At our firm, we fight all denied life insurance claims, including those involving suicide. Below are real examples of how these denials play out—and how skilled legal representation can make all the difference.
Globe Life: Suicide Clause Enforced Despite Mental Health Argument
Charles died by suicide within two years of securing coverage from Globe Life. The insurer denied the claim under the suicide clause. The beneficiary argued that Charles was not mentally competent when he signed the policy and that Globe failed to clearly disclose the exclusion. However, the court found the clause to be conspicuous and the insured mentally competent at the time of signing. The denial stood, highlighting how difficult it can be to challenge suicide clauses without strong supporting evidence.
National Life: Group Policy Without Suicide Exclusion—Beneficiary Wins
Willy died by suicide following a terminal cancer diagnosis. Though his employer-provided group life policy had no suicide clause, the insurer denied the claim based on alleged misrepresentation of his health condition. The court ruled in favor of the beneficiary, finding no evidence of fraud and concluding the insurer waived its right to contest by accepting premiums and issuing a certificate of coverage. This case shows that not all policies carry suicide exclusions—and that insurers must meet a high bar to prove misrepresentation.
Equitable Life: Suicide or Accident? Court Enforces Exclusion
Deron’s death by suicide occurred within two years of purchasing his term policy. The beneficiary claimed it was not suicide but an attempt to inflict pain. The court disagreed, finding clear evidence of intent. Suicide exclusions generally apply when there's deliberate self-inflicted harm resulting in death—even if the insured's state of mind was impaired.
Primerica Life: Suicide Clause Doesn’t Limit Cash Value Payout
James died by suicide within the exclusion period. Primerica denied the claim but refunded the premiums. The beneficiary sued, demanding the policy’s higher cash value. The court sided with the beneficiary, holding that the suicide clause did not allow the insurer to withhold the accumulated cash value. This case underscores the importance of understanding what benefits are still recoverable even when the death benefit is excluded.
Penn Mutual Life: Suicide Not Covered Under Accidental Death Policy
Hank had an accidental death policy and died by suicide within two years. The insurer denied the claim, stating suicide is not an accident. The beneficiary argued mental illness led to an uncontrollable impulse. The court ruled that even with mental health conditions, suicide does not qualify as accidental under such policies. This ruling reflects how narrowly courts interpret accidental death clauses.
Nationwide Life: Impaired Judgment Does Not Override Intentional Act
Rajveer’s suicide occurred while he was intoxicated, and the insurer denied the claim under the suicide exclusion. The beneficiary argued that the intoxication impaired his judgment, making it unintentional. The court rejected that argument, ruling that intoxication does not negate the deliberate nature of suicide under the terms of the policy.
Midland National Life: Conversion Rights Ignored by Employer—Claim Approved
Anthony had a group life policy through his employer but died after it lapsed. He had been notified of his right to convert the policy but failed to do so. The court ruled in favor of the beneficiary, finding the employer failed to provide adequate notice of conversion rights, violating its fiduciary duty. This case demonstrates that when employers fail to comply with notification obligations under ERISA or similar regulations, beneficiaries may still recover.
Corebridge Financial: Increased Coverage Also Subject to Suicide Exclusion
Lowell increased his term policy coverage shortly before dying by suicide. The insurer denied both the original and increased amounts under the suicide clause. The beneficiary argued that the added amount was a new contract with its own exclusion period. The court disagreed, ruling that the increased benefit was part of the same policy and subject to the same exclusion.
MetLife: Divorce Waiver Doesn’t Void Primary Beneficiary Status
Donald named his wife as the primary beneficiary, with his children as contingent beneficiaries. After his suicide, the wife had filed for divorce and waived rights to his estate. MetLife denied the claim under the suicide clause and refunded premiums. The children sued, claiming they should receive the payout. The court held that the wife remained the beneficiary under the policy terms and the children had no claim. This illustrates that beneficiary designations override estate matters unless legally changed prior to death.
Protective Life: Beneficiary Dispute Resolved in Favor of Girlfriend
Richard named his girlfriend as beneficiary before dying by suicide. His ex-wife sued, claiming spousal rights. The insurer interpleaded the funds, and the court ruled in favor of the girlfriend, validating her designation. Despite the suicide exclusion, this case emphasized that the designated beneficiary—not next-of-kin—has legal standing when the policy is otherwise valid.
We Fight All Suicide Denials—And Often Win
Life insurance suicide clauses typically apply only within the first two years of the policy. Even when they do apply, there are many exceptions and defenses beneficiaries can raise, such as:
The policy lacked a valid exclusion
The insured was mentally impaired
The cause of death was misclassified
The insurer waived its right to contest the policy
The claim involves recoverable cash value or employer-based errors
We’ve overturned denials based on unclear policy language, insufficient disclosure, administrative errors, and more. Our legal team investigates each case in-depth to determine the strongest path to recovery.
FAQ
Can life insurance deny a claim for suicide?
Yes, if the suicide occurs within the policy's exclusion period—typically two years. After that period, most policies pay out regardless of the cause of death.
Are suicide clauses enforceable in group policies?
Not always. Many employer-provided group life policies do not include suicide exclusions. It depends on the specific plan documents.