Discussion about COVID-19 is everywhere and we are not seeing any good news yet. However, many people asked if the life insurance can cover deaths from coronavirus.
There is no hidden rule that can cause to deny the claim in case of death from this pandemic. All traditional policies are supposed to cover this.
The death count is increasing every day and more people are getting affected. Your life insurance policy can help your family if any unexpected happens.
When an Insurer Can Deny to Pay Claims?
An insurer can deny the claim if you don’t follow the rules. This is not only for COVID-19 but applicable in all cases. Let’s see when.
Not Paid Premiums
Your life insurance policy becomes inactive if you don’t pay premiums, This situation is called policy lapse. However, every insurer gives the opportunity to reinstate the policy by paying the pending premiums and late fees.
Generally, you get 30 or 31 days of the grace period and you have to pay within this time to stay covered. However, considering the current situation, an insurer can extend the time if you have a financial crisis because of the pandemic.
In this case, you must contact your insurer as soon as possible. If you don’t let them know and miss payments, your policy can be marked as lapsed. Moreover, reinstating a policy has some procedure which you may not want to follow. It is wise to keep the policy active.
Incomplete Application
In most of the cases, an insurance company goes through the file before paying the claim. If the application you have submitted is incomplete and has false information, it can lead to denial.
Lying on an insurance application is not good and can lead to the financial crisis when your family needs it the most.
Wrong information about weight, income or travel plan can be a solid reason for claim denial.
Hiding Medical Condition
Another most common reason for denial. Many people don’t disclose their complete medical history to the insurer. You should never do this unless you buy a guaranteed acceptance life insurance, more here.
Your pre-existing medical condition is important to an insurer. This helps to determine the risks and premiums. If you hide you may get a lower premium but in the future, it can create a big problem.
Let’s say, someone had high blood pressure. But, in the life insurance application, he didn’t mention it. The client died from a heart attack in one year after getting the policy. In this case, the insurer will investigate the complete history and if they found that he had high BP and that is not mentioned in the application, they can refuse to pay.
So, never do this. Always provide the right information.
You Are in Waiting Period
Few policies come with a waiting period. Normally, the time is 2 years, however, depending on the condition it can increase or decrease.
Check if your policy has any waiting period or not. If the insured person dies before passing the waiting period, an insurer can refuse to pay the death benefits. However, they may add a standard interest with the original paid.
Have Only Accidental Death Insurance
Make sure which type of insurance policy you have. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance only pay in case of accidental death.
Death by medical conditions is not covered in this policy. As COVID-19 is a disease, you are not covered if you have only an accidental policy.
Wrong Beneficiary
The beneficiary is the one who gets the death benefits. If you don’t mention the person in the application, the insurer can’t pay the claim.
An insurer only pays to the named beneficiary. So, any other family member of your family can’t claim for the benefits.
In this case, the insurer will pay the benefit to the estate and getting the benefits from there is a lengthy process.
Conclusion
As of now, you are covered if you have life insurance. Death from COVID-19 can’t be a reason for claim denial if you have followed all the terms.
If you don’t have a policy yet, don’t make a delay. Get it ASAP.
