Grieving the loss of a loved one is a lonely and difficult place to be. When an insurance company denies your claim under a life insurance policy, it may seem like too much to bear. 

At Mulqueen Disability Law, we help by taking the dispute over from you, allowing you the time and energy you need to focus on yourself and your family. Our mission is to minimize our clients’ stress and maximize their settlements.

Denials of life insurance claims in Ontario

If you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy and the insurance company has denied the claim, you may be wondering why and whether you are able to dispute the denial.

The basis for denials of life insurance are legally, contractually and medically complex. The fact that the main witness is deceased does not help matters. However, these denials can be successfully challenged in litigation. Some reasons life insurance claims are denied include:

• Policy exclusions: Some life insurance policies have specific exclusions for certain causes of death, such as suicide or death caused by participating in dangerous activities.
• Misrepresentation: If the policyholder has provided false information or misrepresented themselves during the application process, the claim may be denied.
• Lapse in premiums: If the policyholder fails to pay premiums, the policy may lapse and subsequently invalidate any claims.
• Contestability period: Most policies have a contestability period (usually 1-2 years) during which the insurer can investigate and potentially deny claims if they discover any misrepresentations or omissions in the application.
• Death occurred outside of policy terms: If the policyholder dies outside of the policy’s terms (e.g. the policy has expired), then the claim may be denied.
• Failure to disclose medical history: If the policyholder failed to disclose their medical history or pre-existing conditions during the application process, the claim may be denied.
• Fraud: If there is evidence that the death was caused by fraudulent activity, such as murder or suicide, the claim may be denied.

We are passionate about holding insurance companies accountable for life insurance denials.

At Mulqueen Disability Law, holding insurance companies accountable for the impact their decisions have on our clients’ lives is what drives us every single day. We know we’ve done a good job when we’ve pushed the insurance company to settle for more than it planned.

If you are a beneficiary and the life insurance claim has been denied, we will review the matter and provide you with our opinion and recommendations for how to proceed. If there is a way to fight the decision, we’ll offer to take on your case, allowing you to focus on grieving your loss, rather than fighting the insurance company.

Because we believe our clients have suffered enough, our compassionate team is certified in Trauma-Informed Practice and Mental Health First Aid. We take our clients’ mental health very seriously.

Mulqueen Disability Law: providing trauma-informed, compassionate advocacy to life insurance claimants in Markham, Toronto, and York Region

Mulqueen Disability Law has over two decades of experience advocating for clients whose life insurance claims have been denied. Our founding partner, Courtney Mulqueen, has litigated insurance claims from both sides of the table, spending several years as in-house counsel for major life insurance companies. Her unique perspective empowers her to provide unparalleled representation to claimants.

With offices in Markham and Toronto, Mulqueen Disability Law proudly serves clients throughout Ontario. We also offer our services virtually for clients who have difficulty meeting us in person. To discuss your life insurance dispute with a member of our responsive team, please contact us online or by phone at 416-900-0368 (or toll-free at 833-363-3LAW [3529]).