You Paid the Premiums. So Why Won’t Life Insurance Pay? Stephie Prestridge, Co-Founder of Life Claim

You bought the life insurance. You paid the premiums. You named the beneficiary. So when you die, your family gets the money…right? Not always. In this eye-opening episode of Estate Planning Nightmares & How to Avoid Them, Jon Braddock sits down with attorney Stephie Prestridge, co-founder of Life Claim, to expose a side of life insurance most families never expect to encounter: delayed, denied and disputed death claims. Stephie spent nearly two decades as an estate-planning attorney. Then one of her clients died. The family had planned carefully. Life insurance was an important part of that plan—one policy was intended to help provide for the children, another to help take care of the surviving spouse and home. Then Stephie received the phone call. The insurance company wasn't paying. Her reaction? “That doesn't happen. It's life insurance.” Except it did. Stephie challenged the denial and won. But the experience led her to discover that life-insurance disputes were far more common and complicated than she had realized—and ultimately changed the direction of her career. In this conversation, Stephie explains the two-year contestability period, why even seemingly minor discrepancies on an insurance application can become important after death, and why “guaranteed coverage” does not necessarily mean a guaranteed payout. You'll also hear why that friendly phone call from the insurance company after a loved one dies may be more important than you realize. While you're grieving and answering seemingly innocent questions, someone may be taking notes—and those answers may become part of the insurer's investigation. Stephie shares what beneficiaries should consider doing instead and why documenting everything matters. And perhaps most importantly: If your life-insurance claim is denied, think carefully before filing an appeal yourself. Stephie explains why the rules can vary depending on the policy and why, with certain employer-sponsored policies, what is submitted during an appeal can severely limit what evidence and arguments can later be considered. We also discuss beneficiary disputes, employer-provided life insurance, what estate-planning attorneys should be reviewing with clients, and why simply having a policy isn't enough. As Jon puts it during the conversation: A life insurance policy is only useful to your family if someone knows it exists. This episode isn't about being afraid of life insurance. In fact, Stephie remains a strong believer in it. It's about understanding what can happen when the unexpected happens—and making sure the people you love know what to do next. Because confusion creates conflict. Clarity creates peace. 🎧 In This Episode Why life-insurance claims can be denied even when premiums were paid What the two-year contestability period means “Guaranteed coverage” vs. guaranteed payout What insurers may investigate after someone dies Why beneficiaries should be careful during post-death phone calls What to do when a claim is delayed Why a DIY appeal can create serious problems How beneficiary designations can be challenged Special considerations with employer-sponsored policies What estate-planning attorneys should discuss with clients Why families need to know where the policy is and what to do when the insured dies Connect with Stephie at LifeClaim: ⁠https://www.lifeclaim.com/⁠ ⁠stephanie.prestridge@lifeclaim.com⁠ 888-615-3270 LinkedIn: ⁠  / ⁠   Instagram: ⁠  / ⁠   Facebook: ⁠  / lifeclaimwins⁠