnaire. We look forward to hearing from you.
If you or a loved one has a been injured in an accident, contact us today for a free and confidential consultation. Call Jaroslawicz & Jaros in New York at 800.269.2780, or submit an online questionnaire. You can also email Abraham Jaros directly at ajaros@lawjaros.com, or call his personal cellphone at 917.842.9544.
