If MetLife denies your claim, you may appeal the decision. Upon your written request, MetLife will provide you free of charge with copies of documents, records and other information relevant to your claim. You must submit your appeal to MetLife at the address indicated on the claim form within 180 days of receiving MetLife's decision. Appeals must be in writing and must include at least the following information:

As part of your appeal, you may submit any written comments, documents, records, or other information relating to your claim.

After MetLife receives your written request appealing the initial determination, MetLife will conduct a full and fair review of your claim. Deference will not be given to the initial denial, and MetLife's review will look at the claim anew. The review on appeal will take into account all comments, documents, records, and other information that you submit relating to your claim without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial determination. The person who will review your appeal will not be the same person as the person who made the initial decision to deny your claim. In addition, the person who is reviewing the appeal will not be a subordinate of the person who made the initial decision to deny your claim. If the initial denial is based in whole or in part on a medical judgment, MetLife will consult with a health care professional with appropriate training and experience in the field of medicine involved in the medical judgment. This health care professional will not have consulted on the initial determination, and will not be a subordinate of any person who was consulted on the initial determination.

MetLife will notify you in writing of its final decision within a reasonable period of time, but no later than 45 days after MetLife's receipt of your written request for review, except that under special circumstances MetLife may have up to an additional 45 days to provide written notification of the final decision. If such an extension is required, MetLife will notify you prior to the expiration of the initial 45-day period, state the reason(s) why such an extension is needed, and state when it will make its determination. If an extension is needed because you did not provide sufficient information, the time period from MetLife's notice to you of the need for an extension to when MetLife receives the requested information does not count toward the time MetLife is allowed to notify you of its final decision. You will have 45 days to provide the requested information from the date you receive the notice from MetLife.

If MetLife denies the claim on appeal, MetLife will send you a final written decision that states the reason(s) why the claim you appealed is being denied and references any specific Plan provision(s) on which the denial is based, and notifying you of your right to bring an action under Section 502(a) of ERISA in connection with this determination. Upon written request, MetLife will provide you free of charge with copies of documents, records and other information relevant to your claim.