MetLife Disability Policies

I have a medical condition where I cannot hold a conversation focused for a long or short period of time. I also have a mental disorder and blackouts. I'm not able to drive or take care of my child. I filed a claim with MetLife and they denied my claim several times. I lost my home and my car because MetLife kept denying my claim. They keep asking for medical info. I'm homeless and now they still ask for medical info and my doctor has taken me off work. They are negligent and will make you homeless. They don't care.

The company I work for offers excellent benefits; short-term disability through MetLife is one of them. However, MetLife has made my life a nightmare since I'm becoming too ill to work. I have two physicians claiming that I am 100% disabled while they try to determine if my symptoms are caused by lupus or Lyme disease acting like lupus. My symptoms do not allow me to work, and even if I tried to work, I would be a liability to the company because of my brain fog and low productivity.

I have sent MetLife every piece of medical documentation that exists on me. I have paid countless fees so that doctors' offices will send paperwork to MetLife. I have been out of work for 8 weeks and I am no longer getting paid. This is very difficult for a single person living alone and someone with limited energy. Each day is spent fighting with MetLife. I have had to spend more time focusing on MetLife and disability benefits than I have in trying to get a diagnosis and get well. This has resulted in severe depression.

MetLife misled me about the disability process. They are certainly not your advocate and not interested in helping the claimant whatsoever. It is a money game for them. I want to say that the MetLife personnel are incompetent, but I believe they are simply trained to perform that way in order to benefit the company and save money. They will send letters via postal mail indicating you have a timeframe for action as of the date on the letter. But because it is via postal mail, much of the time is already expired leaving you limited time for action. This is their game.

My advice to new claimants or those considering purchasing benefits from MetLife : (1) Do not use MetLife if you can avoid it. (2) If you cannot avoid working with Metlife, stay on top of them. Ask questions, dates and details. Do not assume that anyone at MetLife will do anything for you. Do not wait around. MetLife will not call you with information. They will also not call you back even when you request it and they promise a call back within 2 hours. My recommendation is to call every day and ask the same questions over and over. I got different answers all the time and my case manager was absent. I finally had to call my employer to see if they could assist, after all, Metlife works for my employer so try to get your employer on your side, if possible.

Bottom line: MetLife is shady. Do not trust a word they say. Avoid using them if possible but if you must, remember that you are your only advocate and you must stay on top of them.

Disability Claim Closed For No Reason - I became disabled close to three years ago while working for Verizon Wireless. MetLife oversees my disability claim. Ever since my disability, they have played games with my case, never paying me the proper monthly benefit I was entitled to, requesting redundant medical records every three months from my doctors and then finally closing my case. My monetary benefit stopped, my health insurance was cancelled and my life insurance policy was also terminated. MetLife is claiming, since day 1, that I have a psychological ailment, which I don't and they have a two-year limitation on psychological issues. I suffer from sever and chronic tinnitus which is a neurological ailment that currently has no cure.

MetLife has denied over six months in my short term disability claims. Every time they contact me with a decision it has failed due to lack in medical evidence. I have more than three doctors of all ranges through psychologist, psychiatrist and a licensed medical doctor. They will approve me for my FMLA but will not allow any payment. I am ill due to the place that I work at and the horrible conditions I am working in due to the stress the company is placing on its employees to hit sales targets. I was a top sales representative for over a year, and I just can't take it any more. Their company did not assign me case workers; I would get calls from multiple individuals. They would also call and barely spoke any English. Jumped through every hoop they gave me. They allowed release of my medical records, allowed communication with my doctors, took in paperwork to doctor's office and returned to them and nothing has been settled.

I became disabled in December 2011, experiencing illness due to an enlarged liver. Biopsies were taken and I filed for short term disability. My case worker was a foreign lady whom I had a very hard time understanding. I jumped through all the hoops MetLife threw in my way and received a letter stating my disability payments were approved.

Three days later, I received a letter stating they were denied after a month of not working. We were devastated. They told me I had the right to appeal this decision after 45 days. In the meantime, we drained our checking account and now have tapped into our Christmas club savings. If I had known how this company did their business, I would never had signed up with them.

I'm letting all of the other employees know how they are treating claimants so they can get out as fast as they can, so MetLife does not get any richer. This is America, don't these companies have any remorse or compassion?

Problem: I have a relative who was employed with the Birmingham Board of Education. He went in for a check up and they found he had terminal lung cancer and they immediately placed him on disability. The board gave him paperwork to complete insurance wise and every two months or so he was sending the same information over and over. They finally dismissed his case and this is a man who had worked over 18 years with the company and the insurance left him without any type of death benefit.

I have an ongoing LTD claim with MetLife. It seems that every 3 to 4 months or so, I am being asked for the same information, doctor etc. My case worker told me this is needed for my case. It seems such a hassle when they call. Can I do something about this?

On August 23, 2011, I went out on stress leave and also medical due to finding out that my wife was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. The stress contributed to my blood sugar raising, complicating my Type II Diabetes.

My claim was only approved through October 23, 2011. But I wasn't notified until November 8 that my claim was denied. This caused me to not get paid during that time.

The case went to a "review" status. They said that it would take 45 days and today is day 45. I just got off the phone with **, the appeals "specialist", who told me it could take up to another 45 days for an answer.

Dealing with these so-called advocates is worse than the situation that I am facing. They really make it harder than it really is. After 9 years with my company, I have absolutely no faith in the system! And the only reason why they got 1 star is because it was the only way I could submit this complaint!

On August 1 to 15, I was approved for STD due to ulcers. On October 29, I suffered a major injury to my back. The doctor I was seeing sent me for an epidural injection for the severe sciatica I was experiencing due to the herniated disc, as well as a diagnosis of Degenerative Disc Disease. Thinking the epidural injection would work, the doctor gave me a return to work date of November 7.

I went to work, which made the situation worse, both my legs became numb and it took over 24 hours for me to flex any muscles in my legs. I was finally able to see the orthopedic doctor again on November 15, who immediately set me up for a nerve study, followed by an appointment with a surgeon. I immediately called Met Life, sent in all paperwork as requested, and I have called them daily since then, my doctor's office sent the paperwork in on November 16. At this time, I am still waiting for word of approval on my claim. Each time I called, I spoke to a different person, and got transferred to someone's voicemail with a promise of a call back within 2 hours. Those call backs never happened.

Yesterday, the 23rd was the last day for a decision. I started calling at noon. Each time, I was told they have until the end of the business day. I called every two hours, as I was promised call backs that I never got. At 3pm, I spoke with a Linda, who said she was instant messaging my case manager, she said my case manager tried to call me (never happened, no missed call, no message) and she will call me right after she got off the phone. Linda gave me her direct number to call if I needed. Well, 2 hours later, the case manager did not call back, I called Linda, and she was not in office. From 5pm until 8pm, I continued to call, with no resolution.

I was promised several times a call back that evening, that never happened. I stopped calling once I reached an extremely rude supervisor who said, no one was there, no managers to assist me and I would have to wait until Monday. Meanwhile, although Met Life ignored their ridiculous 5-day policy. I have not been paid. I had to take out a personal loan to pay my mortgage, car payment, doctor's co-pay, medication and to keep my electricity on. I am an exemplary employee, I have 110 hours of vacation available, and great attendance. Does this seem fair? I still do not know the outcome of my claim. I am hoping it will be approved. Meanwhile, I am extremely depressed due to my physical and now financial situation.

Not only did I need to file a claim, but I was an employee of the company, which means that my claim was viewed more harshly than any other person. I went out for severe anxiety with panic attacks and major depression. They paid my short-term disability, but when it came to long-term, they said I could do my own occupation. Funny, I did get awarded SSDI and they look at any occupation!

I appealed with Metlife and they claimed to not have received any information from my doctor, so they denied the appeal based on no new information received. Then, two weeks later, they send me a letter that they found the information in someone else's file, but it didn't make a difference. So, I am disabled enough by SSDI, but not my insurance company. I got SSDI approved the first time around, so you know that I am a major mess because approvals on first application are rare.

I could have pursued this through an attorney, but seeming Metlife offsets SSDI, my benefit would have only been $100 and it just wasn't worth it to me. I just don't have the patience and mental capacity to deal with them over $100 a month.

