can i report an insurance claim after 1 year?

by ajisha.prakash » Sat Oct 13, 2007 07:56 am

Is there a time period within which i have to report the claim? eg. I'm a nominee in a life insurance policy but i came to know after one year had passed from the death of the life insured. Can i claim the death benefit?

Total Comments: 5

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:30 am Post Subject:

Sorry to hear about your loss. However, it is customary to file a claim with the insurance company as early as possible. But the insurance company may follow their own policy regarding filing the claim. Contact the insurance agent or the company. They will guide you through the process of claim filing. You may be required to fill up a claim form and submit a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased. The insurance company will soon process the claim once every document is in place. It may take some days to be done. Rupert

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:31 am Post Subject:

hey there..I truly feel that you should forward your claim towards availing the benefits in accordance with the time frame specified in his policy papers. Believe me, in case you don't manage the papers now & your claim gets denied, then you may rest assured that a notice would be served to you within a stipulated time of filing the claim.

You should also know, that this notice is a document that would explain the reasons for rejecting your claim & also state a period for your appeal to this rejection. Lets see how it shapes up..all the best! KopenhagenCLaud

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:27 am Post Subject:

Yupp, I got your point. I have seen under such circumstances when your claim is in connection to a death benefit then you must submit proof of claim & a written notice should be forwarded to the insurer within 90 days from the day of death. Otherwise it may or may not be of any good help! Iola_Candy

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:58 am Post Subject:

Good morning and welcome to the community,

First I'm so glad that you specified it was a life policy/claim. I believe there will be a difference.

Contact the company immediately explaining the situation.

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 04:23 am Post Subject: Licensed claims adjuster

Hi. I think most people here are tying to be helpful. Here is the definitive answer to your question from a licensed insurance adjuster. Yes. You may file the claim now. It DOES NOT MATTER IN THE LEAST that the loss happened a year ago. All this other mumbo jumbo about stipulations and being served is irrelevant.

First, as a beneficiary, you were not a party to the contract, which means the terms of the policy don't bind your actions. In layman's terms, even IF the contract says the claim has to be reported within 90 days, YOU didn't sign that contract and are not obligated by it.

Second, the only legal time frame that you have to worry about is your state's statute of limitations, which at least where I live is four years.

I could go on and on, but bottom line is report the claim and you'll get paid as long as the policy was paid up and in force at the time of the loss, and everything else is on the up and up.

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