Life Insurance Lawyer Maine

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

When a life insurance claim is denied in Maine, families are often left confused and financially vulnerable during an already difficult time. If you're dealing with a refused life insurance benefit in Maine, The Lassen Law Firm is here to advocate for your rights and pursue the payout you’re entitled to.

In Maine, life insurance beneficiary disputes can arise when policies list outdated designations or when family members question the validity of recent changes. If you're facing a life insurance beneficiary dispute in Maine, The Lassen Law Firm is here to help you protect your rights and secure the benefits intended for you.

When life insurance claims are disputed in Maine, insurers often file an interpleader lawsuit in Maine to avoid making the wrong payment and let the court decide who is legally entitled to the funds.

Experienced Life Insurance Lawyers Maine: The Lassen Law Firm

Handling life insurance claims in Maine can be challenging, especially when faced with denied benefits or bad faith insurance practices. At The Lassen Law Firm, we’re dedicated to assisting clients across the Pine Tree State in recovering the payouts they deserve. Whether you’re in Portland Maine, Lewiston, Bangor, Auburn, or anywhere else in Maine, we’re here to provide trusted legal expertise and personalized support.

With a nationwide presence, our life insurance attorneys have successfully recovered hundreds of millions in policies for our clients. At The Lassen Law Firm, we combine experience, dedication, and relentless advocacy to ensure justice for every individual and family. 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 24 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 Maine? We’re Here to Protect Your Rights

Life insurance is meant to be a safeguard — a way to ensure your loved ones are taken care of after you’re gone. But in Maine, many families face unexpected challenges when they try to collect life insurance benefits. If your claim has been denied, delayed, or undervalued, you do not have to face the insurance company alone. Our Maine life insurance attorneys are ready to step in, challenge unfair practices, and fight to secure the benefits you are owed.

Insurance companies often rely on technicalities, alleged application errors, or disputed policy terms to avoid paying claims. However, Maine law provides strong protections for beneficiaries, and insurers must meet strict standards when denying a claim. We offer free consultations and only collect fees if we successfully recover benefits on your behalf.

Life Insurance Claim Disputes and the Contestability Period in Maine

Most life insurance policies in Maine include a two-year contestability period. During this time, insurers are permitted to investigate claims and deny benefits if they discover material misrepresentations made on the application. After the contestability period expires, their ability to rescind coverage is severely limited unless clear evidence of fraud exists.

It’s important to understand that a misstatement must be material to justify denial. Only errors or omissions that would have changed the insurer’s decision to offer coverage — or influenced the policy’s pricing — are legally relevant. Minor inaccuracies, harmless omissions, or misunderstandings do not allow insurers to withhold payment under Maine law.

If your claim was denied based on contestability arguments, you should not assume the insurer’s decision is final. An experienced Maine life insurance attorney can analyze the facts and fight to overturn improper denials.

Common Reasons Life Insurance Claims Are Denied in Maine

Insurers often use familiar strategies to deny life insurance claims. Some of the most common reasons for denials in Maine include:

Alleged Application Misstatements: Insurers claim the insured failed to disclose serious health conditions, prescription medications, or risky behaviors like scuba diving or skydiving.
Policy Lapses for Nonpayment: Missed premium payments can lead to lapses, but Maine requires strict notice and grace period compliance before terminating coverage.
Policy Exclusions: Deaths connected to suicide (within a set exclusion period), dangerous activities, or criminal behavior may trigger exclusions depending on policy wording.
Beneficiary Disputes: Family conflicts over outdated beneficiary designations, unsigned change forms, or questions of undue influence often cause insurers to delay or deny benefits.
Employer Mistakes in Group Life Insurance: Administrative errors during enrollment or maintenance of group life insurance policies can lead to wrongful denials.
Suspicious Death Investigations: Insurers may delay payment if a death is under investigation, but Maine law expects insurers to act in good faith and resolve claims promptly.

Whatever reason the insurer gives, a denial is not always the final word. A proper legal challenge can often turn a wrongful denial into a full recovery.

Steps to Take After Receiving a Life Insurance Denial in Maine

If you’ve received a denial, it’s important to act quickly to preserve your rights. You should:

Request and review a complete copy of the life insurance policy, the application, and all amendments.
Carefully read the insurer’s denial letter and document the reasons they provided.
Save copies of all communications with the insurer, including emails, letters, and phone call notes.
Avoid submitting any additional documentation or giving new statements without legal counsel.
Contact a Maine life insurance lawyer as soon as possible to review your case and develop a strategy.

Strict deadlines apply to appealing denials, particularly for group life insurance policies governed by ERISA.

How Our Maine Life Insurance Attorneys Handle Denied Claims

Challenging a denied life insurance claim requires a strategic, focused approach. When you work with our team, we will:

Conduct a detailed policy review to identify insurer errors or unfair practices.
Analyze whether the denial complies with Maine’s insurance and consumer protection laws.
Communicate directly with the insurer to demand fair resolution.
File administrative appeals where applicable under policy terms or federal ERISA rules.
Litigate cases in Maine courts if insurers refuse to voluntarily honor claims.
Pursue bad faith damages when insurance company conduct crosses the line into unlawful behavior.