I can tell that this company is shady since I worked for them. My manager would tell me not to reopen cases even when I had good hard medical evidence that said I should be paying the person. I had a manager who was transferred over from the Life Department, and knew nothing about disability and the other manager I ended up with, well, she got her job just by being there so many years but got demoted after I left. I had more overall experience in disability plus a bunch of credentials that they didn't. I got fired the same day I advised my manager that I was filing for FMLA; it was two hours later to be exact. She cited performance issues though (typo errors she found on letters). Funny thing is that I was on the quality committee and a review of 600 random letters, all had typos!

The year prior, I had gotten written up two days prior to a scheduled hysterectomy for performance issues. It seems like if you have health issues and are employed here, you might as well kiss your job good-bye.

I had a car accident in October 2009, and lost vision in my left eye. At the time of the accident I had my Supervisor assist my parents with my Short Term Disability through my employer Verizon Wireless. That alone was a hassle with MetLife even though I was in ICU for 8 days. MetLife was by far the worst part of my accident till recently having to file another claim with them.

I took leave on Aug of 2011 due to the ongoing issue with the right eye going out causing me to become blind for a short amount of time with no vision in the left as well as the right. This was something that came on not knowing and never had a warning. Therefore when I was driving, I had the worst time trying to pull over. I went and filed a claim with MetLife, went to about 9 doctors and they provided them with the information needed on top of me having anxiety issues. They came back and stated that the information provided was not enough to uphold the "issue" I had with my eye. So, I went and got more information from my doctors and had them write to MetLife and advise them of the issue once again and with more information than needed.

The denial came back from the appeal and stated that my going blind does not interfere with my work, only my driving and I should have someone take me to work. Now I did not get paid for the 2 months I was out, was given a final written warning with Verizon Wireless. I feel as though I did the right thing and did not take advantage of the system for a bogus issue. But now I am handicapped and all they can say is " there is nothing they can do".

I was in multiple car accidents that aggravated old injuries from a 2003 fall at work. I also had a concussion causing memory, balance, headaches and vision problems. Besides previous claims that were either delayed needlessly or denied, MetLife (the admin for VZW - Verizon Wireless), has delayed multiple times approval of my current short term claim. They claim medical. Although this same medical was good for approval before, they seem to change on the fly. They are always saying they didn't get the documents when you're there watching your providers submitting the info with all requested information. And many more disabled employees out of the Metro Atlanta area.

The rules change as they go along and the MDs just said that down the road, both parties will be sanctioned as the practices are becoming sloppy and reckless. Many believe that what is happening are retaliatory tactics due to the EEOC Verizon (Communications - VZ) twenty million dollar judgment of their disability "No Fault" attendance policy, which didn't make sense to me as the VZ and VZW umbrellas are still somewhat separate, so I thought. The judgment was for VZ employees only, but the rise in incidents seem to have been increased since the judgment has been levied. Get ready for an even bigger sanction VZ, VZW, MetLife if retaliation is proved. Some bad publicity for MetLife in general. Maybe the life and auto portion will then discontinue the disability portion due to company image concerns.

I've had symptoms for many years of a progressive and debilitating illness that had not been diagnosed properly. It has made me a virtual shut in with eye diseases and syndromes, severe arthritis, chronic pain, breathing difficulties, memory impairment, chronic fatigue and many other symptoms. I've finally got a diagnosis of secondary Sjogren's syndrome, but at the time I was only diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. MetLife turned me down for disability, but I was not able to return to work and ended up homeless.

It would be negative stars if I could. I have filled almost two notebooks with my notes and conversations with these people. It took almost 3 months to get my first short term disability check. I am still fighting for the rest of short term disability 4 months after I filed the claim. It's been almost two months since I filed long term disability and it looks like the fight will be worse on it.

After paying into MetLife for well over a decade, I became totally disabled in 2008. Disability forms, notes and letters were all sent in to MetLife by numerous doctors, but MetLife initially denied my claim. After more documents, notes and letters, they approved my LTD Insurance. I was told I needed to apply for SSD, which I did. SSD approved my claim after their own doctors and specialists agreed that my condition qualified me for disability. The games, lies, etc. began right away with MetLife.

I kept being told different things depending on who I spoke to. The case managers were changed often and with that, so did the rules along with the information I was given. At one point, I was told in a threatening way that I should have surgery for some of the physical conditions (there are multiple) and go into an institution for the severe depression, PST, bipolar, panic and anxiety I suffer with daily. They felt psychiatry wasn't enough. When I spoke to my doctors about this, I was told that MetLife had no business threatening me and telling me what course of treatment I should have or else! When I called back and spoke to a manager, I was told that dictating claimant's medical treatment is not part of their policy. Since they record all conversations, I told the manager to playback my recorded conversations as proof. Of course, that was never done.

The list of deceitful actions taken by MetLife is long to post here. However, to give one example: My benefits were suddenly stopped and when I called to find out why, I was told their records indicated that I had returned to work. I explained that I never returned to work. After several calls and letters, I was told it was an error on the part of a new employee who had input the wrong information into the system. There were many mistakes like these. It seems that although numerous doctors, specialists, independent exams and social security have found me permanently disabled, MetLife tells me their definition of disability differs from SSD. I now know it also differs from all my doctors who have been sending in reports for almost 3 years, as well as their own so-called independent doctor who agreed with my doctors.

Met Life Disability contacted us by a letter asking us to sign an authorization so that they can contact former employer and find out from them how they can stop his disability checks after a certain amount is paid. They are to get him to sign a release so that they can obtain information from the company and use this against us.

The letter is titled release of retirement benefit information, which has nothing to do with his right to obtain disability payments. They put a due date on it, of two weeks, to threaten us with cancellation if we do not reply.

I have epilepsy and a panic and anxiety disorder. When I started having stress-induced seizures, anxiety and panic attacks at work, my doctor pulled me out of work and I immediately filed a claim under my workplace's short term disability plan. He pulled me out of the business for exactly 16 days. I have dealt with Metlife before and know that they are no picnic, so I immediately started calling to ensure that there would be no surprises and that there would be a smooth transaction.

I was told by the case manager named Stacy that as far as she could tell, the 16 pages of documentation that they received looked good but to be sure, I need to include a detailed doctor visit notes for my next visit scheduled the following week. My therapist wasn't sure that I was ready to go back to work, but I was afraid to stay out for too long. So, after my next visit, my medical doctor and I agreed on a date and I reported that to Metlife. I continued to call daily to check the status of my claim and was always told that it was being reviewed.

Then, the Friday before I was scheduled to go back, I was told by a representative that my claim may be denied due to lack of documentation. I requested a call back from my case manager named Crystal. Two hours later, I called Metlife back and was told that Crystal notated the account that if I called back, they needed the following information. When I again asked to speak to her, I was told that she had left for the weekend. I asked for her supervisor and was told that she, too, had left for the weekend. I asked why I was never called by her. The rep said that there were no notes about that.

We ended the call and I called right back demanding to speak with someone; oddly enough, in that time, Crystal had personally notated the account that she called me and left me a message. The rep even found this odd considering the times at which I called, what I was advised, and the fact that Crystal was "not in the office." So, the rep took it upon herself to email me the exact notes Crystal left with the information she needed. I took this straight into my doctor's office and my doctor said that he is going to draft a letter with all of the specified requested information. I am just wondering how--with a documented panic and anxiety disorder for which I have been being medicated and in counseling for years, a documented disability such as epilepsy, and over 20 pages of supporting documentation from my medical doctor--they can deny this.

I was approved for short-term disability through this company as of 12/29/2010, right before my 6 month period was up. My service rep. turned my case over to long-term disability. They called me about two weeks before my short term ended and started the ball rolling I was told. I was informed my long-term, if approved, would start as of 6/27 and my short term ended on 6/28. I was later sent a letter stating they needed to extend my case to see if I could receive my long term. That usually they decided within 45 days, but in my case, they needed to extend until 9/4. On 8/25, I was sent a letter stating I had been approved and that on 8/26 they would send out a check to cover my claim from 6/27 until 8/26.

After several days of not receiving my check when the letter only took two days to reach me, I called Met Life and was informed the check had been mailed to my employer, when I had already received a letter from my employer stating I was no longer employed as of 6/28. After several more days of not receiving my check, I called the employer as I was advised by Met Life. I questioned if the check had been sent to the main office in Greenbay or the local branch, which I worked for since neither had received the check as I was told. On 9/2, I was told that if the company did not receive the check that day in the mail and they would stop payment and reissue another check and overnight it. I was called later that evening and told they wanted to wait until 9/6 to do a stop payment. If the check was not received by my employer and at that time they would do a stop payment and issue a new check, which at that time would be sent to me and not the employer and they would over night the check.

