Anyone have experience with life insurance claims?

[BP]

So unfortunately my dad passed away last month and we took care of his funeral and burial expenses. Yesterday I finally got the death certificates.
Thankfully he bought a whole life policy and has been paying premiums on it for 25+ years. I'm the sole beneficiary and the executor of his estate.

My question is about the claim form. Most of it is very straight forward but the part I'm not sure about is they have 3 lines and are asking for every doctor and hospital that treated him over the last 5 years. He was 97 years old so he had a dermatologist, oncologist, cardiologist, ophthalmologist and of course a general practitioner. He was also admitted to the hospital at least 3 times over that span. I was living in Temple for many of those years so I don't have a record of every doctor visit.

Would the insurance company really want exact times and dates for every visit? I know the approximate dates of the hospital visits and the names of all his doctors but no idea of exact dates. I'm guessing I can probably get most of the info through his medical records but I'm sure there will be some hoops to jump through.

Also on another note he enlisted in the Army Air Corp and in the Air Force. Does anyone have experience with how the VA handles multiple service veterans? One turned into the other but his DD-214 shows two branches. He was buried at a private cemetery with a full Air Force honor guard btw. The local DAV even sent a few representatives.

I haven't even started on the VA side but I know they'll pay for some burial expenses and can provide a marker, foot stone or medallion. I'm planning on dealing with that once things settle down a bit at home.

[soap]

Luckily for me. when my old man passed away a few weeks ago my mom kept a record of Doctors names and dates. And the insurance company I’ve dealt with was a breeze. Once they actually received the paperwork it only took five days to process and approve it. However the funeral home was the biggest holdback. The lady they have as there liaison to the insurance company is totally incompetent. It took her three weeks to fax over the paperwork to the insurance company. At first she told me she had faxed them that same day. Three weeks later I called the insurance company and they said they never received anything. Long story short I had to go down there and light a fire under her ass.

As far as filling out the paperwork you better make sure you be precise and don’t leave anything blank. Because they will look for any excuse to send the paperwork back.

Btw sorry the hear about your dad.

[GE]

If you have a POA, I wouldn't think it'd be too incredibly hard to find out who all of his treating providers were.

[BP]

If you have a POA, I wouldn't think it'd be too incredibly hard to find out who all of his treating providers were.

I do have a POA, I'm planning on heading to his primary care's office tomorrow.

[BP]

As far as filling out the paperwork you better make sure you be precise and don’t leave anything blank. Because they will look for any excuse to send the paperwork back.

Btw sorry the hear about your dad.

Thanks and sorry about yours as well.

So in case anyone is curious it's around $10k to have a funeral these days. That's not including a pastor, flowers, headstone or the actual plot itself. My dad had already purchased a plot and a preneed policy so the biggest expenses were already taken care of. I still had to come up with $1400 for the city's cemetery expenses though and I'm expecting $2000+ for a headstone. I know the VA will help with some of these expenses.

[Mike]

Thanks and sorry about yours as well.

So in case anyone is curious it's around $10k to have a funeral these days. That's not including a pastor, flowers, headstone or the actual plot itself. My dad had already purchased a plot and a preneed policy so the biggest expenses were already taken care of. I still had to come up with $1400 for the city's cemetery expenses though and I'm expecting $2000+ for a headstone. I know the VA will help with some of these expenses.

Sorry for your loss.

When my father passed away the costs were paid directly to the funeral home out of his life insurance policy. That wasn’t something they mentioned as an option until we were pretty deep in the process, but it was definitely convenient.
That made the amount I spent dealing with out of town family members more manageable....
Next time someone dies I’m telling them not to show up unless they can afford the trip!

[Jesse]

its Been eight years since I had to do it. The VA reimbursement was 2500 $ and a metal marker We went cremation so didn’t deal with the marker

[svauto-erotic855]

The last time I had to file a life insurance claim was a couple of years ago but the person that died was only 27 years old. He only had one doctor so the claim was pretty easy. It only took about three weeks to get a check.

[S_K]

All of his doctors and hospitals would have likely filed claims thru Medicare and maybe third party co-pay insurance. They should have all his records. Typically life insurance will pay outstanding claims and liens against the estate and then cut you a check for the rest. Since you are an heir - do not sign anything that makes you financially responsible for his debts.

[Tx Redneck]

Since you are an heir - do not sign anything that makes you financially responsible for his debts.

They actually try to pull that crap?

[BP]

Thanks for all of the info. I did get all of his medical records from his primary care doctor and it was about an inch thick file. The insurance company did actually get back to me though and said they weren't necessary since the policy was more than two years old.

In a bit of good news he did actually list me as his beneficiary for his arrears of pay with DFAS. He retired from the Air Force before I was even born so I figured I'd have to argue with my siblings over it.

All I have left to do now is fill out the VA paperwork.

[32vfromhell]

My father in law "doesn't believe in paying for his kids to live comfortably off his death" and it angers me so damn much because he doesnt really understand the cost of trying to manage all of this at a time when you are emotionally fragile and spent.

[svauto-erotic855]

They actually try to pull that crap?

Hell yes they do. The federal government through Medicare will also try to do chargebacks and take a house if there's not a surviving spouse.

[BP]

So for an update I just got a direct deposit from the life insurance company. After getting all of the medical history they said they didn't need it. Once it's been aged for two years they don't care apparently.

[line-em-up]

Hell yes they do. The federal government through Medicare will also try to do chargebacks and take a house if there's not a surviving spouse.

https://www.agingcare.com/Articles/can-medicaid-take-your-house-147803.htm