Many beneficiaries are told that a life insurance claim cannot be paid because a police report has not been finalized. This usually follows accidents, unattended deaths, or incidents occurring outside a hospital.
While insurers may request police records, they often misuse delays in police reporting to stall payment long after enough information exists to decide the claim.
A police report delay does not give an insurer unlimited time.
Why Insurers Request Police Reports
Insurance companies often ask for police reports to evaluate:
• Whether the death was accidental or intentional
• Possible criminal activity
• Allegations of suicide
• Intoxication or impairment
• Involvement of third parties
In many cases, none of these issues ultimately affect coverage.
Police Reports Are Often Delayed or Never Finalized
Police departments prioritize criminal investigations, not insurance timelines. Reports can take months to complete and some are never formally finalized at all.
Insurers know this and still use pending reports to freeze claims.
A Police Report Is Not Always Required for Payment
Most life insurance policies do not require a finalized police report as a condition of payment. If the death certificate, medical records, and available facts do not trigger an exclusion, the claim should proceed.
Waiting solely for police paperwork is often unreasonable.
Insurers Often Delay Even After Receiving the Report
Even when a police report is issued, insurers frequently claim they need additional clarification or internal review. This creates rolling delays that serve no legitimate purpose.
At that point, the delay shifts from investigation to obstruction.
ERISA Group Life Policies Have Mandatory Timelines
Employer sponsored life insurance policies governed by ERISA require insurers to make timely decisions. Waiting indefinitely for a police report does not suspend these deadlines.
Insurers must issue a decision or provide a valid written explanation tied to specific policy provisions.
Warning Signs of Improper Police Report Delays
Red flags include:
• No explanation of how the report affects coverage
• Delay despite no suggestion of suicide or crime
• Requests for reports that do not exist
• Continued delay after preliminary information is available
• Refusal to pay even partial benefits
These practices often violate claim handling standards.
What Beneficiaries Should Do During Police Report Delays
If your claim is stalled due to a police report:
• Ask for written justification tied to policy language
• Request confirmation whether payment can proceed without the report
• Demand a decision timeline
• Preserve all communications
• Act before appeal deadlines pass
Delay benefits the insurer, not the beneficiary.
Police Report Delays Can Be Challenged
We routinely handle life insurance claims delayed due to pending police reports, including cases where insurers paid without waiting for final documentation.
Our firm represents beneficiaries nationwide in delayed and denied life insurance claims. There is no fee unless benefits are recovered.
If your life insurance claim is being delayed because the insurer is waiting on a police report, contact us for a free case evaluation.