The American Council of Life Insurers says that life insurance death benefits are usually paid out within 30 days of a claim being filed. In addition, death benefits can be received within seven to ten business days if all necessary documents are submitted. Generally, payouts are sent to the beneficiary of a policy. Generally, the insurance company pays the beneficiaries of their policies. Here are some of the reasons why your claim might take longer than expected:

 

Lump-Sum Payment is the simplest form of payout
The most common form of life insurance payout is a lump-sum payment, which is a single deposit. The problem with this method is that it can be risky if not properly managed. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation limits the amount that can be placed in a bank account to $250,000, so beneficiaries of large insurance payouts may have to transfer funds into other accounts. Many counselors recommend waiting one year before making any major financial decisions, including whether to take a lump-sum payment.

Another popular form of life insurance payout is an annuity. Annuities can provide a stable income for life, but they can end after your death. Your beneficiaries may also want a lump sum in cash, rather than an annuity. Although annuities can be a great option, they may not be sufficient for the type of living you want to have after you die.

 

Two-year contestable period
It’s important to know that the life insurance company can deny a claim if you’ve made a misrepresentation on your application. The misrepresentation doesn’t have to be related to your cause of death, but it could be something as simple as an alcohol or drug addiction. Misrepresentation is an unfortunate reality of life, and there are some ways to correct this mistake. The contestable period protects life insurance companies from fraud, but it also allows applicants to rectify simple mistakes.

A suicide clause is another common misnomer. A suicide clause in a life insurance policy prevents its beneficiary from suing the insurance company if the deceased committed suicide within the first two years. A suicide clause is often mistaken for a contestability period, but they are two completely separate issues. During the first two years after the policy has been purchased, the insurance company will refuse to pay out a benefit. However, if a suicide occurs within this time period, the insurance company will reimburse the premiums and pay out the benefit.

 

Information needed to process a claim
When you purchase life insurance, you may be required to submit a death certificate or other proof of identity. This information is important, as the insurer cannot settle your claim until all of the required documents are submitted. To ensure that you have all of these documents available, you should obtain certified copies of the documents before submitting them. Also, make sure to submit all required documents together. In some cases, the insurance company may request other documents, such as medical records or an autopsy report. However, the process is generally quite simple.

When applying for life insurance, you must provide all necessary information in good faith. If you fail to disclose information relevant to your health, you will be held liable for any material misrepresentation that affects your risk under the insurance policy. For instance, if you suffer from high blood pressure, you must disclose that condition to your insurer. If you fail to disclose this information, you will be denied a claim for untimely death or have your policy cancelled.

 

Common reasons for claim delays
One of the most common reasons for claim delays when buying life insurance is that a person has not kept up with updating beneficiaries on their policy. For example, if the insured person dies after a marriage or divorce, the insurance company will not be able to pay out the benefits to the right beneficiaries if the beneficiary changes. The insurance company will attempt to drag out the process by asking for documentation over again until the beneficiary is satisfied.

Life insurance companies like to play games with their customers. They will request the same information multiple times, such as the death certificate or the deceased’s medical records. However, you have the right to inspect these records and reject them if they are not properly filed. For example, a person might receive requests for the records from one physician one month and another month later. In most cases, insurance companies already have these documents on file.