Life insurance provides financial protection for your loved ones if the unexpected happens. So, it makes sense to expect that if you pay your premiums, your loved ones will receive a payout if you pass away. However, there are limited circumstances where an insurer may deny a claim or pay out only a partial death benefit.

Here’s what you need to know about when life insurance might not pay out. Knowing these things can help you protect yourself and your family, and ensure they receive the financial support they need.

What won’t life insurance cover?

Many of the situations life insurance doesn’t cover are instances of fraud or abuse. After all, life insurance is a contract between you and the insurer, and any instances of fraud or abuse would breach the contract. The good news is that you likely won’t need to worry about having a claim denied if you’re truthful with your life insurance company from the start.

Instances of lying, criminal activity, or dangerous behavior that’s not disclosed upfront could all be reasons life insurance won’t pay out. Here are nine reasons life insurance may not issue a payment to beneficiaries and ways you can avoid having this happen to your loved ones.

1. A term policy expires

There are two main categories of life insurance, term and permanent coverage. With term life insurance, you agree to pay premiums for a set time, often between 10 and 30 years. Once the term expires, so does your coverage. Term coverage makes sense when you have known costs that will expire after a certain timeframe. For example, a 20-year term policy is a good fit for parents of young children. By the time the 20-year term expires, children will be grown and (hopefully) out of the house. If the unexpected happens, the surviving spouse can use proceeds from life insurance to cover family needs.

With term life insurance coverage, you’re protected for a set period. So it only makes sense that life insurance would not pay out if you pass away after your policy’s term ends. Luckily, many insurers offer options to extend coverage or get a new policy at the end of the term so you can continue coverage for as long as you need.

2. Not paying premiums

In a life insurance contract, you agree to make payments in exchange for a guaranteed death benefit. If you break the contract by not paying premiums, the life insurance company won’t be held accountable for issuing a death benefit payment.

However, this doesn’t mean one missed payment will void the whole policy. To help policyholders, many insurers offer a grace period between your missed payment and when they’ll actually cancel your policy. During the grace period, your insurer may contact you to figure out how you can get up to date on your payments. It’s essential to work with your insurer to review options like getting on a revised payment plan or moving to a lower-cost policy so your coverage isn’t canceled.

3. Lying or misrepresenting information on the application

Honesty is the best policy, which also applies to your life insurance application. If an insurance company uncovers untruthful information on your application, your beneficiaries could be at risk of not receiving a payout.

For example, say you quit smoking last month, but you indicate it’s been a decade on your application and during your medical exam. If you pass away during the first few years of owning a life insurance policy, the insurer could take advantage of the contestability period to review whether you were truthful on your application. If they find that you weren’t, it could be grounds for a claim dismissal or reduced benefit payment, meaning your loved ones could be left with debts and no way to cover them.

4. Not reporting dangerous hobbies

Insurers assume a certain level of risk when they issue you a life insurance policy. And if you have high-risk hobbies like skydiving, rock climbing, or scuba diving, you’re a bigger risk to insure.

Simply participating in these hobbies isn’t an issue, as long as you tell your life insurance company about it when you apply for a policy. Keep in mind that dangerous hobbies can cost you a bit extra in premiums. However, failure to disclose your risky activities could result in a denied claim if you pass away doing one of them.

5. Not reporting life events or not providing documentation

Once you buy a life insurance policy, it’s important to keep your insurer updated on any major life changes. That includes getting married, having children, switching jobs, or simply moving to a new area. When your information is up-to-date, insurers can more easily contact you or process a claim if you pass away. Failure to update your information, and your beneficiaries, could mean the people you want to receive the payout aren’t the ones who will get it.

6. Illegal activity

Life insurance provides a payout to your loved ones if you pass away during everyday activities. However, if you pass away while committing a crime, your beneficiary won’t be paid. Loss of life during a criminal act or illegal activity is generally grounds for denying a claim.

7. Suicide

Insurers include a suicide clause in the life insurance contract to prevent policyholders from taking out a policy and immediately taking their own life. A suicide clause generally lasts for the first few years, during which insurers can choose not to pay if the death is deemed a suicide. Certain states also enforce different rules regarding suicide and life insurance.

8. Homicide

If beneficiaries take part in the murder of a policyholder, it’s grounds for denying the death benefit payment or at least delaying the payment until an investigation is complete. This type of circumstance is something insurers protect themselves against through what’s referred to as the slayer statute. Instead, the life insurance company can issue the payment to a contingent beneficiary or the policyholder’s estate.

9. Travel or living abroad

When you apply for a life insurance policy, your insurer may inquire about how frequently and where you travel. For example, travel to certain countries, like those with a history of kidnapping, terrorist attacks, or malaria outbreaks, could give an insurer pause. However, if you disclosed your travel plans and patterns upfront and paid your premium, you’re in the clear.

You may run into problems if you fail to disclose that you travel to or sometimes live in a dangerous country. If you pass away during the first few years of owning a policy, insurers could uncover your travel habits with an investigation during the contestability period.

If you regularly travel internationally, it’s best to disclose this information to your insurer and make sure you understand the fine print for travel-related claims.

Making sure your life insurance policy pays out

When life insurance claims are denied, it’s usually because of dishonest behavior like lying on an application or participating in illicit activities. As long as you’re honest during the application process, you and your beneficiaries shouldn’t need to worry about life insurance not paying out. Ready to find a life insurance policy to suit your lifestyle? Start by getting a quote online or calling an agent at 866-853-3013.