I called on 9/6 and informed Met Life after the employer called and said it did not show up on the 6th. Met Life informed me that they would take care of it and overnight a new check if they could not overnight, I would be called back. I never received a call, but on the 8th, when I called Met Life and to inquiry this time about the new check. I was informed that it would be at least the 12th of Sept before I would receive the new check. This, after making me wait 10 weeks for my befits to pay my bills and after I am about to lose everything with a 10-year old dependent child. I do not believe anymore that I will receive my funds from this insurance company. I have been promised for so long that I would be taken care of for benefits that I paid for though deductions every week through my employer. I would not recommend this company disability insurance to any employee ,who thinks that this will help them pay their bills if they can not work due to no fault of their own or to any employer also thinking that they are helping to cover their employees.

MetLife denied my claim due to a pre-existing condition, even though my doctors specified a code that had never been used with me. I exhausted all appeals then was told to write the State Insurance Commissioner, where the business is licensed.

That prompted immediate action. MetLife hired an outside independent contractor and they found it in my favor. Now, MetLife finds any excuse not to pay and does an annual review.

I filed a short-term disability claim on June 16, 2011. Metlife advised that I needed to submit additional paperwork in order to extend my claim. As per their policy, they have 5 business days to work a claim after paperwork has been submitted. I submitted the paperwork on August 16. My claim should have been approved or denied by Aug. 23, 2011. This was not done. And I was not aware that it was not done. I called again on the 29th to question why my claim was not completed. I was told that they were still reviewing the documents. Because of their negligence and deficiency, I did not receive my paycheck. This has caused my illness to worsen. And all they could say was sorry. I have no food. And I can't pay my rent. This resulted in an added late fee in addition to my rent that I cannot afford.

I have been at my employer for my short term disability benefits which are managed by Met Life. I have been harassed every time it comes for them to issue a pay to me. They will not approve my claim in a timely manner and I have been required to refile my paperwork numerous times, only to have my disability checks held, while my claim is being processed.

At one point, I went a month without an income while I waited on a five-day processing that has taken up to three weeks. Now the processing time was changed to ten days. I have been off from work due to severe stress issues and I have three different and unrelated doctors who told me that I cannot work at this time. My employer has started to call me and also harass me about returning to work even though I am still unreleased and under doctors care.

I feel that I have no right to get well while I am off for a legitimate medical condition. If they are going to go through all this hassle every time they give me my disability pay, then why bother offering me this benefit? Please help me. The stress is unbearable.

I am now a month behind on my mortgage and I have paid numerous late fees and penalties on my utilities. I am also experiencing severe stress which in turn causes depression and has become almost debilitating.

I went out of work on June 24 for severe depression and at the insistence of both my general practitioner and my therapist. Everything was going fine for the first two weeks. I received a paycheck on July 08 for my time from June 24 July 08. I did not know anything was wrong with my claim until I did not receive a paycheck on July 22.

Every customer service agent told me that there was nothing to worry about and that my case was being reviewed. I called every day about my claim and was given the same song and dance, so I requested to have a case manager call me. I was called by a case manager on July 27 and was told that because my claim ran over 30 days, I needed to see a psychiatrist to corroborate my doctor's diagnosis of depression and anxiety.

I called the psychiatrist's offices all that day. Most offices had a wait time of 2-4 months to see new patients. I finally found an office about an hour and a half away that could see me on August 01. I was then diagnosed as bipolar 2 and given a new set of medications. The psychiatrist told me to stay out an additional two weeks through August 16.

I continued to call MetLife every day checking on my claim status. I was told by a representative later that week that in order to review my claim, they would need all of the session notes from my therapist and psychiatrist. All of this was pulled together and faxed in on August 16 so I did not receive a paycheck on August 05. I returned to work part time on August 17, but it was too late in the work week to receive a paycheck on August 19.

I contacted MetLife when I returned on August 17 to discuss an email that had been delivered to my email inbox at work that said I was ineligible for benefits because my time had been exhausted. I received a call from a case manager the next day telling me that there had been an error and that the information had not been sent to be reviewed because the computer showed me as ineligible. She updated my information to eligible and told me that they would make a decision by August 23. No decision was made, so I again called customer service. They again scheduled a case manager to call me.

I received a call this morning saying that she would expedite my case and I could expect a decision by the end of business day tomorrow. I have not been paid in 4 pay periods. I have pawned everything of value to pay my bills and owe over $1,500 to the pawn shop. I have borrowed $800 from my parents who don't really have the money to lend and am overdrawn on my account by $400. Even when I get a paycheck for the time from July 09 August 19, it will not be enough to cover the interest at the pawn shop or the series of insufficient fund fees I have been assessed.

My wife left work six weeks ago on what was supposed to be our anniversary. She became very ill; has seen multiple doctors, and been to the hospital emergency room twice in the past two weeks. Her claims specialist said that her condition does not warrant her absent from work, and then insulted her by saying she would try to get a FMLA claim approved.

My wife has been diagnosed with Dysautonomia Syncope/ Neuro Cardiogenic Syncopal episodes and is on a waiting list for the closest cardiologist to help her. Her representative told her Metlife's fax machine and computers were down for three business days from 8/5/11-8/09/11. They didn't receive anything from her two doctors, and won't talk to me. Now she had to call her two referring doctors, and have them call the nurse line to list her limitations? Do they not understand why my 29 year old wife has the ticker of an eighty year old right now?

Metlife Short Term Disability department constantly gives an expected date of a decision on my claim, but still requires multiple calls each day and at best, the decision may be made 10 days after the original decision date which is already 5 days after they receive faxed information from the doctor's office. Not to mention, the back and forth that I as a patient had to deal with as Metlife claims they are not receiving faxes, that clearly show a successful transmission on the senders's end. I would rather not be lied to. If a decision is really not going to be made for 2 weeks, then don't tell me it will take 5 days. Every time I get on the phone the representative wants to explain the inner workings of their company "well, the case manager will review, then send it to a specialist who will then send it to a clinical specialist, etc. etc." I don't care about the pass the blame game, I just want honesty and to get the benefits that I qualify for and have paid premiums into insurance for.

I had a surgery last January 11 and came back to work four weeks later. I was told by HR to file short-term disability because I can still have some benefit due to the medical leaves. So I went ahead to file the form and have all necessary information they need. Back in February, they called me and confirmed if I have been back to work. In March, they sent me a check for $801, which covered the four weeks leave ST benefit. I thought that was part of the benefit we should get. Who would call them back to ask if that is the right amount? They should do their job right!

In May, they started to call me and left message to have me call them back, I called back and listened to the auto-message: it said the claimant's case has been closed and amount of $$$ has been paid to the claimant. So I didn't bother to call them back, until beginning of July. I got a phone call from my office line. I talked with the lady--who can hardly speak proper English--named Sheila. She told me that because I was paid by the company, I should not have been paid by Metlife for the disability. I was stunned and told her I had no clue what was going on here. I needed to clarify with HR department.

I went ahead to send email to HR and HR responded me one day after and said I need to pay them back. I called them back and asked if I can pay them with scheduled payment since it was an unexpected expense for me. Sheila said she didn't have authority to arrange that. She then transferred me to payment settlement center. I was talking to another non-English speaker CS representative and she told me that I can arrange the payment, but I need to pay off before 15th of December or else I will have to bear all of the taxes applied (my gross payment was $850, there is 50 for tax). So I said I didn't cause this mistake and I can only afford $100/month payment so it will take eight months to pay off, which will be a little over Dec 11. The lady kept saying the same thing, that I will have to pay the tax. I asked her if it is because they need to file tax return on time, she said no. She said it is company's policy to obtain the overpaid payment within six months after they notified the claimant.

I said I was not notified officially that I was overpaid. I was left a message without any detail. This was clarified on July 11. She said on their record, there is a note stating the claimant was notified on June 6. I said I never was notified on that date, that since it is their system, of course they can put whatever they want and tell us lie. So I ended up telling her I am going to pay it off because of their malfunction and mistake, which has caused me to do extra load of things and deal with unexpected expense in a short time. I don't mind paying them back since it doesn't belong to me. However, when they apply all of the rules to their customers, have they ever done self-checking about their operations? If they didn't make mistake at the beginning, there will be no issues for me to deal with. There will be no complaints here!

