|
Sep. 20, 2007
How will life insurance claims be handled for insureds who died in the recent terrorist attacks, where death cannot be proven by a death certificate, simply an allegation of death?
Gary, California
Most life insurance companies have begun modifying their procedures for the documentation they will accept as proof of death for claims coming out of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in order to be more flexible and to process claims more quickly.
Aetna Inc., Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., and Prudential Insurance Co. of America are three companies that have changed the requirements for filing a life insurance claim so that death certificates which may be difficult to obtain for some time will no longer be required as a proof of loss. They will accept other official documents, such as airline flight manifests and official casualty lists, for the proof they require to begin processing life insurance claims.
Northwestern Mutual says it is making "special efforts to simplify and expedite claims," while Prudential has pledged to be "extremely flexible" on the issue of proof of death attempting to contact beneficiaries identified after cross-referencing policyholder names with official casualty lists. Many insurers have also set up special toll-free numbers to help guide their customers through the updated claims process.
For more information, read Making insurance claims following the terrorist attacks.
Back to the Forum
Disclaimer: We are journalists, not financial planners or insurance brokers. Nothing we say should be interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any insurance product, or to provide other financial or legal advice.
|
British Citizens:
Canadian Citizens:
