UAE: Can refusing to eat count as suicide? Sibling denied insurance payout

Question: My sister passed away five months ago. After her death, I discovered that she had a life insurance policy. Since I am her only heir, I requested the insurance company to pay out the policy amount. However, the insurance company refused, claiming that my sister committed suicide, as the death report indicated she died due to refusing to eat. Is the insurance company legally allowed to deny the payment based on this reason? What steps can I take against the company?

Answer: According to Article 1048 of the Civil Transactions Law: 1 – The insurer is released from the obligation to pay the sum assured in case the insured commits suicide. However, the insurer must refund the beneficiary an amount equivalent to the value of the insurance reserve, unless the beneficiary establishes that the suicide was not meant to have the sum assured become due. In that case, the beneficiary shall be entitled to the sum of the premiums paid, minus any applicable deductions.
2 – When suicide is due to an act beyond the control or awareness of the insured, or from any other reason leading to a total absence of will, the insurer shall be bound to pay the entire sum assured agreed upon. The beneficiary must establish that the insured was not in control of their actions at time of the suicide.
Based on the above, the insurance company is generally released from paying the sum assured in the event of suicide. However, refusing to eat – on its own – is not necessarily considered an intentional act of suicide. Therefore, you have the right to file a lawsuit against the insurance company to claim the insurance payout. The insurance company has to prove that such an act was a suicide. Conversely, you must prove that her actions were not deliberate and that they were beyond her control or awareness, in order to be entitled to the insurance amount.