Life Insurance policy wrongly denied

VIRGINIA BEACH - Sandy Hanson's husband died, but in all her grief she found anger. A life insurance policy she had on her husband was denied. "I have to learn to live just with me and it hurts," said Hanson, a Virginia Beach resident. Her husband, Eddie, died suddenly on May 28th.

Hanson now has to deal with anger because the life insurance policy she had on Eddie through her employer Dollar General Store was denied. "I should be able to grieve for him, but I have to continue fighting for what is right," said Hanson.

After Eddie's death, Hanson went to Altmeyer Funeral Home and Altmeyer was assured by Dollar General the life insurance policy which would pay for the funeral was good. "We were told to go ahead with the funeral because the policy was good," said Altmeyer Funeral Director Donald Walton.

Trouble came after the funeral, which cost $11,000. The insurance company UnitedHealthcare and Dollar General informed Hanson the policy was denied because she had failed to send evidence of Eddie's insurability physical, even though Dollar General had withheld earnings for the policy.

"I did what you asked of me. You took that money, and now you tell me I'm not insured. It doesn't seem right to me," Hanson told Dollar General.

Sandy called 10 On Your Side, and we made calls behind the scene. Many others called Dollar General and UnitedHealthcare, and that seemed to do the trick. Dollar General realized it did not require employees to show evidence of insurability for a spouse to get life insurance.

Dollar General called the insurer UnitedHealthcare and Sherry Meihofer, who is a Strategic Account Executive, reviewed the case and sent an email back.

"The Hanson claim has been reviewed against the new information you recently provided and I am pleased to tell you it has been approved," Meihofer told Hanson.

On Thursday morning Sandy received the life insurance pay out of $48,000 and a check from the Dollar General Employee Assistance fund of $1,500.

"It absolutely helps to have 10 On Your Side going to bat for me. You guys are phenomenal. A lot of people are fighting for me," said Hanson.

Altmeyer Funeral Home was also pleased with the news, "10 On Your Side got involved, and things happened. A call from 10 On Your Side got the matter resolved," said Walton.

There was no comment from UnitedHealthcare on how this happened, and no comment from Dollar General because it is a personnel matter.