I was injured in an auto accident on 12-27-2009. I continued to work while undergoing physical therapy, injections at the pain clinic, etc. I work as a supervisor for the American Red Cross and go to blood drives, a different location with different hours each day. I worked until 4-13-2010 until the pain in my right arm, neck, and headaches made it impossible for me to continue. I was diagnosed with a bulging disc and sent to a surgeon who performed a cervical fusion on 6-2-2010. During this time, Metlife paid with no problem. I returned to work on 10-4-2010. Still having a lot of problems with neck pain and headaches, I was scheduled for more injections then a rhizotomy of the occipital nerve which gave me only 2 weeks of relief.

I continued to work until 1-3-2011, when the headaches and neck pain were severe enough that it was affecting my work and I was making several mistakes. My doctor took me off work once again. I then saw a neurologist, a neurosurgeon, and then referred to the Mary Free Bed Headache and Pain Clinic. My employer told me I had to file a claim with Metlife to be approved for disability because I no longer had FMLA coverage. I did and they approved me from 1-3 to 2-15 then said they needed more info. After my physician filled out a form giving them my specific restrictions along with 20 more pages of medical documentation, they denied my claim. They informed my employer and I was terminated from employment. I am going through the Pain Rehab program at Mary Free Bed which is a ten-week program.

They have diagnosed me with occipital neuralgia, cervicalgia, post traumatic headaches, and spondylosis. I have neck pain and head pain every day along with headaches. These have caused me to seek treatment in the ER on two occasions. And I spend much time trying to keep the pain under control by not being active and resting. I do not take pain medicines because I am afraid of becoming addicted. So, I use ES Tylenol 2 or 3 times a day. My family doctor does not want me to work. And the panel of physicians and therapists at Mary Free Bed feel that I am not able to return to my work at this time, but feel they will get me there through their program. I want to appeal the decision by Metlife. I don't care if I ever have anything to do with the American Red Cross ever again. I was an exemplary employee for six years with no disciplines and above average marks on my evaluations.

I went on short term on January 25, 2011 with a shoulder surgery. On March 15, a Leslie ** with MetLife called and asked when I would be going back to work. At this time I still have a doctor telling me not to pick anything up that hurts. I work in a chemical plant and my type of work is not desk work. The doctor put me on a 10-lb. restriction for a month. She called back and told me I should have been back to work weeks ago and claim the doctor's note were not good enough to keep my claim open, that she was giving me 2 weeks more. It turned out to only be 1 week, she lied again. I told my doctor this and he said they have all the notes and if it's not good enough for them, tell them to call him (that call never happen). MetLife knows more then doctors.

Well, now I'm going to go see the company doctor and I'm going to lie to him and tell him I'm okay because I have bills to pay and I can't drain my saving because of them. I'm still hurting but I can't make them pay.

I have been off work since Jan. 20, 2010 with 5 compressed disks in my back. T6 and T7 have spinal cord compromise meaning my disk is hitting my spine. My doctor said I can not return to work without restrictions due to the fact that we can not find a surgeon that will do surgery on me. My manager at work says I can not return to work with any restrictions. MetLife says I am not disabled because I can work with restrictions? Who has the final say in this matter? If you are looking for disability insurance, do not look at MetLife. They are a ripoff company that does not want anything but your money. The bad thing is our government has laws in place that protect them.

Metlife has denied every short term disability claim I have filed with them. Every doctor I have seen has advised me that with each claim Metlife gets, they will deny it even if they fill out the information as thorough as possible. I have a severe anemia and Metlife doctor's said that my condition was not chronic enough to miss work so that my iron could rebuild in my body. Even though, I have went to sleep, passed out at work, and had to have iron infusions on several occasions. I'm also being treated for depression and stress and they say that I am able to work because their doctors which I have never spoken with or consulted said that I could return to work when my mother passed.

Initially, I went out on short term from my work place after feeling much depression and attempting to harm myself. My condition didn't improve. It got worse and I went into LTD through Metlife. The whole time Metlife would call every month to ask which doctors I was seeing, what meds I was taking, etc. etc. I found this to be not only harassing but nerve-racking. I changed therapists three or four times eventually applying for SSDI, which I was awarded.

Metlife reduced the amount of LTD I was receiving to 14% of what they had originally been paying me and demanded I fork over the lump sum of back pay from SSDI that I had received (I had been eligible for it before I got the approval), and said they'd terminate my LTD if I didn't. Scared, frightened and not sure what to do, I did. They didn't even have to point a gun at me to rob me of my money. What followed was nightmarish and still is. I was fired from my employment while on LTD, lost my health benefits. Because Metlife demanded so much that I see this and that doctor or they'd terminate my LTD, I signed up for an outrageously expensive health insurance (the only one that would take me and turned out to not even cover half of what I need).

Not only did I lose my job, my monthly income was reduced to less than half of what I was making. And I've multiplied my health care and doctors costs nearly ten fold. Thanks to Metlife's threatening techniques (which worked on me because I have PTSD amongst other things). I lost my car, lost my house, lost my credit (I filed bankruptcy). And if I haven't lost all my sanity yet, it won't be long now. I do not sleep well anymore. I'm afraid to exit my apartment. I don't want to check my mailbox. I don't want to answer the phone. I'm worried, full of anxiety, depressed, and upset so much that my psychiatrist has tried every last medication to now avail whatsoever.

I finally had to just stop seeing him because I can no longer afford even the co-pays. I'm having to cancel having any health insurance at all and give up seeing any more doctors because I'm desperately trying to pay rent and put just a slice of bread on the table to eat. I'm not eating right, not sleeping right. I'm crying every night, every hour of the day. I'm crying daily now. I've had ulcers since I was a teenager (this is no lie), and all this stress that Metlife has placed upon me cannot possibly be good.

My last blood test showed that I'm now hypoglycemic (low blood sugar, on my way to being diabetic) because I haven't been able to sleep or eat properly. I cannot possibly afford treatment for diabetes at this point. This only further increases my level of depression. I'm just waiting for them to terminate my LTD and, from what I've already read and researched, waiting for them to send me a letter telling me that I owe them every last penny they ever paid me. What the hell? They are the ones who robbed me first of money that isn't even theirs to begin with! They used every last dirty trick in the book to scare and frighten me into raping all the money out of my wallet, which has worked to their advantage because of my PTSD and I'm prone to panic and anxiety attacks.

I feel this is very unfair to do this to a person who scares and frightens easily. I don't have money for an attorney, for as badly as I'd like to sue their butts and get back the money that is rightfully mine! I have no savings account left, and if they keep it up, they might as well have the few hundred bucks in my 401k as well. I might as well be better off dead.

In December 2008, I had a complete & total mental breakdown at my place of employment. My doctor put me out from work while I saw a psych. I was approved for short term disability thru MetLife via the employer. Th short term turned to LTD. I was fired from my place of employment while I was on LTD. I lost my health insurance and ended up getting some super expensive insurance thru the state (Cover Colorado) that doesn't cover nearly half of what I need done.

MetLife demanded I go through their lawyers Allsup and apply for social security disability, which had me sign all sorts of confusing paperwork & not date anything. I'm regretting having signed any of that garbage at this point, as I really have no idea what it was. Fast forward to just recently, MetLife calls my psych to tell them that they have no records of me being depressed or mentally disabled or having severe social anxiety which is a total lie! They have harassed my psych doctor weekly for notes & information and my psych has sent them page after page after page of notes.

I am not better, am nowhere near better. I need to have a therapy that uses animals to help socialize people with anxiety (which my current insurance will not cover, and is super expensive). I get a call this morning from MetLife suddenly telling me that they are terminating my benefits. There was absolutely no warning whatsoever. And the lady on the phone, Cynthia, is plain rude & will not tell me why or explain anything other than to tell me they're mailing me some letter to explain it all. She just hangs up on me the moment I sound angry. And why shouldn't I be angry?! I've already lost my house through all of this, and I'll be facing eviction from my apartment if I don't find a way to scrape together a bit of cash very soon. If they didn't think I was stressed & depressed yet, I am now, more so than before!

I am out on short term from my job as of Aug 30th 2010 due to having some issues with my multiple sclerosis. Metlife just denied my claim stating that they tried to get in touch with my physician. Both attempts apparently were made on Sept 3. They are stating that they received a voice mail and then a wrong number. I verified the number and it is indeed my doctors.

