Here’s a scenario that nobody wants to be in, but sadly happens all of the time:

You find yourself in this situation where a loved one dies. A couple of weeks later you file a life insurance claim. Shortly after that you get a wordy letter notifying you that the life insurance company will not be making a payment. There seems to be no rationale basis for them not paying.

Are you out of luck?  What can you do to show the insurance company that you mean business, you won’t go away quietly, and you aren’t giving up on the payout that is rightfully yours? Often the best next step is to hire an attorney and force the hand of the insurance company.  The reality is that life insurance companies make bogus denials all of the time. They will claim something wasn’t disclosed or that the policy has lapsed.  They do this because they want to frustrate you to the point that you just give up.

Fortunately most people know that hiring an attorney in this situation costs nothing up front and that these cases are often winnable.

We get contacted by people in this situation who want to know, “Who is the best life insurance attorney in the state of Illinois?” First of all, there is no indisputable “number one” life insurance lawyer or law firm. There are, however, a handful of lawyers who have decades of experience in this niche area of law and get great results for their clients. Beyond that, we need to consider your unique circumstances. What is the size of the insurance policy? Some attorneys only take on a case if the policy is in the six figures or higher. For other attorneys, the size of the policy doesn’t matter. We need to consider who the best life insurance lawyer is for you.

Another common question asked by people who reach out to us is, “Can you recommend a lawyer who has offices near me?” The location of an attorney’s office should not be an important factor in deciding who to hire for your case. In fact, it shouldn’t matter at all. As we mentioned earlier, life insurance law is a niche area. There are a very small number of firms that specialize in this area of law and can show a track record of success. These law firms tend to have offices located near the courts because the lawyers spend so much time there. In addition, communication between you and a lawyer can be done over the phone and via the internet. Often everything related to hiring an attorney and proceeding through a case can be done virtually. If you live downstate, it may likely be in your best interest to hire a Chicagoland attorney.

The most important thing to remember is that your main goal is to have the policy paid out.  To make that happen requires a law firm that knows what they are doing and can prove it based on their past results. The attorneys we recommend often can get these cases settled in less than three months. When the facts are on your side and the attorney knows the law, there becomes no defense for the insurance company.

If you have a life insurance case and are in need of an attorney, call us at 312-346-5320 to speak with a lawyer for free.  We cover life insurance disputes in all of Illinois.