Claims
Browse our articles about claims
When a Health Claim Is Denied: Appeals and External Review
A denial is not the end of the process. Federal rules give you an internal appeal and an independent external review whose decision binds the insurer.
Read MoreAssigning a Death Benefit to a Funeral Home
An assignment directs part of a life insurance payout to a funeral provider instead of the beneficiary. Here is how it works and what to settle before signing.
Read MoreCash Value, Policy Loans and Nonforfeiture Options
Permanent life insurance builds a value you can use while alive. Here is how loans, surrender and the three nonforfeiture options work, and what each one costs.
Read MoreThe Contestability Period and What Can Void a Policy
For a limited period after issue, a life insurer can contest a claim over the application. Here is how incontestability works, and what the suicide clause does.
Read MoreHow a Life Insurance Death Claim Is Paid
Filing a life insurance claim takes a death certificate and a claim form. Here is the sequence, the payout options, the tax treatment, and how to find a lost policy.
Read MoreIn-Network, Out-of-Network and the No Surprises Act
Balance billing is what happens when a provider has no contract with your plan. Federal law now bans it in specific situations. Here is where the protections start and stop.
Read MoreKeeping a Final Expense Policy in Force
A lapsed policy pays nothing. Here is how grace periods work, what nonforfeiture options preserve, and why reinstating is worse than never lapsing.
Read MoreThe FTC Funeral Rule and Your Rights
Federal law gives you the right to itemized funeral prices, prices by phone, and the ability to buy only what you want. Here is what the Funeral Rule requires.
Read MoreLoss Assessment Coverage: When the Association Sends a Bill
When a condo or HOA charges owners for a shared loss, loss assessment coverage pays your share. The built-in limit is small, and the deductible sublimit is smaller.
Read MoreWhere Your Car Is Garaged and Why It Belongs on the Policy
Garaging location is a major rating factor, which makes it a common place for misstatements. Here is what the address is used for and what happens when it is wrong.
Read MoreNannies, Housekeepers and Household Employees
Hiring someone to work in your home can make you an employer. Here is where a homeowners policy responds, where workers compensation takes over, and how the two interact.
Read MoreThe Additional Coverages Buried in Your Home Policy
Past Coverages A through F sits a list of small, specific coverages most homeowners never read. Several of them pay for things people assume are not covered at all.
Read MoreInsuring a Home Under Construction: Builders Risk
A standard homeowners policy is written for a finished, occupied house. Here is what builders risk covers during construction and who is supposed to buy it.
Read MoreTermites, Rodents and Pests: Why Policies Exclude Them
Insect and vermin damage is excluded from standard home policies as a maintenance issue. Here is where the exclusion stops, and what the collapse exception really covers.
Read MoreAfter a Burglary: How a Home Theft Claim Works
Theft is a covered peril, but it is the peril where sublimits bite hardest. Here is the claim sequence, the categories that are capped, and the common denial reasons.
Read MoreThis content is for general informational purposes only and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice. Coverage, exclusions, eligibility, and pricing vary by insurer, by policy, and by state, and only the policy documents control what is covered. Always confirm the details of any coverage with a licensed insurance agent or the issuing carrier before you buy.