Life Insurance Lawyer Hawaii

life insurance lawyers serving all of hawaii

At The Lassen Law Firm, we focus exclusively on life insurance litigation—and we’ve handled denied claims across every region of Hawaii. Whether you're in Honolulu, Hilo, Kahului, or Kona, we help beneficiaries fight back against wrongful denials due to lapse, exclusions, misrepresentation, or contested beneficiaries. We’re familiar with Hawaii’s unique insurance laws, including local notice and contestability provisions. Every case is handled on contingency—no recovery, no fee.

Denied Life Insurance Claim in Hawaii? You’re Not Alone.


Families in Hawaii can be left in a difficult financial position when a life insurance provider refuses to honor a policy. If you’re struggling with a life insurance company denial in Hawaii, The Lassen Law Firm is ready to take legal action on your behalf and fight for the benefits you’ve been unfairly denied.

Life insurance beneficiary disputes in Hawaii can arise when family members challenge a designation or when policy updates are unclear or improperly executed. If you're dealing with a life insurance beneficiary dispute in Hawaii, The Lassen Law Firm can provide experienced legal support to help you secure what you’re rightfully owed.

When more than one person claims life insurance benefits in Hawaii, insurers often file an interpleader lawsuit in Hawaii so the court can decide who should receive the proceeds.

Experienced Life Insurance Lawyers Hawaii: The Lassen Law Firm

Dealing with life insurance claims in Hawaii can feel overwhelming, especially when faced with denied benefits or delayed payouts. At The Lassen Law Firm, we’re here to provide trusted legal support to individuals and families across the Aloha State. Whether you’re in Honolulu, Hilo, Kailua, or anywhere else in Hawaii, we are dedicated to helping you recover the benefits you deserve.

With hundreds of millions in policies recovered, we’ve built a reputation as experienced life insurance attorneys serving clients nationwide. From bad faith insurance practices to complex claim disputes, The Lassen Law Firm is here to fight for your rights with dedication and expertise. Call now for a free consultation to see if we can help you recover your life insurance benefits. No obligation.

Unlike other firms, The Lassen Law Firm exclusively handles denied life insurance claims. With 25 years of experience in this niche, we are recognized as top experts in the field. Our lawyers have earned prestigious awards, including membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and a 10.0 rating on AVVO. No other firm offers the same level of dedication and expertise in denied life insurance cases.

Life Insurance Claim Denied in Hawaii? You Deserve Answers and Action

Losing a loved one is a deeply painful experience, and life insurance is supposed to ease some of that burden — not add to it. Sadly, in Hawaii, many families find themselves facing unexpected denials or long delays when trying to collect life insurance proceeds. If your life insurance claim was denied, our Hawaii life insurance attorneys are here to help you seek the full benefits that are rightfully yours. Beneficiaries in Hawaii often need legal help to challenge a denied accidental death life insurance claim and recover the benefits they deserve.

Insurance companies know how to protect their bottom line. They often deny claims for reasons that may not hold up under legal scrutiny. If you feel overwhelmed by the process or suspect you’ve been treated unfairly, you are not alone. We offer free consultations, and we only collect a fee if we recover benefits for you.

Common Challenges with Life Insurance Claims in Hawaii

Life insurance companies use many tactics to justify denying claims, some of which are questionable or outright wrongful. In Hawaii, the most common issues we see are:

Accusation of Material Misrepresentation

Insurers may argue that the insured failed to disclose important information about their health, travel, or lifestyle risks when applying.

Lapses for Missed Payments

Insurers in Hawaii may refuse to pay a claim by alleging nonpayment, but the underlying life insurance lapse denial is often based on incomplete or improper notice procedures.

Deaths During Contestable Period

Deaths within two years of policy issuance give insurers an opportunity to investigate for discrepancies in the application.

Exclusions for High-Risk Activities

Deaths connected to activities like scuba diving, skydiving, or even travel to certain regions may fall into policy exclusions depending on the wording.

Last-Minute Change of Beneficiary

Disagreements about the proper beneficiary often cause delays or denials until the courts intervene.

Errors with Employer-Provided Group Policies

Administrative mistakes made by employers in offering or maintaining group coverage can jeopardize rightful claims.

Delays Regarding Criminal Investigation

In cases where a death is suspicious, insurers sometimes withhold payment pending the outcome of law enforcement inquiries — but these delays must be reasonable.

Just because an insurance company cites a policy provision or contestability issue does not mean they are legally entitled to deny your claim. Our team can investigate and demand fair treatment.

The Importance of the Contestability Period in Hawaii Life Insurance Policies

Nearly every life insurance policy issued in Hawaii includes a two-year contestability period. During this window, insurers can scrutinize claims more carefully and deny payment if they discover material misstatements made on the original application. After two years, however, their ability to contest claims becomes far more limited unless they can prove intentional fraud.

