What death is not covered by life insurance?

Most deaths are covered by life insurance, but certain deaths may not be covered depending on policy exclusions, contestability period, and type of policy. Deaths not covered or where claim may be denied include suicide within contestability period, typically first two years of policy, many policies exclude suicide in first two years and return premiums instead of death benefit. Death from illegal activity, if insured dies while committing felony or participating in illegal act, some policies may exclude. Death from misrepresentation, if insured lied on application about health, smoking, or dangerous hobbies and dies within contestability period, insurer can deny claim for material misrepresentation. Death from war or act of war may be excluded in some policies, especially for military personnel without war clause. Death from dangerous activities not disclosed like private pilot, skydiving, if excluded by rider. For accidental death policies, death from illness not accident is not covered, only accidental death covered, so death from cancer would not be covered under accidental death policy but would be under term life. Also death after policy lapsed due to nonpayment not covered. So standard term life covers almost all causes after contestability period including illness, accidents, and natural causes, with main exclusions being suicide in first two years and fraud on application.