| Life insurance claims are unique as compared to other | | | | organization act as your appointed representative. |
| types of insurance claims. As an example when you | | | | You should not file a claim by yourself. You need an |
| submit an auto insurance, homeowners or casualty | | | | expert who knows the claims investigation process |
| claim there will be an adjuster assigned to your claim. | | | | and will act on your behalf. This person will be with |
| These people are assigned to your claim to be helpful | | | | you during every step of the process. They will |
| and provide their assistance in dealing through the | | | | gather the same information as the investigator but |
| process and recovering your property or money. | | | | they will verify the information and the conclusions so |
| When you submit a life insurance claim instead of an | | | | nothing gets misinterpreted by the investigator. They |
| adjuster there will be an investigator assigned to your | | | | will communicate directly with the investigator and |
| claim. This person will spend his time trying to find a | | | | assure the claim does not get denied or delayed. |
| reason why his employer, the insurance company, | | | | Their objective is to get the death benefit paid. |
| should deny your claim. As the beneficiary you will | | | | A study of the life insurance industry concluded that |
| not be allowed to speak with the claim investigator. | | | | each year approximately $900 million of death |
| The claim investigator gathers information about the | | | | benefits are denied. Denials are often based on |
| deceased from doctors, hospitals, police departments | | | | information on the original application. There is a copy |
| and other sources. What is unique, and certainly unfair | | | | of the application in the back of the policy and a |
| to the beneficiary, is that the investigator will never | | | | copy should be made as the insurer will want the |
| speak with these sources about the deceased. | | | | original policy. Because the next of kin submits a |
| Unfortunately they will make determinations about | | | | HIPPA Authorization the investigator can gather |
| approving or denying a life insurance claim based on | | | | almost any record of relevance they want. By |
| written information that they will never verify. Where | | | | submitting a claim without a professional |
| does that leave someone who has a death benefit | | | | representative the beneficiary will have no idea what |
| claim? | | | | records are being gathered or how they will effect |
| The primary thing to do is have a professional | | | | the death benefit payment. |