If your life insurance claim with Equitable has been denied or delayed, you are not alone. Many beneficiaries are surprised to learn that even well known national insurers closely scrutinize claims, especially when the death occurs within the first two years of the policy or involves medical history, employment based coverage, or accidental death benefits.
Equitable, formerly known as AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, has issued policies for decades. Older paperwork may still reference AXA. Regardless of the name on the policy, the claim handling process today follows the same general structure used by large national carriers.
This page explains why Equitable life insurance claims are denied, what to request immediately, and how to protect your rights.
Common Reasons Equitable Denies Life Insurance Claims
While every case is different, most denials fall into a handful of categories.
Contestability and alleged misrepresentation
If the insured dies within the contestability period, Equitable may conduct a post claim underwriting review. The company will compare the application answers to medical records, prescription history, and other third party data. Even minor discrepancies can be labeled material.
Lapse or nonpayment
Equitable may argue that the policy was not in force due to missed premiums. Disputes often involve grace period notices, reinstatement attempts, or automatic bank drafts that were not processed correctly.
Beneficiary disputes
Conflicts over who is entitled to the proceeds can lead to interpleader lawsuits or extended delays. This frequently occurs after divorce, remarriage, or late beneficiary changes.
Accidental death exclusions
If the claim involves an AD&D rider, Equitable may argue that the death was caused or contributed to by illness, intoxication, or another excluded condition rather than an accident.
Employer provided coverage issues
For group life policies, eligibility, active at work status, salary miscalculations, or missing evidence of insurability forms can result in denial.
What to Request Immediately After an Equitable Denial
Do not rely only on the denial letter. You need the full record.
Request in writing:
The complete claim file
The full policy including riders and endorsements
The original application and any amendments
The underwriting file
Medical records relied upon
Pharmacy and prescription reports
MIB or other background reports
Internal claim notes
For employer plans, the entire administrative record and summary plan description
Reviewing these documents often reveals whether the denial is based on incomplete information, selective use of records, or a misunderstanding of the policy language.
Equitable and Post Claim Underwriting
One of the most common issues in Equitable denials involves post claim underwriting. After a death, the insurer may investigate medical history more aggressively than it did when issuing the policy.
Key questions include:
Was the alleged omission actually asked on the application
Is the discrepancy truly material to underwriting
Can the insurer prove intent to deceive if required under state law
Did the underwriting file show any red flags at the time of issue
Many denials framed as “material misrepresentation” are not as clear cut as the letter suggests.
Lapse and Reinstatement Disputes
If Equitable claims the policy lapsed, examine:
Premium payment history
Grace period notices
Address accuracy
Automatic draft confirmations
Reinstatement applications and communications
In some cases, policies are declared lapsed after death despite evidence that payments were attempted or notices were not properly sent.
Beneficiary and Interpleader Issues
Equitable may file an interpleader action if there are competing beneficiary claims. This places the funds with the court while the dispute is resolved.
These cases often involve:
Divorce decrees
Late or unprocessed beneficiary changes
Conflicts between a named beneficiary and a trust
Claims involving minor children
The outcome can depend heavily on the exact language of the policy and the beneficiary designation forms.
Deadlines You Cannot Ignore
If the policy is employer sponsored and governed by federal benefits law, strict internal appeal deadlines apply. Missing an appeal deadline can significantly limit your ability to introduce new evidence later.
Even for individual policies, statutes of limitation apply. Do not allow extended “under review” delays to push you past key filing deadlines.
Older Policies Still Referencing AXA
If your paperwork references AXA Equitable, it is still part of the Equitable brand family. The name change does not eliminate contractual obligations. Coverage depends on the terms of the policy in force at the time of death.
If you are unsure which entity issued the policy, the policy number and claim correspondence can help identify the correct company and claims department.
When a Denial Is Not the Final Word
A denial letter is often written in confident language. That does not mean it is legally correct. Many life insurance denials are based on incomplete records, disputed medical interpretations, or technical arguments that do not hold up under closer review.
If your Equitable life insurance claim has been denied, a careful analysis of the policy, application, and claim file is the first step toward determining whether the decision can be challenged.
Beneficiaries should not assume that a denial is final simply because it is stated that way in the letter.