About Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group offers disability coverage through both group ERISA plans and individually owned disability insurance policies, including own-occupation and specialty-specific products popular among physicians, dentists, attorneys, and business owners.
In Washington and Oregon, Principal serves a significant number of professional and small-business clients, many of whom purchased disability coverage specifically because their income depends entirely on their ability to perform their specific work.
When Principal denies a claim from a professional whose specialty-specific own-occupation policy was supposed to protect them, the financial impact is severe — and the dispute requires a focused legal response.
How Principal Denies Disability Claims
Principal disability denials often center on occupation definition disputes and medical evidence standards. Common denial tactics include:
- Redefining a claimant's occupation more broadly than the policy language supports to deny own-occupation claims
- Using contracted medical reviewers to challenge treating physician opinions without examining the claimant
- Applying mental health or nervous system limitations broadly to conditions with documented physical components
- Requesting ongoing and repetitive medical updates as a delay and pressure tactic
- Benefit terminations after initial approvals based on re-reviews of existing medical evidence
- Vocational assessments that identify job alternatives incompatible with the claimant's actual specialty or credentials
- Pre-existing condition exclusion arguments that misread policy language or apply exclusions too broadly
Professional disability claims against Principal require careful analysis of policy language — particularly the own-occupation definition — and documentation that specifically addresses the functional demands of the claimant's specialty. Cowell Law builds these claims from the ground up.
How Cowell Law Fights Principal Disability Denials
For Principal individual disability policies — which are common among the professional clients Principal targets — we review the specific policy language governing your occupation definition, your benefit amount, and any applicable limitations. We then work with your treating physicians and, where appropriate, vocational experts to document the specific connection between your condition and your inability to perform your specialty.
For Principal ERISA group plans, we handle the appeal process and prepare the administrative record for litigation if the appeal is unsuccessful. Both types of Principal claims require different legal frameworks, and Cowell Law applies the right one to your situation.
Our Claim Clarity Process™
- Schedule a Clarity Call — We review your policy, your denial, and your situation and explain what your options are.
- Build Your Strategy — We analyze the policy language, gather supporting documentation, and prepare a targeted response to the insurer.
- Move Forward — Whether through appeal, negotiation, or litigation, we represent you through every stage until your case is resolved.
Individual disability insurance cases require a different approach than some claims — and we have the experience to navigate that distinction on your behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions — Principal Disability Denials
Principal sold me an own-occupation policy as a physician. Why are they saying I can still work?
This is one of the most common disputes in professional disability claims. Principal may argue that you can work in a non-procedural, supervisory, or educational capacity within your field — an argument designed to avoid paying on an own-occupation policy that was specifically purchased to protect you if you could no longer perform your specialty. Challenging this requires careful analysis of how the policy defines your occupation and what your specialty actually requires.
Does Principal treat self-employed business owners differently in disability claims?
Business owner disability claims can involve additional complexity, including disputes over how pre-disability income is calculated, what qualifies as a disabling inability to perform business duties, and whether overhead expense provisions apply. If you are self-employed and carrying Principal disability coverage, an attorney familiar with business owner policy provisions can help you avoid common documentation pitfalls that lead to denials.
What is the appeal deadline for a Principal disability denial?
For ERISA group plans, you generally have 180 days from the date of the denial letter to submit an appeal. For individually owned Principal policies not governed by ERISA, the deadline may differ and is determined by your policy language and applicable state law. Contact Cowell Law as soon as you receive your denial to preserve all of your options.
See other insurance companies that we litigate against: Unum, The Hartford, Lincoln Financial Group, The Standard (Standard Insurance Company), Cigna (Life Insurance Company of North America), MetLife, Principal Financial Group, Mutual of Omaha, Sun Life Financial, Northwestern Mutual