John Hancock Denied Your Life Insurance Claim? We Recovered $1 Million From Them.
John Hancock writes a large book of individual term, universal, and variable life policies — many of them decades old. When a John Hancock claim is denied, the reason is frequently the same: the company says the policy lapsed for non-payment of premium. Before you accept that, understand this: a lapse is only valid if the insurer followed every notice requirement the law imposes. Very often, it did not.
We Recovered $1 Million From John Hancock After a Wrongful Lapse
Our firm represented the beneficiary of a California policyholder whose life insurance policy was declared lapsed while he was terminally ill. John Hancock had sent the standard premium and termination notices — but it never sent notice to the third party the insured was entitled to designate to receive lapse warnings. That single omission was enough. Under California law, the failure to provide the designee-notice right invalidated the lapse, and John Hancock paid the $1 million death benefit to our client.
***Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
Why That Case Matters To You
Most people assume a lapse denial is the end of the road — the premium wasn't paid, so the coverage is gone. It isn't that simple. California Insurance Code §§ 10113.71 and 10113.72 require an insurer to:
provide a 60-day grace period after a missed premium,
give written notice at least 30 days before the policy terminates, and
offer the policyholder the right to designate an additional person to receive lapse notices — and actually send that person notice.
These requirements are independent. As our case demonstrates, an insurer can satisfy the grace period and the termination notice and still lose, because it never honored the designee-notice right. The California Supreme Court's decision in McHugh v. Protective Life (2021) confirmed these protections apply to policies already in force when the statutes took effect — not only newly issued ones.
The designee requirement exists precisely for situations like our client's: an insured who is seriously ill, hospitalized, or cognitively impaired may miss a premium through no fault of their own. The law requires a second set of eyes. When the insurer skips that step, the lapse can be void.
Other Common John Hancock Denial Reasons
Universal life cost-of-insurance increases — rising internal charges quietly consume cash value until the policy lapses, often with inadequate warning.
Grace period disputes — whether a payment or the death fell within the grace period.
Contestability-period denials — alleged misstatements on applications for policies under two years old.
Beneficiary designation disputes on older policies with outdated paperwork.
Lost or forgotten policies where the company denies coverage ever existed.
What To Do If John Hancock Denied Your Claim
Do not assume the lapse was valid. Ask the insurer, in writing, to produce:
Every premium, grace period, and lapse notice it claims it sent, with proof of mailing and the address used
The designation-of-additional-person form the insured was offered, and proof any notice went to that person
The complete policy file and premium payment history
For universal life: annual statements showing how cost-of-insurance charges affected the cash value
Frequently asked questions
John Hancock says the policy lapsed before my husband died. Is the claim over? Not necessarily — and in California, often not. If the company failed to offer or honor the third-party designee right, the lapse may be invalid even if every other notice was sent correctly. That is exactly the defect on which we recovered $1 million. See life insurance lapse.
My mother was in the hospital and missed a payment. Does that matter? It may matter a great deal. The designee-notice requirement was written for insureds who become ill or incapacitated and miss premiums as a result.
Does this apply outside California? Many states have their own lapse-notice and senior-protection requirements, though they vary. Florida, New York, and others impose notice obligations insurers routinely fail. Tell us your state and we will tell you what applies.
The policy is 30 years old and we can't find the paperwork. Can you still help? Yes. We obtain the policy and claim file directly from the insurer.
Call (888) 510-2212 for a free consultation.
We handle John Hancock claim denials nationwide on a contingency basis. See also: life insurance lapse, California claim denials, and denied life insurance claims.
***Informational only; not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Kadetskaya Law Firm LLC is not affiliated with John Hancock.