What happens if an insurance company accepts an application containing unanswered questions?

When an insurance company accepts an application that contains unanswered questions, it can be seen as waiving its legal rights regarding the information that was not provided. By accepting the application in its incomplete form, the insurer is indicating that it is willing to proceed with the application despite the missing answers. This suggests a level of acceptance of risk associated with not having full disclosure of information at that time.

In instances where questions are left unanswered, the insurer generally cannot later deny a claim based solely on the omitted information if they accepted the application with knowledge of these gaps. This principle is grounded in the expectations that both the insurer and the insured have about the completeness and accuracy of the information provided during the application process. It reinforces the idea that the responsibility also lies with the insurer to ensure they obtain all necessary information before making a decision.

This approach provides a framework for fairness, ensuring that applicants are not penalized for unintentionally leaving parts of their application blank if the insurer chose to accept it. Consequently, if the insurer has accepted such an application, it is interpreted as taking responsibility for the potential implications of the unanswered questions.