[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by blueash

Couple of nice articles explaining why there can be delays in payouts

Why Your Life Insurance Claim Takes So Long. This one is all the reasons

Does Life Insurance Pay For Overseas Deaths? This one specific to overseas issues

But don’t delay in payments.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Lawyers make laws, you have hire lawyer to fight for your rights. After years of getting paid lawyers will finely milk all money the can and come to agreement. If you don’t agree it starts all over. Eventually the fees will be higher than the payout

I have actually watched, first-hand and more than once, divorce attorneys make a "People Vs. Green" motion to the judge. Essentially, it is a closed door hearing to tell the judge they want off the case because they have exhausted their clients ability to pay and any further work will be uncompensated. These are generally granted, in my observation.

[Marine1974]

Originally Posted by Northwoods

I'm looking for advice. My friend's spouse passed away last year in a foreign country. The spouse has a sizable life insurance policy with Lincoln Financial, Life Insurance division. My friend tried everything to get this company to pay the policy. They are giving her the run-around. They've told her they need more documents, and when she sends them to the company they come up with another excuse. Now, Lincoln Life is saying they need to "investigate." They won't tell her why or when they will conclude the investigation.
It appears they are stalling so they don't have to pay.
Does anyone have any advice of a government agency that could intervene? She doesn't want to hire a lawyer, because then she has to pay a lawyer to collect the money owed to her.

Was the deceased person a veteran ? If so most states offer veterans free legal aid . The spouse should have access to this . Contact the veterans service officer VSO in your state. They will help.

[Northwoods]

Hi everyone - Thank you for your advice. My friend was not with her spouse when he passed (she was in the US). He had an accident and died in a hospital. He dies last year. She is the beneficiary. She has the "notarized" death certificate which she gave to the insurance company, she also has official documentation from the embassy that she gave to the insurance company. She has supplied everything the insurance company has asked for.
She is going to try the State Insurance Commissioner and see if she can get anywhere.

[Gpsma]

Originally Posted by Northwoods

Hi everyone - Thank you for your advice. My friend was not with her spouse when he passed (she was in the US). He had an accident and died in a hospital. He dies last year. She is the beneficiary. She has the "notarized" death certificate which she gave to the insurance company, she also has official documentation from the embassy that she gave to the insurance company. She has supplied everything the insurance company has asked for.
She is going to try the State Insurance Commissioner and see if she can get anywhere.

Do u know what country he died in?

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Northwoods

Hi everyone - Thank you for your advice. My friend was not with her spouse when he passed (she was in the US). He had an accident and died in a hospital. He dies last year. She is the beneficiary. She has the "notarized" death certificate which she gave to the insurance company, she also has official documentation from the embassy that she gave to the insurance company. She has supplied everything the insurance company has asked for.
She is going to try the State Insurance Commissioner and see if she can get anywhere.

Actually, I don't blame the insurance company from doing a thorough investigation of the death. There is no way that I would blindly accept a notarized death certificate and "official documentation" from the embassy for someone who died in another country. Embassies don't even track Americans who travel to other countries. It is just not sufficient proof that the terms of the policy have been met. If there is a lot of money involved, I would want my own insurance investigator to do an investigation and approve the payment.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Lawyers make laws, you have hire lawyer to fight for your rights. After years of getting paid lawyers will finely milk all money the can and come to agreement. If you don’t agree it starts all over. Eventually the fees will be higher than the payout

Good lawyers are a lot like good real estate brokers or good stock brokers.

They invariably make you way more money than you would have made without them.

Of course in TV, everyone is an expert and no one needs lawyers, real estate brokers or stock advisors. They can learn all they need to know, on Facebook or TOTV.

[village dreamer]

i would get my wife s uncle vinnny, he collects for 'other ' people

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

I have actually watched, first-hand and more than once, divorce attorneys make a "People Vs. Green" motion to the judge. Essentially, it is a closed door hearing to tell the judge they want off the case because they have exhausted their clients ability to pay and any further work will be uncompensated. These are generally granted, in my observation.

Please name another privately provided service you can continue to get, when you've run out of money to pay for it?

[yankygrl]

Originally Posted by Northwoods

I'm looking for advice. My friend's spouse passed away last year in a foreign country. The spouse has a sizable life insurance policy with Lincoln Financial, Life Insurance division. My friend tried everything to get this company to pay the policy. They are giving her the run-around. They've told her they need more documents, and when she sends them to the company they come up with another excuse. Now, Lincoln Life is saying they need to "investigate." They won't tell her why or when they will conclude the investigation.
It appears they are stalling so they don't have to pay.
Does anyone have any advice of a government agency that could intervene? She doesn't want to hire a lawyer, because then she has to pay a lawyer to collect the money owed to her.

First thought is how did she get the body back and where is he now buried or was he cremated and ashes returned. You might try contacting seniors vs crime here in TV for more advise

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

Good lawyers are a lot like good real estate brokers or good stock brokers.

They invariably make you way more money than you would have made without them.

Of course in TV, everyone is an expert and no one needs lawyers, real estate brokers or stock advisors. They can learn all they need to know, on Facebook or TOTV.

Good lawyer, that’s oxymoron.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

Please name another privately provided service you can continue to get, when you've run out of money to pay for it?

We know it’s not attorneys.

[ElDiabloJoe]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

Please name another privately provided service you can continue to get, when you've run out of money to pay for it?

The difference is one pays and receives a service. Like lawn maintenance. With lawyers, the end game is to stretch, delay, obfuscate, and delay again in order to draw down and deplete (i.e.- maximize profit) and then discard without having to actually provide the service.

Billing for two hours or more for a hearing where the lawyer requests a continuance is exactly how this happens. While waiting for the hearing, the lawyer is texting and making calls on other cases so they can double and triple bill for the time being spent.

Then the bills for "associate's time working on the case" which is really just re-organizing the file box, and then of course the 1/4 hour minimum charged for a 3 minute phone call to the client or a 1/2 hour billing charged for the 10 minute call to opposing counsel where they talk about the latest vacation condo purchased.

This happens, I don't care how you try to paint brush it with a "Code of Ethics" claim. I've seen it, I've worked with dozens in a professional capacity and hear the conversations about what they are doing. It is so rampant as to essentially be commonplace.

[Jack58033]

Most policies are incontestable after being in force for two years. If under that time period the insurance company may want to check out the claim and take longer to resolve.