Our goal is straightforward: recover the life insurance proceeds you were promised and ensure that insurance companies are held accountable for wrongful denials.

Maine Denied Life Insurance Claims: Answers to Common Questions

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

You should immediately contact a Maine life insurance lawyer. For example, we recently helped a family in Portland recover benefits after an insurer wrongly claimed a health history omission invalidated the policy.

What happens if I was served with a life insurance interpleader lawsuit in Maine?

Act fast. In a Bangor case, we defended a rightful beneficiary when the decedent’s siblings and former spouse filed competing claims through an interpleader.

Can a life insurance claim be denied in Maine due to a policy lapse?

Yes, but many lapse denials are invalid. In Lewiston, we reversed a denial by proving the insurer failed to send a required lapse notice before the policyholder’s death.

Is misrepresentation on an application enough for a denial in Maine?

Only if it's material and intentional. We overturned a denial in Augusta where an innocent misstatement about minor surgery had no connection to the death.

Can an AD&D claim be denied if the insurer says it wasn’t an accident?

Insurers often misclassify deaths. In South Portland, we challenged a denial where a fatal fall was mischaracterized as due to "natural causes" and secured payment.

Does Maine law revoke an ex-spouse’s beneficiary designation after divorce?

Yes. We helped a client in Saco secure life insurance funds after the insured’s ex-wife wrongly tried to collect based on an outdated designation.

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

No, Maine isn’t a community property state. However, in cases like one we handled in Biddeford, a surviving spouse may have a financial claim if joint marital funds were used for premiums.

What should I do if the denial cites the contestability period in Maine?

Contestability covers the first two years, but material misrepresentation must still be proven. We successfully overturned a contestability denial in Brunswick where the insurer exaggerated minor application errors.

Can alcohol use lead to a denied life insurance claim in Maine?

Sometimes. In a Waterville case, we reversed an alcohol exclusion denial when evidence showed alcohol played no role in the fatal incident.

What if I got a denial letter referencing Maine state law?

Insurers often misapply laws. In Orono, we challenged a denial that incorrectly cited Maine statutes and forced the insurer to pay the claim.

What life insurance companies deny the most claims in Maine?

Companies such as New York Life (Bangor office), F.A. Peabody Life, and American Income Life have frequently been associated with disputed claims in the state.

Can the insurer delay a payout without a valid reason?

No. Maine law requires prompt payment. In Sanford, we filed a bad faith lawsuit after a 90-day delay without justification and recovered penalties.

Can a life insurance claim be denied due to foreign death?

Foreign death claims are more scrutinized. We helped a Bar Harbor family claim benefits after a death during travel in Europe was wrongly delayed.

What if the insured failed to disclose a health condition?

Only material omissions matter. In Rockland, we proved an insurer’s denial wrong where the omission had no impact on insurability or death.

Can I fight a denial due to an excluded activity like scuba diving?

Yes. In a case involving a diver off the Maine coast, we overturned an exclusion because the policy language was too vague.

Is a beneficiary change before death valid in Maine?

Only if done properly. We challenged a suspicious last-minute change in York County and restored the rightful beneficiary.

What if the agent made an error on the application?

If the agent misrepresented facts or failed to explain critical questions, the insurer remains liable. We recently proved this in a Skowhegan dispute.

Can a will override a life insurance beneficiary in Maine?

No. The policy controls. In Westbrook, we enforced a claim for a named beneficiary even though the will named someone else.

What happens if there’s no beneficiary on record?

The payout goes to the estate or per Maine intestacy law. We helped a Bath family recover proceeds when no beneficiary was listed.

Can a minor child receive life insurance money in Maine?

Yes, but a guardian or custodian must be appointed. We set up a custodial trust in Bangor to manage a minor’s six-figure benefit.

Can a claim be denied due to felony involvement in the death?

Possibly, but only if the felony directly caused the death. In Presque Isle, we successfully disputed a felony exclusion where causation was unclear.

Can life insurance proceeds be taken by creditors in Maine?

Generally no, if a beneficiary is named. In Auburn, we protected proceeds from aggressive creditor claims.

How does an interpleader affect my rights in Maine?

The money is placed with the court and you must formally assert your claim. We defend Maine beneficiaries in interpleader disputes regularly.

Can ERISA life insurance claims be appealed in Maine?

Yes. But you only get one administrative appeal. We handled an ERISA appeal in Ellsworth and overturned the initial denial through a strong medical record review.

What if I was a contingent beneficiary and the primary died?

You step up to claim the benefit. We assisted a Portland client who became the rightful recipient after the primary predeceased the insured.

Can a claim be denied because of a mistake in the beneficiary form?

Sometimes—but courts often preserve intent. We corrected a form error in Augusta to secure benefits for the intended recipient.

Can someone challenge a beneficiary designation due to undue influence?

Yes. In a Bangor case, we invalidated a last-minute designation made under pressure from a caregiver.

How long does the insurer have to pay a life insurance claim in Maine?

Maine law requires prompt payment. We won interest penalties in Lewiston after an insurer delayed a valid claim for no good reason.

