Can I Get Life Insurance If My Spouse Committed Suicide?

While the devastating consequences of a spouse committing suicide are emotional and horrific for the surviving loved one, knowing if life insurance benefits are still possible is crucial to financial stability after the tragedy. It is important to read over the document, contact a lawyer for any specific legal questions and pursue a claim if necessary.
The myth of life insurance is that no matter how the person commits suicide, the surviving family will receive nothing. The carrier in this false statement will refuse to pay the spouse or family nothing when the person takes his or her own life. However, the truth is more complex. The individual life insurance policy will determine if any benefits are available in these situations. The exclusions in the life insurance coverage will remove any possibility of benefits, but not all carriers have clauses about suicide. If there is a specific rule, the policyholder generally must keep the insurance policy for upwards of two or three years before committing suicide.

Time Stipulation in the Policy

The rule about keeping a policy for up to two or three years after purchasing the initial coverage is important. This is often in place to keep the policyholder from taking his or her own life just after the purchase and still ensure a payout for a spouse or any children surviving him or her. In the event that the person does commit suicide during the first two or three years, the company may pay back the premiums the policyholder paid to the company, but other benefits such as the coverage could become null due to the time stipulation in the contract clauses. It is generally important to contact the insurance carrier in the event of death by suicide to understand better what the policy provides for and how this type of death affects monetary benefits.

The Denial and the Condition

While most insurance policies provide payouts when the person dies for any reason, there are some exceptions. These generally are within the coverage details that specify what the person can or cannot do in order to ensure loved ones receive monetary benefits. Nearly every policy pays out to the family or spouse upon the death, but it is still crucial to understand the details of the coverage and that the premiums are up to date. Any overdue payments and payouts to the family may not occur. In certain events, even if the policy is older than two or three years, the surviving loved ones may not receive payment. This is the condition of the fine print in the policy.

The exclusions directly connect to certain conditions that may nullify the coverage benefits. These may include mental illness, dependency on drugs or alcohol such as addiction or another cause that could lead to the imminent death of the insured person. A great number of carriers require a health screen and clearance of mental illness before coverage is possible. If there are any non-disclosed facts that could void the coverage, this could lead to a nonpayment at the death of the policyholder. This may not even connect to suicide directly. It is best to have a legal professional look at the policy before death occurs.

Denial of Legitimate Coverage

While most insurance companies do provide the benefits to surviving family members, there are those few that refuse and give out denial letters for legitimate coverage. When the policy is up to date with premiums paid, there should exist some exclusion in the terms and conditions for a denial to remain valid. Without these terms, the coverage should provide monetary benefits to the surviving family members. In light of a denial, the spouse or other loved ones should contact a lawyer to determine if the denial letter is legitimate or a refusal to pay what the company owes.

The Pursuit of Benefits and the Lawyer

When the company has given no reason for the denial or mentions policy terms that do not exist in the coverage, it is often time to pursue a legal claim against the company. This may require the policyholder or beneficiary to contact a lawyer to consider if action is necessary.

Hiring a lawyer is sometimes the only route open to force a company to provide legitimate benefits for coverage even if the policyholder died through suicide. Without any clause exemption benefits, the carrier must supply the beneficiary with payment despite the death by suicide.