Farmers Life Insurance Company issues life insurance policies throughout the United States, including term life, whole life, and universal life coverage. Farmers policies are often sold through local insurance agents who also provide other insurance products such as auto and homeowners coverage.
After the death of the insured, beneficiaries must submit a life insurance claim to receive the policy benefit. In some cases, the insurer may delay payment while reviewing the claim or deny the claim based on policy language or information discovered during the investigation.
Attorney Christian Lassen represents beneficiaries nationwide in disputes involving denied and delayed life insurance claims.
Farmers Life Insurance Policies
Farmers life insurance coverage may be purchased directly from an agent or through affiliated financial services programs. The policies can vary widely in structure depending on the type of coverage selected.
Some policies are traditional individual policies purchased by the insured, while others may include riders such as accidental death benefits or additional coverage features. When a claim is filed, the insurer reviews the policy terms to determine whether the death benefit is payable.
Common Reasons Farmers Life Insurance Claims Are Denied
Life insurance claims involving Farmers policies may be denied for several reasons depending on the circumstances of the policy and the insurer’s investigation.
Alleged misrepresentation on the application
Life insurance applications require disclosure of medical history, medications, and other personal information. If the insurer later believes that information on the application was inaccurate or incomplete, it may attempt to deny the claim.
Example:
The insured did not report treatment for a medical condition on the application, and the insurer later discovers medical records showing treatment before the policy was issued.
Contestability period investigations
Most life insurance policies allow the insurer to investigate the accuracy of the application during the first two years of coverage.
Example:
The insured dies during the contestability period, and the insurer requests several years of medical and prescription records.
Policy lapse allegations
Some claim disputes arise when the insurer claims the policy was not active because premiums were not paid.
Example:
A missed premium payment occurs after the insured changed payment methods, and the insurer claims the policy lapsed before the death occurred.
Accidental death rider disputes
If the policy includes an accidental death benefit, the insurer may review the circumstances surrounding the death to determine whether the event qualifies under the policy definition of an accident.
Example:
The insurer determines that the death resulted from a medical condition rather than an accident and denies the additional accidental death benefit.
Claim Investigation and Document Review
After a life insurance claim is filed, the insurer typically reviews several types of documents before making a decision.
The investigation may involve reviewing:
Medical records from physicians and hospitals
Prescription history reports from pharmacy databases
The original life insurance application and underwriting file
Premium payment and policy billing records
Death certificates, autopsy reports, or accident investigation records
These materials are used to determine whether the claim meets the requirements of the policy.
Agent Involvement and Application Issues
Because many Farmers life insurance policies are sold through local agents, disputes sometimes arise regarding how the application was completed.
For example, the insured may have provided information verbally while the agent filled out the application. If the insurer later claims the application contains incorrect information, disagreements may arise about who was responsible for the error.
These situations can become important when the insurer attempts to deny a claim based on alleged misrepresentation.
Legal Help With Farmers Life Insurance Claim Denials
Life insurance disputes involving Farmers policies often require careful review of the application, policy terms, and the insurer’s claim investigation. Beneficiaries may have legal options to challenge a denial depending on the evidence relied on by the insurer.
The Lassen Law Firm focuses exclusively on life insurance disputes nationwide. Attorney Christian Lassen has more than 25 years of experience representing beneficiaries in denied, delayed, and contested life insurance claims.
If a Farmers life insurance claim has been denied or delayed, legal review can help determine whether the insurer’s decision can be challenged.