Can I file a bad faith lawsuit in Maine for wrongful denial?

Yes. In Old Orchard Beach, we successfully sued a life insurer for unreasonably delaying payment, recovering extra damages for bad faith.

Can I collect partial benefits if I'm one of multiple beneficiaries?

Yes. In Scarborough, we enforced a split payout when a co-beneficiary tried to claim the full amount improperly.

What if the insured disappeared and was declared dead?

We help families petition Maine courts for a presumption of death and claim life insurance, as we did for a missing sailor’s family in Portland.

Can group life insurance claims be denied differently than individual ones?

Yes. ERISA rules apply to most employer-sponsored policies. We specialize in both private and ERISA-based claim appeals.

Can someone not named as a beneficiary ever get the life insurance money?

Only under rare circumstances like fraud or if the named beneficiary is disqualified. We litigate these complex cases carefully.

Can you reopen a denied claim in Maine after some time?

Yes, if the statute of limitations hasn’t expired. We recently reopened and won an old denied claim involving a South Portland family.

What if the life insurance policy was part of a union plan?

Union-sponsored policies often follow special procedures. We handle union life insurance denials throughout Maine.

Can a surviving spouse claim benefits if not listed on the policy?

Possibly. If marital funds paid for premiums or legal principles apply, we may pursue a claim. We recently won a partial payout for a widower in Brunswick.

What if the insurer is requesting unnecessary documents?

We push back against excessive demands that delay rightful claims, forcing action under Maine’s insurance regulations.

Does Maine have laws protecting life insurance beneficiaries?

Yes. Maine law provides important protections against wrongful denials, fraud, and delay tactics, which we leverage to protect our clients’ claims.

2025 Maine Denied Life Insurance Claims: settlements & verdicts

Below are examples of Maine life insurance claims successfully resolved.

Mutual Security Life coronavirus denial $203,000.00
Mass shooting death denial $150,000.00
Inter-American Life COVID-19 denied $105,000.00
Denied SGLI claim change in beneficiary $406,400.00
Ameriprise wrong age on application $30,000.00
Executive Life power of attorney change $77,000.00
First Capital Life felony exclusion claim $128,000.00
Iowa Farm Life suicide gun accident won $175,000.00
American Standard Life alcohol exclusion $202,500.00
FG Life lapse of policy two month time $31,000.00
NEA Life chronic illness exclusion won $10,000.00

Globe denial material misrepresentation $109,250.00
Iowa Farm Life denial of benefits resolved $502,000.00
SGLI claim wife and ex dispute won $400,000.00
American General suicide exclusion $213,800.00
Equitable nonpayment of premium $103,000.00
Denial of FEGLI claim benefits won $409,300.00
Lewiston interpleader lawsuit resolved $740,000.00
Maine denied life insurance claim $921,500.00
FEGLI appeal resolved in three weeks $154,000.00
Denied AD&D claim suicide case won $920,000.00
Biddeford long delay of benefits obtained $950,000.00
Auburn Maine material misrepresentation $821,000.00
AIG divorce ex-spouse against spouse $319,300.00
Accidental Death & Dismemberment $750,000.00
Hartford drug exclusion opioid death $204,650.00
Bangor divorce settlement court order $350,000.00
AIG interpleader beneficiary dispute $560,000.00
Prudential denial of AD&D policy $526,000.00
ERISA appeal life insurance benefits $144,000.00
Denied life insurance claim Maine $815,300.00
New Jersey Life denial of benefits $270,000.00
USAA Life dispute among family $720,000.00
Standard autoerotic asphyxiation $320,000.00
Reliance Standard sickness exclusion $210,000.00
Maine divorce settlement life insurance $500,000.00
Portland ambiguous language resolved $911,000.00
Gerber denial felony exclusion $106,000.00

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

Legal References – Maine

Maine Contestability Clause Law: Under 24-A M.R.S. § 2615, life insurance policies in Maine become incontestable after two years from the date of issue, except for nonpayment of premiums. During this contestability period, insurers may deny claims based on material misrepresentations made in the application.
Automatic Revocation of Ex-Spouse Beneficiaries: According to 18-C M.R.S. § 2-804, a divorce or annulment automatically revokes a former spouse’s designation as a beneficiary on a life insurance policy, unless the policyholder reaffirms the designation after the divorce or the policy explicitly states otherwise.
Equitable Distribution Laws: Maine is an equitable distribution state, not a community property state. This means that life insurance proceeds are distributed according to the policy's beneficiary designation, and a surviving spouse is not automatically entitled to the death benefit unless named as a beneficiary or granted rights through a court order or marital agreement.
ERISA & Group Policies: Employer-provided life insurance policies governed by ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) may preempt Maine's state laws in cases involving contested beneficiaries, including disputes with former spouses.

For more information on insurance regulations and consumer protections in Maine, you can visit the Maine Bureau of Insurance or explore nationwide insurance resources through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

The Lassen Law Firm is a national practice focused exclusively on life insurance litigation. Founded by Christian Lassen, Esq., the firm has recovered hundreds of millions for clients in all 50 states. All website content is written or reviewed by Mr. Lassen personally to ensure accuracy and authority.