Filing for Life Insurance Benefits in Melbourne & Brevard County

There is nothing more difficult than losing a loved one. During this time, you should not have to deal with disputes from the life insurance company on top of everything else you are going through. Unfortunately, life insurance companies often challenge legitimate claims, adding immense hardship to already-difficult situations.

If you are engaged in an insurance dispute with a life insurance company in Florida, contact Nance Cacciatore. Our team of insurance claims attorneys can help you work to recover your rightful life insurance benefits and fight back against the insurance company’s bad faith practices. Our firm has been representing individuals and families throughout Brevard County and the entire state for nearly 60 years, successfully recovering millions of dollars in compensation for our clients in that time. We offer free initial consultations and compassionate, personalized legal advocacy.

Contact our office in Melbourne to discuss your case with an experienced Florida life insurance benefits claim attorney for free: 321-777-7777.

Life Insurance Benefits in Florida

In Florida, as in other states, life insurance is a type of insurance in which the insurer pays certain monetary benefits to the insured’s named beneficiary/beneficiaries upon the insured’s death, provided that the insured has consistently paid their insurance premiums.

There are two main types of life insurance:

• Term Life Insurance: Also known as “pure life insurance,” term life insurance provides payment of benefits to named beneficiaries if the insured policyholder dies during a specified term. If the term expires, the policyholder can choose to renew the policy for another specified term or change the policy to permanent coverage, unless he or she chooses to allow the policy to end. Term life insurance is typically a more cost-effective option.
• Whole Life Insurance: Whole life insurance covers the insured policyholder for the duration of his or her life (rather than a specified term), providing a death benefit upon the policyholder’s death. This type of life insurance also provides for the accumulation of cash value over time with a savings component that can be invested. Whole life insurance is a type of permanent or traditional life insurance, but not all permanent life insurance policies are whole life policies.

Life insurance policies are available to most people, but they do not cover every cause of death. Common exclusions include death by suicide, dangerous or illegal activity, and private aviation accidents. Some cheaper life insurance policies may include exclusions for deaths caused by accidents, cancer, and other relatively common causes.

How to File a Life Insurance Claim in Florida

If you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, there are certain procedures you must follow when filing for benefits. Typically, you will need to provide proof of death, meaning you will need to provide a copy of the death certificate. You will also likely be required to fill out various forms provided by the insurance company. You should make sure that you fill these forms out correctly and truthfully, as mistakes could result in the denial of your claim.

By law, the insurance company is required to accept or deny your claim within a “reasonable” amount of time. If the insurance company wrongfully delays your claim or fails to make payments after accepting it, you could have grounds for an insurance bad faith claim against the company.

Can a Life Insurance Company Deny Your Claim?

In short, yes, life insurance companies can deny claims—and they often do. However, they may not have legal grounds to deny your claim, and you have the option of fighting back.

Life insurance companies commonly deny claims for benefits for the following reasons:

• The cause of death was not covered by the policy
• The death occurred during the period of contestability
• Failure to pay policy premiums
• Misrepresentation, either in the initial life insurance application or claim for benefits
• Failure of the policyholder to provide relevant personal information
• Inaccurate information provided by the policyholder
• Insufficient cash value with whole life insurance policies

Regardless of why the insurance company denied the claim, they must provide reason for doing so. Additionally, the insurance company is required by law to make a reasonable investigation into the claim; failure to do so may constitute insurance bad faith.

If the insurance company denies your claim for life insurance benefits, they must provide you with the following information:

• Specific reasons why the claim was denied
• The exact provision in the policy that led to the denial
• Missing information (if applicable) that would validate the claim
• Information on how to request a review or appeal

If your life insurance benefits claim has been denied, we strongly encourage you to reach out to our experienced Florida life insurance claims attorneys for help. Our board-certified attorneys have extensive expertise and knowledge of the legal system and can help you ensure your rights are protected. We can assist you in requesting a review or appealing the denial of your claim.

Schedule a Free Consultation Today

At Nance Cacciatore, we understand how devastating it is to have a life insurance claim denied when you are already struggling with the aftermath of a tragic loss. Led by a team of partners who are all Board-Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Florida State Bar, our firm provides expert legal services to clients facing serious insurance disputes and challenges. Our comprehensive, client-focused approach has allowed us the privilege of recovering millions of dollars in compensation for our clients.

From our office in Melbourne, we serve clients throughout Brevard County, including the communities of Titusville, Cape Canaveral, Rockledge, Cocoa, Palm Bay, and beyond. Get in touch with us today to learn how our life insurance benefits attorneys can help you.