Based on this, they did not try again or even contact me to let me know that my claim was going to be denied. No phone calls were received according to my physician. So this is horrible business practices. I am not the only one that has had this happen. Their business practices are shady and can't be ethical?

If you are a business considering MetLife Disability as a part of your insurance policy, I would strongly recommend that you research this company diligently and consider other options. I have been with the same company for 3 years and my previous for 8 years and I have never taken any kind of leave. I work hard and take my job very seriously. I recently saw a doctor in regards to a medical issue and the doctor wrote me off of work for 4 weeks. I filed a short term disability claim with MetLife Disability and provided them with all of the medical information they had requested. Doctors notes, medical documentation and the doctors orders that I could not perform the necessary duties on a daily basis for the job in which I hold. After the 4 weeks in which I was off, I returned to work and on my first day back to work, I found out through MetLife that they had denied my claim.

What? How can they? I asked myself. My board certified physician wrote me off of work unable to perform the duties of my position and they are able to challenge the advice of my doctor? Doesn't seem right does it? I wrote an appeal letter, got even more documentation from my doctor and stated the appeals process. My claim has been in the appeals process for over 2 weeks already and I have been told that it can take up to 45 days. They are sending all of my paperwork and documentation to a doctor of their choice, well actually a doctor that is on the payroll for MetLife. That doctor will decide if they deem me unfit to work for those 4 weeks (solely based off paperwork).

My doctor would never have written me off for 4 weeks without seeing me in person, examining me, prescribing medications to treat my symptoms and continuing to see me at least once a week! So, how can a doctor who has never met me, did not have an appointment with me during the time of my illness, never saw any of my symptoms, and has never talked to me decide if I was unable to work for the time that I was off. Absolutely insane! I pay for this insurance to cover me in a time of a medical leave out of every paycheck. After doing some research on my own, I have found that MetLife Disability denies over 80% of the claims it receives.

The appeals divisions job is to make you jump through as many hoops as possible so that you will give up on the process and accept the denial. Their bonuses and annual raises are based off how many successful denials of claims they are able to make each year. I will not be renewing my short term disability on my insurance selections this year and in the future will not work for a company that solely offers MetLife as a choice for STD. Do not sign on board with MetLife Disability as they are a corporate scam.I will continue to post this complaint on every website that I can find, every day, to reach as many people and organizations wanting information on this company as possible until my claim is approved and I receive a paycheck which I am entitled to.

Dr took me out of work in 11/09. Short term disability ended 5/14/2010, Met Life is my long term disability carrier. Today 07/23/10, I was denied payments due to non-receipt of info from my Dr. They have received these documents.

My payments have been delayed every time MetLife sees fit to re-evaluate my claim. One such delay was for four weeks and started because they faxed forms for my doctor to fill out to the wrong fax number! This happened after they had already faxed forms three times previously to the correct fax number! Once I made them aware of their mistake, they faxed the forms to the correct number and promptly rejected the forms because my doctor missed one line on a form. The worst part of all is that, when there is a problem, they don't inform you! They wait until you call them! Each delay involves a 5-business day review.

This morning, I checked my bank account and saw that a deposit was not made into my account as it should have been! I am now waiting until 8:30am so that I can find out why there is another delay! I have paid into my disability for 11 years and never dreamt that I would ever need it and certainly didn't expect it would be such a frustrating experience. I am scheduled to return to work August 1 and can't wait! I have had to borrow money from my 401K to help pay bills. For the first time in 20 years, I have been late paying some of my bills and have put off paying some of my debt until I return to work. I have also charged a tremendous amount of money to my credit cards. My credit score has dropped significantly as a result.

MetLife lawyers told judges that I diagnosed myself over the computer with a disabling illness knowing that I had been diagnosed by over 50 professors and physicians at Baylor College of Medicine. MetLife will do anything to deny a claim. A policy is just a piece of paper if the company won't pay you the benefits.

I am a dentist and recently, on April 12, 2010, I was put on FMLA and short term disability because I have a condition called Wegener's Granulomatosis and it has caused severe drooping of my upper eyelids restricting my visual field and keeps me from raising my eyelids because of poorly functioning levator muscles. I have been seen by John's Hopkins occuloimmunology department and two occulofacial plastic surgeons. The treatment is to have a year of chemotherapy and then a re-evaluation for plastic surgery.

Until then, it would be malpractice for me to do procedures on patients, and a criminal offense for any clinic to employ me in that capacity. Metlife accepted that I had a disability and couldn't work as a dentist. They paid my short term disability for about five weeks and then suspended payments while they began to search for any reason to deny my claim but have not found a legitimate reason so far. I have not received checks for over a month now.

It's amazing to me that MetLife advertises on this page. The arrogance! Let's summarize what all the bloggers say about ML:

They try to take the children's benefits unjustly (I experienced this), refuse to respond to requests (I experienced a one year delay in getting my claim approved), refuse to provide documents, resort to trickery (I experienced this), have frequent payment stoppages and payment delays (I experienced this), often use the excuse that they lack physician paperwork (I experienced this), they use overseas workers that are difficult to understand, and they deny receipt of information that has been sent to them (I faxed and sent certified copies of everything).

As an employer, they have an employee that alleges to have been terminally injured in the workplace and treated poorly since. Just wondering why anyone would buy anything from MetLife after seeing this. It is not just a few people complaining. It is many and the stories are all exactly the same. So is the outrage.

Although Metlife has approved my long term disability claim, they refuse to pay me.

3. They continue to send me bills to pay them.

Now, they refuse to make any payments claiming the following:

2. They claim that Metlife does not have to follow bankruptcy rules and that I still owe them all the money.

In early 2009, I had began experiencing severe swelling of my joints and extremities, coupled with severe pain. I initially thought this might be related to my spinal condition; however, I quickly learned that there was no connection at all. The episodes became more frequent and disabling and by June 22, 2009, my physician had taken me off work and placed me on short term disability. After numerous doctors, diagnostics and drugs, I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease for which treatment is for lack of a better word, a guessing game. I had been placed on numerous medications that had ill effects on my cognitive abilities. During the diagnostic phase, I had been placed on Neurontin, Lyrica, Oxycontin, Morphine, and Fentanyl patch, Valium, Percocet, Colchicine, Prednisone and Ibuprofen (and probably some I have forgotten due to the drugs).

I have been paying for MetLife for several years with my current employer and over my 30-year career, this was the first time I have ever used my short term disability (STD) other than State (SDI). I began purchasing STD since my husband retired in the early 90's and I wanted to be proactive to prevent a financial ruin should something happen. The MetLife policy was to balance out the difference between State SDI so that I would be close to whole in my monthly income. Boy, was I wrong! I filed for SDI and STD after learning I would be off work indefinitely. The cost to have each medical specialist (several providers) averaged $25 per medical record along with an additional $25 for forms completion for each, SDI and MetLife. Since I work in healthcare financial management, I thought I knew what I was in for, paperwork, paperwork, checkbook and patience. Wrong again!

MetLife Disability initially approved my disability for the month of July and two weeks in August, sending me a check in the first week of September. I appealed the month of June and the remainder of August and a continuance as I was still on medication trials in attempts to put the disease in remission. MetLife denied coverage for my Short Term Disability stating their findings in a letter dated September 18, 2009 that stated the decision for denial was made by MetLife after they performed an "extensive review and evaluation of the entire medical and employment information submitted." It further implies that my medical condition no longer supports functional impairments that prevent my ability to perform the daily job functions as a "global marketing director."

I work for a healthcare consulting firm. I am not a global marketing director and we have no global marketing directors in the 200 plus employees on staff. My job requires extensive travel, computer work, sitting, standing and driving for long periods. I do not work in an office. I work at client sites, anywhere, anytime. The six months prior to my disability I had traveled over 4,700 miles of travel with over 150 hours behind the wheel; over 10 flights to throughout California, 62 days away from home in hotels, all the while taking 74 sick days and working two weeks from home in each month of February, May and June.

MetLife stated, "my medical condition no longer supports functional impairments that prevent my ability to perform the daily job functions", I asked them did they want to be on the road with me as I head down the highway with Fentanyl, Morphine and a little Valium in my system? Did the MRI of my brain for cognitive impairment not tip them off? Would they like me to analyze their multimillion dollar account receivables?

