What is the Double Indemnity Provision in a Life Insurance Policy?

The term double indemnity refers to a clause that is commonly included in accident and life insurance policies. Double indemnity is a type of life insurance that requires the insurance company to pay out up to double the value of the policy under the circumstances that the policyholder’s death is due to accidental causes.

This is meant to help financially protect families who are left dealing with the sudden, accidental death of a loved one. Speak with an experienced wrongful death attorney for more information.

What Events Qualify as an Accidental Death?

Insurance companies have strict guidelines on what events qualify as accidental death. Often, these will include acts of violence or preventable accidents caused by another person’s negligence. Common qualifying events include:

1. Slip and fall accidents
2. Drowning
3. Choking
4. Car accidents
5. Accidents at the workplace
6. Medical malpractice
7. Murder or homicide
8. Exposure to toxic materials
9. Defective machinery or products

The death of a loved one is devastating, and even more so when it occurs because of someone else’s negligence or wrongful actions.

Reasons for Denying a Double Indemnity Claim

There are many different reasons that an insurance company might decide to deny a double indemnity claim. Some of the different causes of death that typically negate this insurance claim include:

• A pre-existing medical condition
• Deaths caused by negligence
• A drug overdose (an exception would be if this was a prescribed medication and the doctor prescribed the dose incorrectly)
• Suicide
• Extreme activities like skydiving
• A murder that was committed by the beneficiary

Paying out double the amount on a claim is something that the insurance companies want to avoid maximizing the payout, and their adjusters understand this as well. For this reason, they may attempt to argue that a death was not accidental in order to deny the double indemnity clause of your policy.

The Claims Process

Although it may seem as if you have plenty of time to initiate the insurance claim process after the death of a loved one, insurance companies will typically cover claims that are submitted within 365 days from the accident causing the death. They will request specific documentation to support the claim, including but not limited to:

• The death certificate
• Police report
• Statements from any eyewitnesses
• Medical records
• Toxicology reports
• Coroner’s report

Insurance companies will work to reduce the payout in order to maintain their own profits. When it comes to a double indemnity policy, many insurance companies count on making profits from them because so many of these claims are actually approved. For this reason, it is advisable to work with a skilled personal injury attorney who can help show liability and advocate for your double insurance indemnity claim.

Get in Touch with a Wrongful Death Attorney Today

If you are dealing with a personal injury or wrongful death case, the team at Cloward Trial Lawyer can help. We are dedicated to working with our clients and advocating on their behalf. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your options.