Our top life insurance lawyers would like to share some facts about denied life insurance claim cases involving Genworth.
Estate of Roberta v. Genworth Life Insurance Company: This was a case involving a $500,000 life insurance policy that Genworth denied based on a lapsed policy. The insured, Roberta L., had purchased the policy in 2007 and paid the premiums until 2014, when she became ill and missed some payments. Genworth sent premium-due notices to the wrong address and did not comply with the state law regarding the grace period and reinstatement options. Roberta L. died in 2015 and her estate filed a claim for the death benefit, which Genworth rejected. The estate hired a life insurance lawyer to dispute the denial and was able to recover the full amount of the policy plus interest and attorney fees.
Estate of James v. Genworth Life Insurance Company: This was another case of a denied claim based on a lapsed policy. The insured, James M., had a $250,000 life insurance policy with Genworth that he bought. He paid the premiums until 2013, when he suffered a stroke and became unable to work. He applied for a waiver of premium due to disability, but Genworth denied his request and continued to send him premium-due notices. James M. died in 2014 and his estate filed a claim for the death benefit, which Genworth also denied. The estate hired a life insurance dispute lawyer to challenge the denial and was able to obtain a settlement of $300,000 from Genworth.
Estate of Mary v. Genworth Life Insurance Company: This was a case of a denied claim based on an alleged misrepresentation on the application form. The insured, Mary S., had a $100,000 life insurance policy with Genworth that she purchased.. She answered “no” to the question of whether she had ever been diagnosed with or treated for cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. However, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Mary S. died in 2010 and her estate filed a claim for the death benefit, which Genworth denied based on the misrepresentation on the application form. The estate hired a life insurance law firm to contest the denial and was able to prove that Mary S. did not intentionally lie on the application form, but rather misunderstood the question or forgot about her diagnosis due to her illness. The estate was awarded the full amount of the policy plus interest and attorney fees.
Estate of John v. Genworth Life Insurance Company: This was a case of a denied claim based on an exclusion clause in the policy. The insured, John D., had a $1 million life insurance policy with Genworth that he bought in 2009. He disclosed his history of alcohol abuse and depression on the application form and agreed to an exclusion clause that stated that no death benefit would be paid if he died as a result of suicide or self-inflicted injury within two years of the policy date. John D. died in 2011 from an overdose of prescription drugs and alcohol, which was ruled as accidental by the medical examiner. His estate filed a claim for the death benefit, which Genworth denied based on the exclusion clause in the policy. The estate hired a life insurance attorney to appeal the denial and argued that John D.'s death was not intentional or self-inflicted, but rather caused by his addiction and mental illness. The estate was able to reach a confidential settlement with Genworth for an undisclosed amount.
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