Now what? MetLife has not only denied my claim but they want their check back for $1,500. This started the flurry of telephone calls, faxes and a formal appeal letter. According to my policy and the letter of denial, I had 180 days to appeal their decision. However, in the meantime, they not only demanded the $1,500 sent back to them immediately, they promptly sent it out to their collection goons. Unfortunately, I live in California and the State budget cuts and employees at SDI have been a little behind and I had not received my SDI checks in some time. It was now November with the holidays coming up so against doctor's orders I went back to work limited hours as I had to have some sort of income. I continued to receive collection letters and in February, I received a telephone call form a seriously deranged, rude woman at MetLife's collection agency. I could only hang up as she would not let me speak.

In March, I received a telephone call from my caseworker at MetLife regarding my LTD (long-term disability). What? LTD? What happened to my Short Term Disability? My caseworker proceeded to tell me that they had reversed their decision and had approved my STD. I received no letters, no other telephone call. Nothing at all regarding my appeal or this STD matter. Now MetLife is working on my LTD benefits and have contacted me for again, more information, pre-existing condition. Maybe I had this disease for a long time and had hidden it? What? Are you kidding? I could not hide the swelling in my hands and feet if I tried.

If they have finally approving my STD, please MetLife, tell me in writing and please call off the goons (who have again called me and now made threats to "see me face-to-face"). I have had the denied claim appealed and approved. I have not received any additional payments and yet they are still trying to collect the initial $1,500. I give up. I cannot deal with this anymore. I am in pain, I am mentally exhausted and I have decided to stop the majority of the medications they have prescribed over the past year. I will continue with the bare minimum to keep my autoimmune disease in remission. God help anyone who has MetLife and thinks this fraudulent, uncaring, unprofessional company will help them.

Keeping track of all telephone calls, faxes and correspondence is critical to keeping your sanity (that and Valium helps). A colleague, who is a cancer survivor, said that her cancer treatment (chemotherapy and radiation therapy) was easier to deal with than dealing with MetLife. I have no doubt she was telling the truth!

Actually, I am not here to knock MetLife. I am sorry for those who have less than satisfactory encounters with them. I was injured on May 9th 2009. They barely asked any questions. They are taking the advise of my doctor. He is a top rated burn surgeon. But he is not their doctor. Yes, I was in an explosion. 40% of my body burned. Permanent nerve damage. I am trying to get on SSDI, but was rejected. My LTD through MetLife, so long as my Doctor continues to approve it, has been cleared until August of 2044. So, in my experience, they took good care of me. Hope they do good by others.

I understand what everyone who has dealt with this company. They deny you your benefits, they harass you and they don't care! Do not buy this insurance. If your disability doesn't kill you, they will or at least you will lose your whole life savings, home energy and self worth.

5. They are not there to help you. They are there to prove to deny you your benefits.

I was approved short term disability every month they asked to verify they eventually denied my benefits, took me a year to overturn. If it wasn't for my family I would have been homeless. One week later, they denied my LTD (it took so long to overturn the short term, that it ran into long term) another year to overturn that. So now 2 years, no insurance, my employer fired me (that is against ERISA), Cobra was $1,500 a month (I couldn't afford) and then they wanted doctor's updates and they knew I had no insurance. They try everything, believe me, I almost went nuts. Scary, but I actually started relating to those people that go off their rocker and romper stomp these places.

I finally have all my benefits plus my SSDI and my son has his check. They tried to take his. I crossed that out on the form I signed and said no way. Read everything before you sign it even if your lawyer sends it to you to sign, lawyers make mistakes too. MetLife on cue looks for updates every 6 months. It costs me lawyer fees and I find it harassing. I'm sick, there is no cure and my doctors have already told them that it's permanent, if I do get better I will be the first to be out the door working! I can't stand this bed or the wheel chair and our government; I had full benefits until I am 65 with the company I worked for. Well 2 years on SSDI, I am required to have Medicare A&B. I have to pay $100 a month for part B and my insurance through my company drops to a supplement, now tell me that our government isn't bought?

They make money on us also and then they complain about Medicare benefit expenses and social security, well duh, you're letting the insurance companies get away with not paying up and the companies, kind of a bail out for them!? My Disability from MetLife is reduced by the benefits I get from Social Security. So if the government fixed this problem then maybe the social security would survive. I can't imagine the people who are on these government plans that had private insurance available to them but are forced by the law to get part B. Look into it, there's a good fight in there somewhere.

I have had nothing but problems in dealing with MetLife disability. I went on short-term LTD in Feb 2008 for a herniated disc in my neck. In March of 2009, I had a two level cervical fusion done between c-3 and c-5. Because the herniated disc had compressed the nerve channel, I have spinal stenosis in my neck. I also have neuropathy and pain throughout my upper body. I can not sit nor stand comfortably for more than a few minutes. I have almost zero upper body strength. I had to appeal my STD several times throughout this process because Met kept insisting I didn't have a problem! Which means half the time, I wasn't getting paid so I was going without pain meds, etc.

My LTD was approved through Aug 2010 and I have continued to be under the care of two Neurologists, have had several MRIs, EMGs, etc. Today, I received a letter from MetLife disability saying that my disability was being cut off as of Apr. 23 because they say I haven't seen a doctor since July 2009 and that I have bursitis. No mention of stenosis, the cervical fusion or neuropathy/pain. They also stated that I was told I could return to work as of July 2009. I called MetLife to tell them that their information was incorrect. I was told that they will have someone contact me tomorrow, but that I am going to have to file an appeal. I was told this can take up to 90 days!

I've been through a living hell with MetLife LTD for over seven years now! I went on short term disability early in 2004 that led up to my LTD. I worked for the same company for 27 years. I was forced to file for SSI & Workman's Compensation by MetLife or I would not receive any payments. Trust me, MetLife does not care about you. Once you become disabled, they will do their best to put more stress on your life, just to save money.

To make a long story/nightmare short, after two years, I won a lump sum workman's compensation award. When I faxed over the paper work to MetLife, they called me back eleven weeks later, telling me that I now owed them $40,000 overpayment. I told them that I didn't have it, because they told me that any offset from any Workman's Compensation award would be deducted/offset in my monthly payments. They then told me that my payments would stop and be deducted from the offset of $40,000.00! I explained to this so-called MetLife overpayment that I could send them $10,000 and he told me that it wasn't necessary do to my financial hardship and that my payments would be applied towards this overpayment.

So, when I finally won my SSDI in Nov. of 2009, I sent them a copy of the award letter and requested a letter asking for the balance on my overpayment. They sent me a letter stating I owed them $14,000.00! Then a month later, they sent me another letter stating I still owe them every penny that they paid me $38,000.00! They never subtracted any of the money they claimed to be withholding and subtracting from my Workmans' Comp. overpayment! When I called them about this, three different hard to understand people told me that they understand my point, but I still have to pay the $38,000, that I never got from SSI, because they offset my back pay using my Workman's Comp. award! I get this sick feeling in my stomach, every time I see that little dog Snoopy. I've worked 27 years in one Company. I'm a Vet and I'm suffering from spinal nerve damage and now thanks to MetLife, I'm now going through a living hell of stress and anxiety compounded.

What didn't happen is more the point. I became disabled back in 1999, and on several different occasions, they made me go for three months or more with no payments from them, because they kept saying they didn't receive current doctor's notes from my provider. This was a blatant lie, because they would not only fax them, but also send a hard copy through the mail. I had to dispute the amount they were giving me, because they said my differential pay was considered a bonus, therefore not considered part of my wages. I won that one though. Then when I finally got my social security in 2005, they told me I owed them all this money, and were trying to take my kids' benefits.

So, for the last five years I received absolutely nothing from them, because they said it was being applied to my overage. I disputed this also, and asked for a hearing that I never got. I've called about a hundred times over the years, and have asked for a print out of my accounting records, which they have refused to send me. Even though I get SSD, they still, every couple of years, make me go to their doctors to be assessed for my ability to work. I am not quite sure how they can do that, to be honest.

At one point, they made me go through tests, making me do multiple things that hurt me, even though my doctor said there was absolutely no way that I could go through this type of testing.

When they said they were going to stop my benefits if I didn't go, my doctor told them that my blood pressure had to be taken every ten minutes. I can remember trying to get in my car on the second day of testing, and crying all the way there, because I hurt so bad from all the stuff they had made me do the day before. As far as I'm concerned, this was totally sadistic behavior of any organization, to make us have to go through. I'm sure there are multiple other complaints of things they did that weren't right, but these are the ones I can think of at the top of my head.

