Accidental Death

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What Is Accidental Death Insurance?

Accidental death insurance, also known as accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, is a type of insurance that supplements basic life insurance coverage. AD&D insurance pays benefits in addition to life insurance if the insured dies as a result of an accident or suffers a catastrophic injury that results in limb amputation or loss of […]

Accidental Death Ruling Highlights Flaw in ERISA Deference

Since the publication in 1943 of James M. Cain’s noir classic, “Double Indemnity,” there has been a public fascination with accidental death insurance. Surprisingly, even when a sudden and unexpected death occurs other than as a result of a heart attack or other clear-cut medical condition, the issue of whether the death was accidental or […]

Divided Court Backs Denial of Accidental Death Claim

Causation is always a key issue in accidental death insurance claims as a recent 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision teaches.
In Arruda v. Zurich American Insurance Co., 2020 WL 880548 (1st Cir., Feb. 24), the 1st Circuit overturned a judgment in favor of the plaintiff, Denise Arruda, in relation to an accidental death insurance claim relating to the death of her husband, Joseph Arruda. The insurer maintained that Joseph’s death was caused or contributed to by Joseph’s pre-existing health conditions. The 1st Circuit agreed.

When and Why AD&D Insurance Companies Deny Claims

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accidents are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Will your loved ones be financially protected should you succumb to an untimely death due to an accident?  Accidental death and dismemberment insurance (AD&D) may be purchased in addition to traditional life insurance or offered by […]