When a death involves a vehicle, life insurance companies often look for a way out.
Sometimes that means turning a traffic accident into a felony allegation.
No conviction. No trial. Sometimes not even charges.
Just an assertion in a police report or denial letter that the insured committed a felony.
For beneficiaries, this is one of the most shocking ways a valid claim gets denied.
How insurers turn accidents into crimes
Life insurance policies often exclude deaths that occur while the insured is committing a felony or engaging in criminal activity.
That language sounds straightforward. In practice, insurers stretch it.
Common insurer tactics include:
Labeling DUI as an automatic felony
Treating traffic citations as criminal acts
Relying on preliminary police conclusions
Citing arrest reports that never led to charges
Using charging language without a conviction
Insurers often stop their analysis there.
A felony is not a rumor
Most courts require more than suspicion.
A felony exclusion is not triggered simply because an insurer believes a crime occurred. In many jurisdictions, courts require proof that the insured actually committed a felony.
That proof usually involves:
Formal charges
A conviction
Or clear, undisputed evidence of criminal conduct
A police report alone is often not enough.
DUI allegations are the most abused
Driving under the influence is one of the most common hooks insurers use.
Problems arise because DUI laws vary by state. Some DUIs are misdemeanors. Some become felonies only under specific conditions.
Insurers frequently skip that analysis.
They assume DUI equals felony and deny the claim.
That assumption is often wrong.
Pending investigations are not convictions
Many fatal accidents trigger ongoing investigations.
Insurers often deny claims while:
Toxicology is pending
Police investigations are open
Charges are undecided
Prosecutors have not acted
They present these denials as final.
Courts frequently disagree.
An investigation is not a finding. Suspicion is not proof.
Reckless driving is not automatically criminal
Insurers also rely on terms like reckless, excessive speed, or dangerous driving.
These descriptions are often subjective.
Unless the conduct meets the legal definition of a felony under applicable law, exclusions may not apply.
Insurers rarely explain how they reached that conclusion.
Alcohol and drugs are treated differently
Insurers often blur the line between intoxication exclusions and felony exclusions.
A policy may have:
A specific intoxication exclusion
A felony or illegal act exclusion
Or both
Each has different requirements.
Using one to justify the other is a common error.
Denial letters often overstate certainty
Many denial letters are written with confidence that is not supported by evidence.
They may state:
The insured committed a felony
The death resulted from illegal conduct
Coverage is excluded as a matter of law
Yet the underlying file may show:
No charges filed
No conviction
Conflicting reports
Inconclusive toxicology
That gap matters.
What beneficiaries should watch for
Driving related denials deserve closer review when:
The denial references an arrest but no charges
The policy language is not quoted
State law definitions are ignored
The insurer relies on early reports
Investigations were incomplete
These are often signs that the exclusion is being stretched.
How these denials are challenged successfully
Winning cases focus on precision.
Key arguments often include:
The absence of a qualifying felony
Mismatch between policy language and state law
Lack of conviction or proof
Improper reliance on preliminary reports
Insurer failure to investigate fully
These cases are not about excusing wrongdoing. They are about enforcing the contract as written.
Why insurers push felony framing
Felony exclusions are powerful.
They allow insurers to deny without debating causation, intent, or medical issues. They shift the burden onto grieving families.
Courts often push back when insurers overreach.