I just tried to call there, and the number I have is out of service, yet I've received nothing from them telling me of their new information. I received a check last month, direct deposited to my account, but not even sure if I will keep receiving this, or if it's a mistake on their part. I hesitate to wonder that if my checking information had changed from what they have on file, that they would have just withheld it based on all the other tricks they've done in the past.

MetLife stopped my monthly payments because of an overpayment due to a Workman's Compensation Settlement lump sum. They told me that my future payments would stop and be applied towards this so-called overpayment! Almost two years later, when my SSDI was approved, MetLife sends me a letter telling me that I still owe them every penny they paid me!

When I called them and asked about the 16 payments they withheld from me and where they went. They just played dumb and told me that since I am now approved for SSDI, I was never entitled to any LTD in the first place! They lied! And if you ever have to call their overpayment center, their automated message system will ask you if you have a 4- or 5-digit extension. If it's a 5-digit one, you will be forwarded to one of their overseas offices. And good luck trying to understand them.

My employer Bank of America was using metlife for employee health benefits when I went out on disability. They approved my claim but threatened me constantly saying they would terminate my benefit because they never received my doctors paper work which was a lie. They also purposely were negligent on calculating the percentage to offset state disability (California). When asked numerous times about this and to avoid any future problems, they assured me no problem. They forced me to apply for social security state disability or else they would terminate my benefit and wanted me to use their attorney who then tried to force me to sign papers for a repayment plan. This is when I asked to see the governing documents which they never furnished to me nor did Bank of America. I've tried for 2 years to get these documents. Now Bank of America uses aetna and they have no records of any contract or governing documents with metlife.

I was awarded social security and finally got what I think is the governing documents and nowhere does it say anything about a repayment. However now metlife has me because they have cut my monthly benefit by over half and they won't tell me how they came up with the figures and I owe them which don't jive at all with social security or my 1099/w-2 from metlife as acting agent for Bank of America. Then my monthly benefit changes drastically from month to month and it adds up to be thousands of dollars more than original amount.

I've documented every phone call and correspondence with them for over 3 years and had same case worker who says that they sent info to state, bofa, etc. but was never received and it's my fault. They are stealing from me and I now have no say if they furnished me the correct documents etc. Then I could try to make some sense of this but I have followed every proper channel with HR dept. of bofa including payroll dept etc. and I know I am right and they are negligent. Now they have approved my claim til 3/2030. Bank of America hasn't stated I am in any overpayment status. I also paid into out of my check each payday to have 60% of pay including bonuses and metlife refused to pay that on the grounds that bofa never sent that info and bofa says they did.

They also didn't pay me my benefit when I participated in the return to work plan. How do I nail [them] for all the income they have cost me. Lastly, the state and social security never had any issue with overpayment problems. They were very easy and pleasant to deal with. Please advise. Mentally disabled now, cost me a 50000.00 job a year to now 20000.00 a year. Cut my monthly benefit from 1666.67 which is not the correct amount. It should be 1999.00 to 500.00 a month and over 3 years I've battled with them to explain how they arrive at their numbers and how there guidelines work because they won't send me the information so I would know. Which that now cost me 110.00 a day because they didn't respond by 30 days. I now have almost lost my home. My back pay was 22000.00 and metlife wants 27000.00 back in overpayment, etc.

I wrote my extensive experience as a Met Life sales person, exposed to chemicals in an office building they moved us to which was partially under construction. I became deathly ill. I am now terminally ill as a result of that exposure. I was fired, denied benefits, was not paid compensation for 2-1/2 yrs. Widowed, I was forced to live off my husband's pension funds meant for my retirement. I lost everything. I have no life insurance. I lost monies set aside for my children and grandchildren in Met plans as they had no cash value. I only worked for 2-1/2 yrs which counts double for salespeople. Physically, I am on oxygen 24/7 for the past 5 yrs. I am often hospitalized. I was on a ventilator and in a coma almost all of Dec. last year. I never was sick a day in my life. I served 20 yrs. (no pay) on a local school board. My health was a matter of public record. I am in pain and agony every day.

Here is my best advice for supporting your medical information. Buy a fax machine and fax a summary of every phone conversation you have to the case manager right after you have it. For example, "As we discussed today at 3:24 pm, I will be sending you the report." Next, send a copy of the fax by regular mail or certified mail, receipt requested, if it is a highly critical document. You will use the fax machine for sending documents like doctor reports and test results. Always send a paper copy by regular mail too.

Metlife will attempt to get a "negative" response from your physician without your knowledge. They do this by sending a FAX to your doctors, typically on a Friday afternoon, with the language something like this...."Our physician believes that she is NOT disabled. We assume that you AGREE with his findings unless you notify us within 7 days." This is a very short time period for a doctor to respond, especially when sent over a weekend. WARN YOUR DOCTORS AND THEIR STAFF AHEAD OF TIME. Tell them that this may be sent to them and let them know that you will be willing to help IN ANY WAY to meet the deadline if this occurs. Mostly, you need to be told so that you can request additional time for your physicians if they require it.

Read your policy closely if MetLife claims the right to your children's social security funds and you are divorced. Under the terms of some policies, MetLife is not entitled to this money if you are divorced.

Under the terms of your policy, you may be entitled to a complete copy of your MetLife file. This is valuable information if your case should go to court because each document will be stamped with a ML document number giving you proof that they received it and when. The independent physician consultants are required to review the entire file and should be held responsible for what's in there. I said should because I feel the courts have given way too much validity to these IPC's henchmen. For some unknown reason, judges are still pretending they have some independence when it is pretty clear to most that they don't.

Lastly, if you decide to fight ML in court, look for a really good lawyer. Then, take AT LEAST another week and look for one that has good trial experience and demand to know his success rate. if he beats around the bush about it, hang up. He's not the one for you. Ask him if he has ever been to the Appeals Court or filed papers for someone to file as a pauper. If not, move on. It may seem harsh, but I thought there were very few lawyers that did this kind of work. I was wrong.

Filed a claim for Long Term Disability, as I had paid for the plan for years through my employer, and now need assistance. Have been told that they need more office notes, that the information my doctor has sent them in not sufficient for their nurse to determine eligibility, they just keep dragging their feet and delaying.

I became disabled on June 14, 2009 with a knee injury. I had arthroscopic surgery on July 13, 2009 with the postoperative diagnosis of Displaced Bucket-Handle Tear of Lateral Meniscus, Un-Repairable, with Synovitis of the knee. Two days after surgery I started experiencing excrutiating pain in my lower leg. I had a duplex sonogram of the leg, and found out I have a DVT - blood clot, as a result from surgery. I was hospitalized yet again. The hospital set up home health care nurses and physical therapy. I was on Lovenox injections twice daily and Coumadin.

I am now seeing my orthopeadic surgeon montly, and the hematologist twice weekly to check blood levels and to montitor my coumadin level. I last saw the surgeon on August 18, 2009. Met Life stopped payments on August 30, 2009. Since this last appointment the surgeon's office has faxed Met Life 7 times! Office notes, operative report, radiology report, physicians statement. The Hematologist has faxed Met Life twice information regarding the DVT.

Every week Met Life is demanding more and more information, and we are abiding and following their directions, including my doctors. Every week, when I speak to someone they inform me they did receive the faxes and a determination will be made in 5 business days. On the 5th day, one of the case managers that I listed will call and demand MORE office notes.

As of today, Met Life owes me 4 weeks payment. I see my surgeon on September 24, 2009, and I'm hoping he says I can go back to work. But what about the money I am entitled to from Met Life? Why are the putting me through this? They have received all the information they have requested. The doctors offices have confirmation of all the faxes. I have confirmations of all the faxes I sent to Met Life.

I was approved for LTD from January 06 through July 2012. Now I am no longer apporved because they requested information from a doctor other than my own. They saif they tried six times to get info from this doctor and when I told them that was not my doctor, they flipped through their notes and realized I was right but stated they still agreed with the closure because they had not received the requested doctors information. Huh? If you do not request info from the right doctor you won';t get any info. The rep then refused to send a request to the right doctor, the one they did have on file, becasue they had made 6 requests from another doctor. But If I had MY docotr send in my info before July 20th, they wouold reopen the claim. I did that and Metlife didn't. What a waste! I have RSD. There is no cure or treatment. I can only be made conmfortable on medications until I die. All at the ripe old age of 39.

