Indiana Life Insurance Lawyer

Life Insurance Lawyers Serving All 92 Indiana Counties

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

If your life insurance claim was denied in Indiana, 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 Indiana 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 Indiana. We handle denied life insurance claims in all 92 counties and never charge a fee unless we recover for you.

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

Life insurance companies in Indiana sometimes deny claims unfairly, leaving families without the financial support they were counting on. If you’re facing a life insurance claim rejection in Indiana, The Lassen Law Firm is ready to stand up to the insurer and fight for the benefits you’re owed.

Life insurance beneficiary disputes in Indiana frequently occur when multiple parties believe they have a rightful claim to the same policy. If you’re dealing with a life insurance beneficiary dispute in Indiana, The Lassen Law Firm is prepared to help you resolve the matter and protect your interests.

In Indiana, when conflicting beneficiary claims arise, insurers may file an interpleader action in Indiana to avoid liability and allow the court to determine who should receive the life insurance proceeds.

Life insurance claims in Indiana can be complex, especially when navigating denied payouts or bad faith insurance practices. At The Lassen Law Firm, we’re dedicated to helping Hoosiers secure the benefits they deserve. 

As life insurance attorneys handling cases nationwide, we’ve recovered hundreds of millions in policies for our clients. At The Lassen Law Firm, your case is more than just paperwork, it’s personal, and we’re here to fight for you every step of the way. 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.

Struggling with a Denied Life Insurance Claim in Indiana? We’re Here to Help

Life insurance is meant to provide peace of mind, offering critical financial protection when a loved one passes away. Yet in Indiana, many beneficiaries encounter an unexpected barrier: a claim denial from the insurance company. If your life insurance benefits have been delayed, reduced, or outright denied, you don’t have to face the insurance company alone. Our Indiana life insurance attorneys know how to fight back and get results. If you’re dealing with a denied accidental death and dismemberment claim in Indiana, our firm can help you hold the insurer accountable.

Insurance companies often deny claims not because it is right, but because they know many people won't challenge their decision. Whether the insurer is citing alleged misrepresentations, claiming a policy lapsed, or invoking a technical exclusion, it’s essential to have a skilled attorney review the case. We offer free consultations and charge no fees unless we recover benefits for you.

Why Life Insurance Companies Deny Claims in Indiana

Every life insurance claim denial tells a story, but insurers tend to rely on certain common strategies. Some of the most frequent reasons for denial in Indiana include:

Misrepresentations on Application

Insurers often claim that the insured failed to disclose medical history, hazardous activities, or other facts that allegedly would have influenced underwriting.

Lapse due to Nonpayment of Premiums

Insurers in Indiana may deny claims due to nonpayment, but we often find that the life insurance policy lapse was the result of unclear billing or overlooked grace periods.

Exclusions for Specific Causes of Death

Deaths resulting from suicide within the exclusion period, illegal acts, or high-risk activities may be denied under certain policy provisions.

Beneficiary Conflicts

Disputes about who should receive the proceeds often involving ex-spouses or recently changed designations which can tie up claims for months.

Mistakes in Group Policies

Errors made by employers during enrollment or administration can wrongly strip families of expected benefits.

Delays Triggered by Investigations

When a death is under criminal investigation, insurers may delay payments, but they are still obligated to act reasonably under Indiana law.

Even if a denial sounds final, many insurer decisions fail to hold up once examined closely. A careful legal review often reveals opportunities to contest the denial and secure payment.

How the Contestability Period Affects Life Insurance Claims in Indiana

Life insurance policies in Indiana typically include a two-year contestability clause. During this period, insurers can rescind coverage if they discover that the policyholder made a material misstatement on the application. However, their ability to cancel coverage diminishes greatly after two years unless intentional fraud can be proven.

It’s important to recognize that not every mistake gives an insurer the right to deny benefits. Only material misrepresentations, those that would have directly impacted the insurer’s decision to approve the policy or determine premiums, matter under Indiana law. Innocent errors, irrelevant omissions, and technical mistakes usually do not justify a denial.

If your claim is being denied based on allegations made during the contestability period, our attorneys can evaluate whether the insurer’s actions comply with Indiana’s legal standards.