It’s important to understand that not every mistake justifies denial. Only material misrepresentations — statements that would have altered the insurer’s decision to issue or price the policy — are grounds for rescission. Harmless mistakes or omissions generally cannot be used to deny benefits under Hawaii law.

If your claim has been denied based on contestability arguments, don’t take the insurer’s word for it. Our attorneys know how to challenge wrongful rescissions and fight for payment.

What to Do Immediately After a Life Insurance Denial in Hawaii

When a life insurance claim is denied, fast and careful action can protect your rights. If you’ve received a denial notice:

  • Obtain a full copy of the insurance policy, the application, and any relevant amendments.

  • Review the insurer’s denial letter in detail and document the reasons given.

  • Save all correspondence between you and the insurance company, including call notes and emails.

  • Avoid making further statements or providing new documents to the insurer without legal advice.

  • Contact a Hawaii life insurance lawyer to review your situation and guide you through the next steps.

Time limits can be short — especially for policies governed by ERISA — so it's important not to wait.

How Our Hawaii Life Insurance Attorneys Build Strong Cases

When you hire our firm, you gain a team that focuses exclusively on fighting life insurance denials. We bring extensive knowledge of Hawaii insurance laws and a strong record of holding insurers accountable. Here’s how we approach your case:

  • We analyze your policy language and the insurer’s claimed reasons for denial.

  • We investigate the facts thoroughly, seeking to uncover errors, unfair practices, or bad faith behavior by the insurer.

  • We manage all communications with the insurance company so you can focus on healing.

  • We prepare administrative appeals for group policies where necessary.

  • We file lawsuits when insurers refuse to pay or act in bad faith under Hawaii law.

  • We fight not only for the full policy amount, but for additional damages when the insurer’s conduct warrants it.

You don't have to fight a life insurance denial alone. With our help, you can stand up to the insurance company and pursue the benefits your loved one intended you to receive.

Federal life insurance programs, including FEGLI and SGLI, frequently deny claims over technicalities that can be challenged with legal help. We represent Hawaii families dealing with denied FEGLI life insurance benefits and denied military life insurance claims under SGLI, ensuring their rights are fully protected.

If your life insurance coverage came through a private employer, it may be regulated by ERISA. Our team handles denied ERISA group life insurance claims in Hawaii and can assist you in pursuing a successful appeal under federal law.

Hawaii Denied Life Insurance Claims: Answers to Common Questions

What steps should I take if my life insurance claim is denied in Hawaii?

You should immediately consult a Hawaii life insurance attorney. For example, we recently helped a Honolulu widow recover benefits after an insurer wrongly cited an outdated exclusion clause to deny her claim.

How do I respond to a life insurance interpleader lawsuit in Hawaii?

You must file a legal response or risk forfeiting your rights. We defended a client on the Big Island who almost lost her late husband's payout when his former partner filed a competing claim.

I'm involved in a beneficiary dispute in Hawaii—what should I do?

Disputes often involve family conflicts. In one Maui case, we helped the adult children of a deceased policyholder recover proceeds after a new spouse challenged their rights as beneficiaries.

Why would an accidental death insurance claim be denied in Hawaii?

Insurers frequently argue the death was caused by illness rather than an accident. We reversed a denial in Hilo where a hiking fall was wrongly blamed on a "pre-existing heart condition."

Is policy lapse a valid reason to deny a life insurance claim in Hawaii?

It can be, but many lapses are improper. We reinstated a policy in Kaneohe after proving the insurer never sent the legally required lapse notice to the policyholder’s correct address.

Can a mistake or misrepresentation on the life insurance application void the claim?

Only if it’s material and intentional. We won a case in Pearl City where an innocent error about past smoking habits was used to deny a claim after a fatal car accident.

Can an insurer in Hawaii deny a claim due to an alcohol-related exclusion?

Sometimes—but exclusions must be clear. We overturned a denial in Kapolei where alcohol was present but unrelated to the fatal boating accident that triggered the claim.

My ERISA life insurance claim was denied—what should I do?

Act quickly. We won an ERISA case involving a teacher’s group plan in Oahu by submitting a comprehensive appeal backed by expert medical reports before the insurer issued a final denial.

How can I fight a life insurance denial during the contestability period in Hawaii?

We successfully fought a denial in Lahaina where the insurer tried to void a claim based on an omitted allergy—something completely unrelated to the insured’s drowning death.

My denial letter says the claim was rejected under Hawaii law—can I still win?

Yes. Insurers often misquote statutes. We reversed a denial in Waipahu where the insurer wrongly applied a law about suicide exclusions that didn’t apply to the facts of the case.

