My father-in-law started struggling with what we later found out was brain cancer last year. He had a life insurance policy through his employer with MetLife for decades, covering his salary for a year or a set amount. Before his first surgery, he told us about this policy as a safeguard in case anything happened. He went through extensive treatment and passed away in September.
After he passed, we filed a claim, but MetLife said he only had basic coverage because he hadn’t completed paperwork to continue the additional coverage after his first surgery. He had been paying for the extra coverage for years, so it’s hard to believe it just defaulted to basic when he needed it most. We’re wondering if there’s anything we can do, given his health issues that prevented him from completing the paperwork. Any advice on this situation?
Do you have proof he had supplemental life coverage? The issue may be with his employer as the recordkeeper. MetLife generally administers the plan based on what the employer provides. If he didn’t complete his medical evidence of insurability (MEOI) during enrollment, the supplemental coverage might never have been activated. Check with the employer for more information.
@Shawn
We have the enrollment documents from his work. It looks like he missed a page or didn’t finish the process for supplemental coverage. Do you think it’s worth pushing, given the circumstances?
Jin said: @Shawn
We have the enrollment documents from his work. It looks like he missed a page or didn’t finish the process for supplemental coverage. Do you think it’s worth pushing, given the circumstances?
It’s worth discussing with the employer first to fully understand what coverage he had and if there were lapses due to his disability. If needed, you can file an appeal and, as a last resort, a complaint. It’s a tough situation, but speaking with his employer is the best first step.
Jin said: @Shawn
We have the enrollment documents from his work. It looks like he missed a page or didn’t finish the process for supplemental coverage. Do you think it’s worth pushing, given the circumstances?
You might consider filing a complaint with the Department of Insurance or consulting a lawyer. It could help, especially if there’s evidence he paid for supplemental coverage for a long time.