On September 1, a client completes a life insurance application, submits the initial premium payment, and receives a conditional insurability receipt from the producer. Under the insurer's guidelines, no medical examination is required for this specific face amount and age. On September 6, the applicant suffers a severe stroke and is hospitalized in critical condition. Unaware of the medical event, the home office underwriter approves the policy as a standard risk on September 10 and mails it to the producer. On September 12, the producer attempts to deliver the policy, but the applicant passes away later that same day. Based on the legal properties of premium receipts, what is the insurer's liability regarding the death benefit claim?
- AThe insurer will deny the claim and refund the premium because the producer could not obtain a signed Statement of Good Health at the time of policy delivery.
- BThe insurer will deny the claim and refund the premium because a conditional receipt does not trigger coverage until the date the application is formally approved at the home office.
- The insurer must pay the full death benefit because coverage became effective retroactively on September 1, when the application was signed and the premium was collected.Cevap
- DThe insurer will deny the claim and refund the premium because the agent did not physically hand the approved policy to the insured prior to the fatal medical event.
Cevap
The insurer must pay the full death benefit because coverage became effective retroactively on September 1, when the application was signed and the premium was collected.
The correct answer accurately applies the rule that a conditional insurability receipt provides retroactive coverage to the date of the application (or the date of the medical exam, if one was required), provided the applicant was insurable at that specific time. Because no medical exam was needed and the applicant was insurable as a standard risk on September 1, the coverage legally took effect on that exact date. The severe stroke that occurred five days later does not void the in-force coverage, and the insurer must pay the claim.
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Conditional Insurability Receipts and Effective Dates