What You Should Do If Your Life Insurance Claim Is Denied in Indiana

When you receive a life insurance denial letter, you need to act quickly to protect your rights. Here are key steps to take:

• Obtain the full insurance policy, application documents, and any policy amendments.
• Read and document the insurer’s stated reasons for denial.
• Preserve all communications, including letters, emails, and call summaries.
• Avoid giving additional statements or submitting paperwork without legal advice.
• Contact an Indiana life insurance attorney immediately to discuss your legal options.

Delays or missteps can make it harder to appeal or file a lawsuit, especially with group life policies governed by strict ERISA deadlines.

How Our Indiana Life Insurance Attorneys Fight for Beneficiaries

Our firm is committed to helping beneficiaries who have been treated unfairly by life insurance companies. When you hire us, we will:

• Conduct a detailed review of your policy and the denial rationale.
• Investigate whether the insurer violated Indiana insurance laws or breached contractual obligations.
• Communicate and negotiate directly with the insurance company to demand full payment.
• File appeals when necessary, particularly for employer-provided group coverage.
• Initiate lawsuits in Indiana courts if insurers refuse to pay or act in bad faith.
• Pursue additional damages where warranted for unfair or deceptive insurance practices.

We understand how important life insurance proceeds are to maintaining financial stability after a loss. Our goal is to recover what you are owed quickly and efficiently, without unnecessary delay or frustration.

Claims involving federal life insurance programs can be denied unfairly due to red tape or recordkeeping issues. We represent Indiana clients who are dealing with denied FEGLI claims for government workers and denied SGLI benefits related to military service.

Employer-provided life insurance plans are typically governed by ERISA, which imposes strict standards for both insurers and beneficiaries. If your claim has been denied under an ERISA plan in Indiana, we’re prepared to challenge the decision and help you secure the benefits you deserve.

Indiana Denied Life Insurance Claims: Answers to Common Questions

What should I do if my life insurance claim was denied in Indiana?

Contact a skilled Indiana life insurance lawyer immediately. We recently helped a widow in Carmel recover her husband's denied benefit after an insurer wrongly claimed a misstatement on his application.

What should I do if I’ve been named in a life insurance interpleader lawsuit in Indiana?

Hire legal counsel right away. In one interpleader case we handled in Fort Wayne, two adult children were able to prove their claim over a new partner who had attempted a late beneficiary change.

Can your law firm help with a beneficiary dispute in Indiana?

Yes. We regularly resolve disputes, like one we handled in Bloomington where a caregiver tried to claim benefits intended for the deceased's niece.

Why would an accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) claim be denied in Indiana?

Insurers often argue "natural causes" or "alcohol involvement." We overturned a denial where a fatal fall was wrongly classified as heart failure in a Muncie case.

Can an insurance company deny a claim for policy lapse in Indiana?

They can, but it may be invalid. We reinstated a policy after showing that an insurer failed to send proper lapse notice to an address change the insured had submitted.

Is an application misstatement always valid grounds for denial in Indiana?

No. We challenged a denial based on a minor omission about occasional migraines that had no link to the insured's accidental death in Terre Haute.

Can an alcohol exclusion prevent a life insurance payout in Indiana?

Sometimes, but we successfully disputed a denial where blood alcohol levels were irrelevant to the car crash that caused the insured’s death.

How do I appeal a denied ERISA life insurance claim in Indiana?

With precision. We recently won an appeal for an Indianapolis factory worker whose employer's group plan wrongfully denied his family's claim based on an alleged misstatement.

What if the insurance company says the claim is invalid due to the contestability period in Indiana?

Insurers still must prove a material misrepresentation. We defeated a contestability denial where an old prescription history had nothing to do with the cause of death.

Can I still win my case if the insurer says it was denied based on Indiana state law?

Yes. We challenged an insurer’s use of Indiana Code §27-1-12-18 to deny a claim and won by demonstrating the statute didn’t apply to the policy facts.

Which life insurance companies deny the most claims in Indiana?

We often see aggressive denials from OneAmerica, Anthem Life, and Lincoln Financial, all headquartered or heavily active in Indiana.

Does Indiana automatically revoke a spouse’s beneficiary status after divorce?

