Here are significant denied life insurance claim cases that hit the courts in the last couple decades.
Johnson v. Prudential Insurance Co. (2008): Prudential denied a life insurance claim based on the policyholder's alleged misrepresentation. The court ruled in favor of Prudential, stating that the misrepresentation was material and justified the denial.
Pinto v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co. (2010): Reliance Standard denied a claim based on the policy's suicide exclusion. The court found that the exclusion was valid, and the denial was upheld.
Mason v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (2012): Metropolitan Life denied a claim due to non-payment of premiums. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the policyholder failed to make the required premium payments.
Heller v. Prudential Insurance Co. (2013): Prudential denied a claim based on the policy's aviation exclusion. The court ruled in favor of Prudential, stating that the exclusion was valid and applied to the circumstances of the insured's death in a private plane crash.
Dushay v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (2014): Metropolitan Life denied a claim based on the policy's incontestability clause, alleging misrepresentation. The court ruled in favor of the insured, stating that the incontestability period had expired, and the insurer could not challenge the policy's validity.
Turner v. Unum Life Insurance Co. (2015): Unum denied a claim due to the insured's alleged failure to provide requested medical information. The court ruled in favor of Unum, stating that the insured did not cooperate with the insurer's investigation.
Erwood v. Life Insurance Co. of North America (2016): The insurer denied a claim based on the policy's alcohol exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the exclusion was valid, as the insured's death was alcohol-related.
Soltero v. Principal Life Insurance Co. (2017): Principal Life denied a claim based on the policy's exclusion for deaths resulting from drug use. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the exclusion applied to the insured's drug-related death.
Hernandez v. United of Omaha Life Insurance Co. (2018): United of Omaha denied a claim based on the policy's suicide exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insured's beneficiaries, finding that the insurer failed to meet its burden of proving suicide as the cause of death.
King v. Aetna Life Insurance Co. (2020): Aetna denied a claim based on the policy's pre-existing condition exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the insured's death was caused by a pre-existing condition not covered by the policy.
Cooper v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (2010): Metropolitan Life denied a claim based on the policy's alcohol exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the exclusion applied as the insured's death was alcohol-related.
Davis v. Prudential Insurance Co. (2011): Prudential denied a claim based on the policy's suicide exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, finding that the insured's death was a result of suicide and the exclusion was valid.
Simmons v. Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. (2012): Lincoln National denied a claim based on the policy's misrepresentation provision, alleging non-disclosure of a medical condition. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the insured failed to disclose a material fact.
Greenberg v. New York Life Insurance Co. (2013): New York Life denied a claim due to alleged fraud by the policyholder. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, finding that the insured made fraudulent misrepresentations to obtain the policy.
Montgomery v. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. (2014): Northwestern Mutual denied a claim based on the policy's aviation exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the exclusion applied as the insured's death occurred in a private plane crash.
Roberts v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (2015): Sun Life denied a claim based on the policy's pre-existing condition exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, finding that the insured's death was a result of a pre-existing condition excluded by the policy.
Thompson v. AIG Life Insurance Co. (2016): AIG Life denied a claim based on alleged non-payment of premiums. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the policyholder failed to make the required premium payments.
Lewis v. Transamerica Life Insurance Co. (2017): Transamerica denied a claim based on the policy's suicide exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, finding that the insured's death was a result of suicide and the exclusion was valid.
Roberts v. Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America (2018): Guardian Life denied a claim based on the policy's misrepresentation provision, alleging non-disclosure of a medical condition. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, stating that the insured failed to disclose a material fact.
Smith v. MassMutual Life Insurance Co. (2020): MassMutual denied a claim based on the policy's intoxication exclusion. The court ruled in favor of the insurer, finding that the exclusion applied as the insured's death was alcohol-related.