Hawaii Life Insurance Lawyer

Life Insurance Lawyers Serving All 5 Hawaii Counties

Christian Lassen, Esq. | 25 Years Experience | Hundreds of Millions Recovered

If your life insurance claim was denied in Hawaii, you're not alone and you're not without options. At The Lassen Law Firm, we focus exclusively on life insurance litigation and have helped families throughout Hawaii recover millions in wrongfully denied death benefits. Whether your case involves a policy lapse, misrepresentation allegation, or a contested beneficiary change, we have the experience to challenge the denial and pursue the full payout.

Led by nationally recognized life insurance attorney Christian Lassen, quoted by The Wall Street Journal and rated 10.0 by AVVO, our firm serves clients in every region of Hawaii. We handle denied life insurance claims in all 5 counties and never charge a fee unless we recover for you.

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.

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. 

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 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 helped 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 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.

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.

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 condition, 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 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 across the islands.

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

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

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.

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

Yes. We successfully challenged a change made days before death, 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 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 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 improperly listed the insured’s medical history.

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 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 material. We beat a denial in Mililani regarding the alleged non-disclosure of an old medical diagnosis.

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 after showing the insurer failed to send proper written notice before declaring a lapse.

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.

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

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

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 notice was sent to the wrong address.

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

Only written designations count. We defeated multiple claims 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.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Written & Reviewed by Christian Lassen, Esq., Nationally recognized life insurance lawyer: 25 years experience, hundreds of millions recovered.  Quoted in The Wall Street Journal ( May 17, 2025).

Last reviewed: June 15, 2025 | Contact 800-330-2274

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