John Hancock Long-Term Care Insurance Denials

Fight Back Against Wrongful Claim Rejections

When John Hancock denied your long-term care insurance claim, you likely felt confused, frustrated, and abandoned by a company you trusted for years.

You paid premiums faithfully, believing your policy would provide the care you or your loved one needs during vulnerable times. Now, faced with mounting care costs and a denial letter filled with complex policy language, you're wondering what options remain.

At Sandstone Law Group, we understand the financial and emotional stress of a wrongful John Hancock long-term care insurance denial.

Our John Hancock long-term care insurance denial attorneys have helped countless families across Arizona, California, and nationwide challenge these denials and recover the benefits they rightfully deserved. 

When insurance companies prioritize profits over policyholders, we fight back. Call (602) 615-0050 or complete a brief online form for a free consultation to discuss your John Hancock long-term care insurance denial.

Key Takeaways About John Hancock Long-Term Care Denials

• Regulatory scrutiny: John Hancock paid $26.3 million to settle claims they wrongfully terminated long-term care policies, indicating systemic issues with their claims handling practices
• Common denial tactics: The company frequently challenges functional and cognitive impairment assessments, disputes care provider qualifications, and uses surveillance to contest legitimate claims
• State law protection: Arizona and California insurance laws provide strong consumer protections against bad faith insurance practices, including punitive damages and attorney fee recovery
• Documentation requirements: John Hancock often denies claims based on incomplete medical records or chronically ill certifications, making thorough documentation critical for successful appeals
• Time-sensitive appeals: While some policies provide 30-180 days for appeals, others offer no formal appeals process, making immediate legal action crucial to protect your rights
• Nationwide impact: John Hancock's problematic claims practices affect policyholders across all states.

Why Choose Sandstone Law Group to Fight John Hancock?

When John Hancock denies your long-term disability benefits, it is a betrayal of the trust you placed in your insurance policy. At Sandstone Law Group, we fight to restore not only your income, but your peace of mind, your dignity, and your sense of control.

We understand our clients would give anything to feel well again, return to work, and regain normalcy. But when John Hancock refuses to honor its promises, we step in with conviction, clarity, and relentless legal resolve.

We Know John Hancock’s Tactics: John Hancock has a well-documented pattern of minimizing valid claims through tactics like:

• Discrediting treating physicians
• Downplaying symptoms using biased reviewers
• Exploiting surveillance footage out of context
• Misapplying policy language to limit or terminate benefits.

We have seen it all: Our attorneys have successfully challenged these strategies across ERISA-governed and IDI policies. We handle every stage of the process, including:

• Appealing internal denials with robust medical and legal documentation
• Challenging biased IMEs, peer reviews, and vocational assessments
• Litigating John Hancock denials in federal or state court
• Using procedural violations and bad faith conduct to shift leverage in your favor

We Are Courtroom-Ready: While many firms quietly settle or avoid litigation, we take the opposite approach: we prepare every case as if it will go to court. That mindset forces John Hancock to take our clients seriously, which shows in our track record.

We Win Because We Care: We do not treat cases like files or numbers. We treat them like the deeply personal battles they are. Our clients are people whose lives have been upended by disability and corporate denial—and we treat their stories with the respect and legal firepower they deserve.

Our team brings a rare combination of legal aggression and personal compassion. We have seen the damage done by disability claim denials, and we fight like it is personal, because in many ways, it is.

Legal History of John Hancock

John Hancock’s long-term care insurance practices have faced significant legal scrutiny over the years. In 2022, the company agreed to a $26.3 million settlement with New York regulators after prematurely terminating policies for 156 policyholders, resulting in over 27,000 days of unpaid benefits. 

This case highlighted systemic issues, including questionable interpretations of policy terms and administrative errors that left policyholders without the care they needed.

Regulators emphasized the importance of compliance with state insurance laws, and this settlement serves as a reminder that policyholders have rights when insurers act in bad faith. A skilled bad faith lawyer can help protect those rights and hold insurers accountable.

At Sandstone Law Group, we leverage these legal precedents to hold John Hancock accountable and fight for the benefits you deserve.

Tactics John Hancock Uses To Deny LTC Claims

John Hancock's settlement with New York regulators revealed several troubling practices that affect policyholders nationwide. Understanding these tactics helps explain why legal representation becomes necessary when challenging their denials.

Misrepresenting policy provisions

Rather than applying policy terms fairly, John Hancock often interprets ambiguous language in ways that favor denial. The New York investigation found instances where the company terminated policies based on questionable interpretations of coverage requirements. 

Our attorneys analyze your specific policy language and challenge interpretations that contradict policyholders' reasonable expectations.

