Success Story: Yuki Watanabe

*Names have been fictionalized to protect the privacy of our clients.

Yuki and his wife, Angel, purchased life and critical illness insurance shortly after they decided to start a family in Medicine Hat.

16 years, thousands of premium dollars and four kids later, the Watanabe family was devastated when Yuki was diagnosed with a serious illness and—to add insult to injury—denied benefits by their insurance provider.

Troubling symptoms lead to bleak diagnosis

At first, the morning scavenger hunts for his wallet and car keys were a source of great entertainment for Yuki’s children. But Angel and the kids grew worried when Yuki’s forgetfulness became increasingly common and left him angry and confused.

One of the most concerning instances was when Yuki became lost on his drive home from work and had to call his wife for help.

Angel urged Yuki to visit his doctor. After undergoing various medical tests, including a neurological exam, the source of Yuki’s symptoms became clear: he had Alzheimer’s.

A lengthy waiting period

When Angel and Yuki filed a claim with their insurer for Yuki’s critical illness benefit, they waited for the cheque in the mail, but didn’t give it much thought while they focused on Yuki’s wellbeing. After all, they had been paying premiums for 16 years and felt that the protection they were paying for was absolute.

Insurance company cries "misrepresentation"

When seven months went by without a response, Angel called the insurance company for answers. They sent a letter in the mail a few days later, refusing to pay out.

The insurance company alleged that when Yuki completed the initial application for coverage 16 years earlier, he had failed to note that one of his blood tests had shown higher than normal blood pressure.

The family takes action

Refusing to take no for an answer, the family banded together and found a way to fight the insurer’s denial. They retained Share Lawyers for two reasons – their proven track record of success fighting and winning critical illness denials; and the firm’s “no fees unless we win” guarantee.

Challenging the misrepresentation claim

Since the purchase of the policy and the medical issue being contested took place so many years ago, it was difficult, but not impossible to build a strong case for the Watanabe family.

By scrutinizing numerous medical records and compiling statements from Yuki’s physicians, it was discovered that Yuki had never been informed about his slightly higher than average blood pressure during one of his annual physical exams.

When Share Lawyers presented the insurance company with the facts, they agreed to reconsider the claim. Yuki and his family felt that Share Lawyers made the process very easy and non-stressful, and only had their best interest at heart. Yuki agreed to a settlement and received a lump sum from the insurance company.

Denied your long term disability claim?

Contact Share Lawyers today and put our experience to work for you. Our 35+ years of experience can help you win your case against Canada Life, Desjardins, Manulife, RBC Insurance, Sun Life, and other insurance companies. We offer free consultations and there are no fees unless you win your case.