Life insurance attorney Christian Lassen is sounding the alarm about what he describes as systematic delays in life insurance payouts, affecting grieving families increasingly. As the founder of The Lassen Law Firm, which specializes in life insurance litigation, Lassen told The Wall Street Journal that insurers frequently cite policy ambiguities, outdated paperwork, or administrative procedures to justify these delays.
According to Lassen, beneficiaries often wait for months under the impression that their claims are being reviewed, while critical deadlines pass. He argues that insurers sometimes use these delays to test for competing claims or pressure claimants who are unfamiliar with their rights. Lassen believes that legal intervention often prompts faster responses from insurers and that many disputes could be resolved more quickly if beneficiaries sought legal counsel earlier.
Insurers typically attribute delayed payments to internal reviews and policy compliance. However, industry representatives have not publicly responded to Lassen’s recent comments, and no independent data has been presented to confirm or refute his claims about widespread delay tactics.
The Lassen Law Firm handles cases involving delayed or denied claims, lapse disputes, accidental death exclusions, ERISA group policies, and federal programs like Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI). The firm also represents clients in interpleader cases where multiple individuals claim the same benefit.
Lassen has stated that his firm has handled various disputes, including delays tied to updated beneficiary forms, denials based on alleged policy lapses, and claims contested under suicide exclusions. He plans to continue speaking out about the challenges beneficiaries face and encourages those experiencing prolonged delays to seek legal advice.
“This isn’t about isolated incidents,” Lassen said in The Wall Street Journal article. “It’s a systemic issue.”