Questioning functional assessments

John Hancock frequently disputes physician assessments of your functional or cognitive impairments, often hiring their own medical reviewers to contradict your treating doctors. 

We work with qualified medical professionals who understand long-term care triggers to document your condition thoroughly and challenge biased company reviews.

Surveillance and investigation tactics

The company may employ surveillance or hire investigators to gather evidence they hope will contradict your claim. These tactics can feel invasive and intimidating, particularly when you're dealing with serious health conditions. 

We protect your privacy rights and challenge surveillance evidence that violates insurance regulations or exceeds reasonable investigation boundaries.

Care provider qualification disputes

John Hancock may claim that your care providers don't meet policy requirements, even when the policy language supports coverage. We review provider qualifications against policy terms and state licensing requirements to demonstrate compliance and challenge unreasonable restrictions.

Delay tactics and communication barriers

The company may create administrative hurdles, request excessive documentation, or fail to communicate clearly about claim status. These delays can force families into a financial crisis while waiting for benefits. We establish direct communication channels with claims departments and push for timely resolution of legitimate claims.

How a Sandstone Law Group John Hancock LTC Denials Attorney Can Help

If John Hancock denied your long-term care insurance claim, you may still have legal options. Unlike other insurance disputes, long-term care claims are governed by state insurance laws, offering stronger consumer protections. Here’s how we can assist:

• Recent claim denials: You may still have a case even if your denial happened years ago. Acting quickly helps preserve evidence and ensures your rights are protected. We’ll review your denial and build a strategy to challenge it effectively.
• Partial benefit reductions: If John Hancock approved some benefits but denied others or reduced your payout without justification, this could signal bad faith. We’ll analyze your policy and demand the full benefits you’re entitled to.
• Premium payment disputes: Policy terminations over alleged missed premiums or administrative errors are often improper. We’ll look into payment records and challenge wrongful cancellations.
• Care setting disputes: John Hancock may claim your care provider doesn’t meet policy requirements. We’ll review the policy language and state regulations to prove your care arrangement qualifies for coverage.
• Medical necessity challenges: Disputes over medical necessity or physician assessments can derail valid claims. We’ll gather additional medical evidence and counter biased company reviews to strengthen your case.
• Family member assistance: If you’re helping a loved one with a denied claim, we can guide you through the process. This is especially critical when the policyholder is cognitively impaired or unable to advocate for themselves.

How to Appeal a John Hancock LTC Denial

Challenging a denial from John Hancock requires a strategic approach to ensure your claim is reconsidered fairly. Here’s how we can help you navigate the process:

1. Understand the reason for the denial: Carefully review John Hancock’s denial letter to identify the specific reasons for their decision. This will guide the evidence and documentation needed for your appeal.
2. Gather supporting evidence: Collect medical records, physician statements, and daily care logs that directly address the reasons for the denial. Comprehensive documentation is key to building a strong case.
3. Challenge biased reviews: If John Hancock relied on an independent medical exam (IME) or internal reviewer, we’ll scrutinize their findings and present evidence from your treating physicians to counter biased conclusions.
4. File a detailed appeal: Appeals must be submitted within the timeframe outlined in your policy, often 30-180 days. We’ll craft a compelling appeal letter that addresses every point raised in the denial.
5. Consider legal action: If John Hancock continues to deny your claim, we’ll explore litigation options, including bad faith claims, to recover your benefits and hold the company accountable.

Appealing a denial can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. Sandstone Law Group is here to guide you through every step, ensuring your rights are protected and your voice is heard.

John Hancock LTC Denials FAQ

Take Action Against John Hancock's Wrongful LTC Denial

John Hancock's regulatory troubles and multi-million dollar settlement demonstrate that the company has systematically denied valid long-term care claims.

Their practices have caught the attention of insurance regulators and resulted in significant penalties, but these enforcement actions don't directly help individual policyholders who continue facing wrongful denials.

When you trusted John Hancock with your long-term care protection, you expected them to honor their commitment during your time of need. 

Instead, you're facing denial tactics that regulators found violated insurance laws and harmed thousands of policyholders. You don't have to accept their denial or navigate this complex legal process alone.

At Sandstone Law Group, we've built our practice around holding insurance companies accountable when they break their promises to policyholders.

We understand John Hancock's denial tactics, know how to challenge their medical reviews and policy interpretations, and have the experience to pursue bad faith claims when their conduct violates state insurance laws.

Your long-term care benefits represent years of premium payments and the promise of security during vulnerable times. Don't let John Hancock's questionable practices prevent you from accessing the care you need and rightfully deserve.

Call (602) 615-0050 or message us online for a free consultation about your John Hancock long-term care denial. We'll review your case, explain your legal options, and fight to recover the benefits John Hancock wrongfully denied.