Yes. We protected a new spouse’s claim in South Bend where an ex-wife tried to argue she was still entitled to benefits after a finalized divorce.

Is Indiana a community property state, and does it affect life insurance payouts?

No. But we successfully helped a surviving spouse in Evansville claim partial proceeds based on equitable ownership where premiums were paid with joint funds.

Can someone claim life insurance based on a will if they aren't named on the policy?

No. However, we overturned a suspicious late-stage beneficiary change involving undue influence from a caregiver in Lafayette.

What if the policyholder passed away outside the U.S., can that impact the claim?

Yes, but we helped an Indianapolis family recover benefits after an insurer improperly denied a claim based on a vague "foreign death" exclusion following a death in Africa.

How can I dispute a last-minute change in beneficiary made just before death?

We recently reinstated an adult son’s beneficiary status after a suspicious change favoring a distant relative was made while the insured was hospitalized.

What if the insurer is delaying payment with no explanation?

Delays longer than 30–60 days can trigger bad faith penalties. We won damages for a client whose claim was stalled for over 90 days without reason.

Can an accidental death be reclassified as natural causes to deny a claim?

Yes, insurers often try. We successfully disputed a denial where a motorcycle accident was misclassified as a "medical event."

Is the insurer still liable if the insurance agent made an error on the application?

Possibly. We proved insurer responsibility where an agent incorrectly recorded health history in a Mishawaka case.

Can I sue for bad faith if the insurance company wrongfully denies a life insurance claim in Indiana?

Yes. In a case out of Gary, we secured punitive damages against an insurer that repeatedly ignored evidence supporting a valid claim.

How long does a suicide exclusion last under Indiana life insurance law?

Generally two years. We challenged a misapplied suicide exclusion on a five-year-old policy and secured full payment for the family.

Are life insurance policies offered by Indiana employers governed by ERISA?

Yes. We handle complex ERISA appeals and recently recovered benefits for a school employee whose group coverage denial was based on flawed reasoning.

What if the policyholder forgot to disclose a prior health condition?

If it wasn’t material to the death, we can often beat the denial. We overturned a case involving an undisclosed thyroid condition unrelated to an accidental death.

What happens if the policy doesn’t name a beneficiary in Indiana?

Proceeds usually flow through probate. We guided a family through Hamilton County probate court to secure payout for the insured’s heirs.

Can a forged or falsified beneficiary form be challenged in Indiana?

Yes. We successfully invalidated a forged beneficiary change where a neighbor tried to replace the insured’s adult daughter.

Are life insurance policies tied to unions or associations treated differently in Indiana?

Sometimes. We handle claims involving union-sponsored coverage, which may have alternative appeal processes.

If I'm listed as a co-beneficiary, can I still recover if there’s a dispute?

Yes. We protected a co-beneficiary’s share after another attempted to claim 100% by misinterpreting the policy language.

How do I file a claim if the policyholder went missing and was later declared dead?

Once the court issues a presumption of death, we help beneficiaries collect. We handled a successful missing person case following a boating accident on Lake Michigan.

What is the deadline to appeal a denied life insurance claim in Indiana?

ERISA deadlines are often 60 days. Individual policies may allow longer. Immediate action protects your rights.

Are life insurance proceeds safe from creditors in Indiana?

Yes, if paid to a named beneficiary. We shielded proceeds from creditor claims after a policyholder’s estate was pursued for unpaid debts.

What happens if the policy language is vague?

Indiana law favors beneficiaries. We defeated a denial based on ambiguous “hazardous activity” wording.

Can a child be named a life insurance beneficiary in Indiana?

Yes. We help families set up custodial accounts so minor beneficiaries' funds are properly managed.

What happens if multiple people claim they were promised the proceeds?

Only written designations control. We defended against multiple verbal promise claims trying to override a clear beneficiary form.

Can a claim be denied if the death occurred during illegal activity?

Only if the policy clearly excludes it and the insurer proves it caused the death. We overturned a denial based on a minor legal infraction.

Does Indiana allow reopened claims after a denial?

Yes. We reopened a claim after discovering key documents the insurer ignored during the first review.

 courts and federal rules. We represent clients throughout Indiana and have successfully resolved claims through both litigation and negotiation.

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 14, 2025 | Contact 800-330-2274