Which life insurance companies in Hawaii deny the most claims?

Pacific Guardian Life and AIG are frequently involved in disputes. We've successfully secured payouts from both through negotiation and litigation across the islands.

Does Hawaii law automatically revoke a life insurance beneficiary designation for an ex-spouse?

Yes. In one Honolulu case, we helped the rightful beneficiary recover the payout after the ex-spouse incorrectly claimed entitlement following divorce.

Is Hawaii a community property state and how does that affect life insurance?

Yes. We helped a surviving spouse in Kailua claim half the policy proceeds even though the deceased had named only one child as beneficiary, due to the use of marital funds for premium payments.

Can a will override a life insurance beneficiary designation in Hawaii?

No. We defeated a challenge in Wailuku where a new will tried to redirect proceeds away from the original named beneficiary.

Can a claim be denied if the policyholder died overseas?

Not automatically. We recovered benefits in a case involving a Maui resident who passed away in Japan, despite the insurer’s denial based on travel-related restrictions.

Is a last-minute change in beneficiary grounds for contesting the claim?

Yes. We successfully challenged a change made days before death in Hilo, showing the insured was heavily medicated and lacked legal capacity.

What if the insurer takes months to make a decision or issue payment?

Unreasonable delays can constitute bad faith. We won additional compensation in Honolulu after forcing a company to pay a claim they sat on for eight months.

Can the insurer argue that a death wasn’t accidental to avoid paying an AD&D claim?

They often try. We forced payment when an insurer misclassified a fatal surfing injury on Oahu as a "medical event" to deny AD&D coverage.

What if the life insurance agent filled out the application incorrectly?

If the agent made the mistake, the insurer may still be liable. We overturned a denial in Kahului after proving the agent misrecorded the insured’s prescription history.

Is it possible to sue for bad faith in Hawaii over a denied claim?

Yes. In one Kauai case, we obtained punitive damages against an insurer that denied a claim after intentionally misreading the death certificate.

Are suicide exclusions enforceable in Hawaii?

Only if the death occurred during the exclusion period. We reversed a denial in Ewa Beach where the policy’s two-year suicide clause had already expired.

Are work-related life insurance plans in Hawaii governed by ERISA?

Most are. We handled an ERISA claim for a state employee in Honolulu where the insurer wrongly delayed payout and used improper claims procedures.

If the policyholder didn’t disclose a health condition, can the insurer deny the claim?

Only if the omission was intentional and material. We beat a denial in Mililani where the alleged non-disclosure (an old asthma diagnosis) had no bearing on the fatal accident.

What if no beneficiary was named on the policy?

We guided a family in Kailua-Kona through probate court to claim proceeds when the insured failed to name a beneficiary.

Can a forged or suspicious beneficiary form be challenged in Hawaii?

Yes. We successfully invalidated a fraudulent form in Lihue using handwriting experts and testimony from hospital staff.

Does Hawaii require notice before canceling a life insurance policy?

Yes. We reinstated a policy in Hilo after showing the insurer failed to send proper written notice before declaring a lapse.

Are union-sponsored life insurance policies different?

Yes. We enforced a payout under a Hawaii teachers’ union plan after the insurer misinterpreted the policy’s eligibility terms.

Do co-beneficiaries automatically split the payout equally in Hawaii?

Generally yes. We ensured a co-beneficiary in Kaneohe received her full share after another tried to claim the entire policy.

Can I collect a life insurance payout if the insured disappeared and was later declared dead?

Yes. We helped a family in Lanai recover benefits after a court issued a declaration of death for a missing fisherman.

Is it too late to appeal a denial if I waited a few months?

Not necessarily. We reopened a claim in Honolulu four months after denial, citing the insurer’s failure to provide adequate appeal instructions.

Are life insurance payouts safe from creditors in Hawaii?

Usually yes. We blocked creditor claims against a payout in Pearl City by proving it passed directly to the named beneficiary.

Can unclear or ambiguous policy wording lead to denial?

It shouldn’t. We won payment in a Waianae case where the insurer tried to deny coverage based on vague accident language.

Can a policy be reinstated if it lapsed without proper notice?

Yes. We reinstated a Hawaii policy and secured benefits after showing the insurer’s grace period notice was sent to the wrong address.

Can a child be named as a life insurance beneficiary in Hawaii?

Yes. We helped a family in Honolulu set up a custodial account to manage a $250,000 payout for a 10-year-old beneficiary.

What if someone else claims the insured verbally promised them the money?

Only written designations count. We defeated multiple claims in Hilo based on hearsay promises that lacked any legal documentation.

Can a claim be denied due to involvement in illegal activity?

Possibly, but it must be proven. We overturned a denial in Maui where the insurer failed to connect the alleged "illegal act" to the actual cause of death.

