Sources and Citations

Every quote, statistic, and legal reference used in articles on askforlenny.com is listed here. Each entry links to the original source and, where available, to an archived snapshot on the Wayback Machine.

A note on these references. This page is a reference list for assertions made in articles on this site. Links to third party content are not endorsements. Individual anecdotes from public forums are illustrative of patterns, not testimonials, and they do not predict the outcome of any specific claim. Where a source has been captured to the Wayback Machine or stored locally, it is because the original link may change or disappear over time. Retrieval dates indicate when the source was last verified.

Life Insurance Through Work: What It Covers, What It Does Not

1

EOI never processed, claim denied

Tertiary
"My dad died from cancer a couple of months ago. He took out a life insurance policy through work, but they're denying the claim because they're saying they don't have an 'Evidence of Insurability'. The premiums have been coming out of his check since he signed up for it, but he was never notified that he needed to fill out the EOI."
Posted: 2020-11-23 · Subreddit: r/Insurance · Retrieved and verified verbatim: 2026-04-21
2

Laid off, lost coverage, QLE confusion

Tertiary
"Husband laid off due to downsizing lost his life insurance. QLE doesn't apply to life insurance. We missed it when initially reading it."
Subreddit: r/Insurance · Year: 2025 · Retrieved and verified verbatim: 2026-04-21
3

Port pricing described as "off the charts"

Tertiary
"Last time I saw the cost to port group supplemental life to individual, it was off the charts high."
Subreddit: r/LifeInsurance · Year: 2025 · Retrieved and verified verbatim: 2026-04-21
4

Supplemental coverage declined at renewal after a diagnosis

Tertiary
"I've always paid for the max for supplemental life insurance through my company to make sure my family will be taken care of if anything were to ever happen. This year was different. Last year, I was diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis. The form asked many more questions which I answered truthfully. This year they denied my supplemental insurance just because I got sick."
Posted: 2021-12-09 · Subreddit: r/LifeInsurance · Retrieved and verified verbatim: 2026-04-21
5

Van Loo v. Cajun Operating Co., 6th Cir. 2017

Primary
Federal appellate opinion affirming a $314,000 award for an employer's breach of fiduciary duty. The employer accepted premiums for supplemental life insurance over six years without ever submitting the Evidence of Insurability, then the claim was denied after the employee's death.
Court: United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit · Decided: 2017-07-18 · Retrieved: 2026-04-21
6

Erwood v. WellStar Health System, W.D. Pa.

Secondary
Federal district court surcharged the plan administrator $750,000 under ERISA Section 502(a)(3) for failing to include conversion forms and deadlines in an FMLA packet issued to a terminally ill employee.
Court: United States District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania · Year: 2017 · Retrieved: 2026-04-21
7

DOL settlement requiring reprocessing of EOI denied life insurance claims (June 2024)

Primary
U.S. Department of Labor settlement with a major group life carrier. Requires the carrier to reprocess denied claims where the employer had collected premium for an extended period without confirming Evidence of Insurability.
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration · Released: 2024-06-11 · Retrieved: 2026-04-21
8

ACLI 2024 life insurance death benefits paid

Primary
U.S. life insurers paid approximately $89 billion in life insurance death benefits in 2024.
Publisher: American Council of Life Insurers · Retrieved: 2026-04-21
9

BLS data on employer paid group life insurance participation

Primary
Published BLS data indicates that a large majority of workers with group life insurance pay no premium for the base employer sponsored coverage. Underlying data is from 2020.
Publisher: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Data year: 2020 · Retrieved: 2026-04-21
10

Published term life rate tables (age 40 and age 50)

Secondary
Published carrier rate tables used to describe approximate retail pricing for a healthy non smoker at age 40 and age 50, $500,000 twenty year term. Figures on the article page are rounded. This is not a Lenny quote and is not an offer for coverage.
Retrieved: 2026-04-21
11

IRC Section 79 first $50,000 of employer paid group term life is tax free

Primary
The first $50,000 of employer paid group term life insurance is excluded from gross income. The value of coverage above that amount is imputed income valued using IRS Table I rates.
Agency: Internal Revenue Service · Retrieved: 2026-04-21
12

ERISA claims procedure regulation, 29 CFR 2560.503-1

Primary
Federal regulation requiring ERISA plans to give claimants at least 180 days to appeal an adverse benefit determination and to follow a specified claims procedure.
Source: U.S. Code of Federal Regulations · Retrieved: 2026-04-21
13

CIGNA Corp. v. Amara, 563 U.S. 421 (2011)

Primary
Supreme Court decision establishing that equitable remedies under ERISA Section 502(a)(3) include surcharge, equitable estoppel, and reformation when a plan fiduciary breaches its duties.
Court: Supreme Court of the United States · Decided: 2011-05-16 · Retrieved: 2026-04-21

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