Many people don’t realize that suicide-related exclusions are still routinely used by insurers to avoid paying claims, even when the circumstances are unclear or the insured was fully honest during the application process. If you’ve received a denial due to suicide, you’re not alone—and you may still be entitled to the full policy payout.
How Suicide Risk Affects Life Insurance Coverage and Premiums
When someone applies for life insurance, the insurer evaluates their risk level through a process called underwriting. Suicide risk is one of the factors considered—alongside age, medical history, lifestyle, criminal background, and even credit history.
Applicants with a history of depression, prior suicide attempts, or certain prescription medications may be flagged as higher risk. In some cases, they’ll be charged more. In others, they may face delays, denials, or limited policy options.
That said, the biggest issue arises not during underwriting, but after death, when the insurer reviews the circumstances and decides whether to pay the claim.
Example: A man in Michigan was issued a $250,000 policy and passed away 18 months later. His death was ruled a suicide. Because the policy was still within the 2-year contestability window, the insurer denied the claim outright—even though he had fully disclosed his mental health history at the time of application.
What Is a Suicide Exclusion in a Life Insurance Policy?
Most life insurance policies include a suicide exclusion clause, which prevents the death benefit from being paid if the policyholder dies by suicide within a specified period—usually the first two years of the policy. This period is designed to prevent people from taking out a large policy with the intent of ending their life shortly thereafter.
Once the exclusion period passes, suicide is typically treated like any other cause of death, and the full benefit should be paid. However, insurers often attempt to invoke this clause even when the facts are disputed—or when the death doesn’t meet the legal or medical standard for suicide.
Example: A woman in Texas was found deceased under ambiguous circumstances. The insurer classified it as a suicide and denied the claim. Her family argued it was accidental, and after legal review of the toxicology and scene reports, the claim was overturned.
What to Do If a Life Insurance Claim Is Denied Due to Alleged Suicide
If you’ve received a denial letter stating the death was classified as suicide or self-inflicted injury, take the following immediate steps:
1. Save All Correspondence and Records
Document everything. Save denial letters, emails, call logs, and notes from conversations with the insurance company. You’ll need this to build your appeal.
2. Obtain the Policy and Death Investigation Documents
Review the actual insurance policy—not just the denial letter. Focus on suicide clauses, contestability language, and any definitions of self-inflicted injury. Also request the death certificate, autopsy report, police report, and toxicology findings if available. These are critical in challenging how the death was classified.
3. Do Not Accept the Denial as Final
Insurers frequently issue suicide denials even when evidence is incomplete or ambiguous. Many grieving families give up, assuming they have no recourse. That’s a mistake. With a strong legal appeal, these denials are often reversed.
4. Hire a Life Insurance Lawyer Experienced in Suicide-Related Denials
These cases are legally complex and emotionally delicate. You need a law firm that understands the nuance of contestability periods, policy interpretation, and wrongful claim denials involving mental health or suicide. A general practice attorney isn’t enough—you need a lawyer who focuses exclusively on life insurance litigation.
Our firm has handled hundreds of suicide denial cases, including those involving disputed causes of death, vague autopsy reports, and insurers misapplying exclusion clauses. We prepare in-depth legal briefs—often exceeding 100 pages—to dismantle the insurer’s arguments and force a fair payout.
Why Suicide-Related Claim Denials Are Often Wrong
Insurance companies use suicide clauses to avoid paying valid claims—but their interpretation is often flawed. Some common insurer mistakes include:
Mislabeling accidental deaths as suicides
Ignoring conflicting medical or police findings
Denying claims after the exclusion period ends
Failing to properly define suicide in the policy
Using the contestability period to reexamine health history even if suicide was not the cause
All of these can form the basis of a successful appeal when handled by the right legal team.
Real Case Results: Reversing a Denied Suicide Claim
In one case, we represented a family whose loved one died from a drug overdose. The insurer labeled it a suicide. We presented evidence that the dosage was consistent with a prescribed amount and argued the death was unintentional. The claim, initially denied for $400,000, was fully paid after our appeal.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let a Suicide Clause Denial Go Unchallenged
A life insurance policy is a promise. If your loved one paid premiums in good faith, the insurer has a duty to honor the contract. When a claim is denied due to suicide or self-inflicted injury, that promise is often broken at the worst possible moment. But denials aren’t the end—they’re just the beginning of the legal fight to recover what’s rightfully yours.
Talk to a Life Insurance Attorney Who Has Won Suicide Denial Cases
If your claim was denied based on suicide or a related exclusion, don’t wait. Time limits for appealing are short—especially if the policy is governed by federal law (like an employer-provided group policy under ERISA). Contact our office for a free consultation. We’ve overturned suicide exclusions for families across the country and recovered millions in unpaid benefits. Let us help you do the same. When you need a Utah life insurance lawyer call us.