How long do I have to challenge a denied claim in Hawaii?

Deadlines vary based on ERISA or state law. Some appeals must be filed within 60 days. Immediate legal review is critical to preserve your rights.

2025 Hawaii Denied Life Insurance Claims: settlements & verdicts

Below are examples of Hawaii life insurance claims successfully resolved.

  • Metropolitan Life lapse of payment $97,000.00
  • CMFG Life coronavirus denied payment $30,000.00
  • Banner Life sickness exclusion we won $105,000.00
  • Denied SGLI claim beneficiaries $403,127.00
  • Accidental Death & Dismemberment $890,000.00
  • Navy Life girlfriend versus ex-spouse $406,430.00
  • Woodmen Life prescription drug denial $65,000.00
  • Accordia Life lapse of policy we won $50,000.00
  • Lafayette Life felony exclusion resolved $25,000.00
  • Symetra long delay of payment resolved $77,000.00
  • AD&D denied life insurance claim won $740,000.00
  • AIG autoerotic asphyxiation denied claim $508,700.00
  • Forethought Life alcohol exclusion $159,000.00
  • CNO Financial coronavirus exclusion $51,000.00
  • Globe alcohol exclusion drunk driving $113,250.00
  • Confederation Life denial of benefits $77,000.00
  • Guarantee Security Life delay of claim $40,000.00
  • Maui mistake as to age on application $526,000.00
  • ERISA appeal of the life benefits won $104,000.00
  • Denied FEGLI claim resolved in 5 days $179,000.00
  • SGLI beneficiary dispute wife and ex-wife $400,000.00
  • Prudential irrevocable beneficiary dispute $364,000.00
  • AIG AD&D denial not accidental $512,430.00
  • Principal material misrepresentation $105,312.00
  • Denied SGLI claim dispute $402840.00
  • Hawaii denied life insurance claim $1,300,000.00
  • Oahu agent filled out the application $465,000.00
  • Fidelity 2 year contestability period $138,000.00
  • Denied AD&D claim shooting $730,900.00
  • Colonial suicide clause exclusion $282,000.00
  • VGLI appeal successfully resolved $400,000.00
  • Gerber beneficiary dispute interpleader $370,000.00
  • Denied life insurance claim Hawaii $518,400.00
  • Honolulu dispute among beneficiaries $1,020,000.00
  • Metlife accidental death benefit exclusions $430,000.00
  • SGLI dispute who is beneficiary $400,000.00
  • Bankers drug overdose denial $212,900.00

Every denied claim is unique. In Hawaii, we know how to maximize your chance of recovering the full life insurance payout.

Hawaii Life Insurance Disputes: Denials, Delays, and the Federal Court Factor

Challenging a denied life insurance claim in Hawaii often requires navigating both state law and federal jurisdiction. In Honolulu, we’ve handled multiple cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii, where insurers initiate interpleader actions to avoid liability when two or more people claim the same benefit. One such dispute involved a policyholder on Maui who had changed his beneficiary shortly before passing, triggering a lawsuit between his long-term partner and an estranged sibling. We successfully defended the rightful claimant and secured the full payout.

Hawaii’s legal system presents unique nuances. While not a community property state in the traditional sense, courts sometimes consider the financial contributions of spouses to premiums. In one case from Hilo, we represented a surviving spouse who was left off the policy due to a workplace enrollment error. The employer failed to explain how to designate a beneficiary properly under the group life plan, and the insurer denied the claim. Our appeal through ERISA channels resulted in a full recovery.

Insurers in Hawaii frequently cite vague exclusions or contestability period misstatements to avoid paying out. In a claim out of Kauai, we confronted a denial based on an old prescription listed incorrectly on an application. The insured died from an unrelated cause, and the alleged misrepresentation had no bearing on the risk assessment. We reversed the decision and recovered the $400,000 benefit for the beneficiary.

We’ve also seen insurers delay AD&D payouts in Hawaii, often disputing whether a fall or injury was “accidental” under the policy’s strict definition. In Lahaina, we proved that a drowning incident met the terms of the policy despite the insurer’s assertion of contributory alcohol use.

When your life insurance claim is denied or stalled in Hawaii, whether you live on Oahu, the Big Island, or anywhere else across the islands, we’re prepared to handle your case with both national experience and local precision.

Life Insurance Dispute Representation Across Hawaii

We assist clients throughout Hawaii with denied life insurance claims. Our firm serves beneficiaries in Honolulu, East Honolulu, Pearl City, Hilo, Kailua, Waipahu, Kaneohe, Mililani Town, Kahului, and Ewa Gentry. No matter where you're located in Hawaii, The Lassen Law Firm is prepared to help you challenge the denial and seek the payout you deserve.