What is the contestable period in a life insurance policy?

Since the applicant is asked questions about their  occupation, hobbies, height, weight and health history, the insurance company has the right to check if those answers were correct for two years following the issue date of the policy.  The “burden of proof” is on the insurance company that a answer concealed something that had the company known this information at the time of the application, it would not have issued the policy.  Let’s review some issues, the applicant stated that they did not smoke but do.  Clearing that is a false statement and at the time of the claim, the insurance company will adjust the death benefit to what the premium paid would have bought for a smoker.   The company can rescind the policy if the answers “material effect the policy being issued”, like heart attack, HIV, stroke, ALS, dementia to name a few of automatic decline of coverages.  After the two year period there are still actions of the applicant would trigger a claim being denied, like someone other then the insured signed the application or took the physical examination or provided a specimen.