I have all documentation to support a short term disability and Metlife is refusing to pay this out on unexplained grounds. I have put in about 1000 calls that have never been returned and have been told that my doctor's office never called in info that had been documented by my office that they called on 3 separate occasions.

MetLife denied my long term disability claim in March 2009 and I have yet to find this out. I've been calling each and every week on my claim. I was told to send more doctors' notes. Now, today 7/14/09, I'm told I need to appeal the denial! What denial?! Nobody calls back, nobody will help, what am I suppose to do?! I was told by a customer service rep that I have 90 days to appeal! How do I do this? I have been sick for 2 years with Meneires disease. Not only is there no cure for this disease, not only has it robbed me of a normal life, but I have to deal with this from MetLife! I even have to have someone else do this complaint for me.

On September 24, 2007, I sustained an injury while on the job. MetLife's disability insurance was purchased through the union and premiums were paid through March 2009, when my sick pay was exhausted. I applied for benefits on October 2007 and to this day, I keep getting obstacles to overcome before I would even be considered for benefits. On June 20, 2009, I received a packet that I had to verbally request from Ms. Catherine explaining the process that is preventing me from any benefits. The packet stated that information needed to be returned to them by June 19. Mind you, I got the packet on the 20th. It seems that they will do anything to avoid paying benefits without a denial.

Since my injury, my overall quality of life has diminished. I am falling way behind on bills and the emotional stress has taken its toll on me. I am constantly depressed and don't sleep at all. This ordeal has been going on for almost 21 months to date and I don't see any signs of relief.

In September 2007, I was brutally attacked by my ex-husband at work, for which I had to go on short-term disability. Then I ended up being out longer than expected. So I was told by my employer that they had started a LTD with MetLife for me, because I had been diagnosed with anxiety and post-traumatic stress from the attack and having to testify against my ex-husband.

I was asked by MetLife to fill out this book of paperwork and have my doctor do so as well. They kept saying they didn't receive it and that they need more info every time I sent it. The last and final time was 05/27/2009. I watched my doctor fill out the paperwork and fax it over to them and get a confirmation number stating that the fax was sent.

They called me and advised that the claim had been denied for not enough info supporting my claim. I was also advised that I was released to go back to work on 01/29/2008, which was the date my LTD payments should have started from them. However, I was still going to court and seeing my victims of violent crimes counselor and receiving STD payments. They had the documents saying that I was released to go back on the April 13, 2009 per their rep.

Due to them not paying me, I lost my car, house, and medical benefits. Aso, I had to beg to return to work, so that my benefits could kick back in and so that I could continue treatments.

IV paid out of pocked for one of MetLifes LTD policies for 27 years! Mever having to use in until just recently. They started paying my claim right away. But only 50% of my income. Now keep in mind, that IV worked for the same company for 27 years. I was forced to file for SSD and was also told by MetLife that If I had any savings or even sold my vehical, this would result in an overpayment and I would have to send them 100% of any financail gain I should get.

I won my workmans comp. and was paid three years of my former salary. But I was also terminated by my company, becasue they claimed I was no longer employable. So MetLife decided to stop my LTD until I paid them everything I won in my wrokmans Comp. settlement. Wich was only two years salary lump sum.

In October of 2008, I started having horrible pain in my abdomen. My doctor starting doing tests to try to figure out what was going on and decided that I should stay out of work until we could figure out what was going on. I called my boss at Citi to inform him of this and he proceeded to tell me about Metlife and that I should call them and get started on the claim. I did that and they told me what they needed. My doctors office as well as myself, faxed over all the medical information that they needed. They said it wasn't enough information for anything and asked that we had the Doctor call.

I was in the doctors office atleast twice a week from October till November when my primary doctor said after my cat scan that I should go to a specialist. I went to see the specialist and he said that I needed to go into Surgery, which I did on December 10th 2008 for Laproskopy. When I found out that date, I contacted MetLife and told them of such. On that day they called and left several messages even though they had on file the day and time I was going into surgery. I had a family member dealing with them at this because I could not understand why they weren't approving me.

In December I was finally approved for part of October's absence. Which Citi managers are saying they already paid me for my disability in October, which they haven't. Yet the regular customer service people also say that I have not been paid anything. Since December the only thing that they've been saying is we need more information we sent over all my medical records when they recieved that we contacted them two days later and they said that that wasn't enough they needed a letter from the doctor stating the scale of the pain on a 1 to 10 base, why I've been out for so long, when my follow ups are and what my restrictions are.

Then when recieving said letter, we were told that it was just a letter that there is no medical information to support that. They also said that their nurse says that I could be going to work this entire time. My doctor still hasn't released me to go to work yet, and as it stands I'm on an experimental treatment. I am on and have been on various pain meds since October. I recently recieved a letter from my job saying that I will have resigned my job as of April 30th because MetLife told them that I hadn't appealed yet, when I wasn't even informed that I had been declined, since the last information that we sent them. Also they said since I have an original appeal letter in the file that that would be my appeal letter once it actually got to the appeal process.

I called recently to figure out what was going on when I recieved that letter a week and a half ago, and they said well you're still in appeals let me pass you over to the manager that should be handling your case. They do so and that manager is on vacation until June or July 27th. Every other time I call they say that their systems are down and noone will talk to me. They have been giving me a run around for the past few months, and wont approve me because apparently endometriosis isn't a reason to stay home.

The doctors have even said I have a rare case where one its burrowing into my organs and well as the fact that it is growing rapidly for some reason. Both of the doctors I have been seeing have said I can not go to work. But because MetLife says I should be able to they won't pay me for my disability. Its either not get paid by MetLife and stay home and have my normal insurance pay all my medical bills for surgery and the medicines and the pain killers and follow up sessions I have to go to, or I break the law drive in horrible pain to work taking my pain pills at work and have my insurance not pay my medical bills because the Doctors said I shouldn't be going to work. I'm still not released to do so. I'm still on pain meds and muscle relaxers all the time.

I had to have surgery to remove a thyroid nodule on February 24,2009. I filed a short term disability claim with MetLife through my employer, Citigroup. I went out and had the surgery and went for a follow-up with my surgeon on March 12, when he told me there was cancer found and I had to have the other half removed, which I did on April 10th. I was told by a case manager at Met Life I wouldn't have been covered for another short term claim for six months. My surgeon told me there was no way I could wait that long so he wanted me to stay out until my next surgery and then once my recuperation was done from that then I could be cleared to go backto work, depending on the findings and the subsequent appointment to an oncologist if needed.

I was supposed to have gone back to work March 16th but my surgeon wanted me to stay out. I did not receive a pay on the 31st of March and when I inquired about it apparently they sent a letter to my manager that the extension was denied but I never received a letter. So, they eventually did approve an extension up until March 31st but after that they needed more info from my doctor. I was only going by what my surgeon said to me which was why I didn't go back to work, and I only had 10 days to go until my surgery.

I was then told this extension was denied because THEIR doctors didn't see a reason for me to be out. THEIR doctors will say anything in order not to pay. It's not April 15th and I didn't get paid today. They even went so far as to tell me to work a half a day the day before my surgery so I'd be paid for the time after that! MY DOCTOR DIDN'T CLEAR ME TO GO BACK SO WHY WOULD I DO THAT??????? More calls, even by my mother to them, and I still have to wait until tomorrow to hear more. This has been a nightmare.

Because of me not receiving a pay from the 31st of March until April 9th, a bunch of payments bounced and our bank account went $300.00 overdrawn. It looks like this will happen again only worse. I know he will not clear me to go back to work now since it's been less than a week since my surgery. My nerves have never been so bad and it's taking a HUGE toll on my marriage. I can't deal with these people anymore. This is why I hate insurance companies and I had to step up, especially after reading these other people's complaints.

Went out for minor surgery(carpel tunnel) February 2009 and claim was filed by my employer. Took release of records to Metlife to Dr's office 2/25/09, the day after I received the letter. I received a letter dated 2/20/2009, postage machine stamped 2/23/2009 on 2/26/2009, stating that If we do not receive a call from your physician by 2/27/2009, we will make our decision based on the information alreaady contained in your file. Called Physician's office, was informed that they do not release records over the phone. Called Metlife and informed them of this policy, and was told tht they needed more information. I then told Metlife they needed to send a form to fill out via fax to the Dr.

After many calls to Metlife, was informed today, 4/6/2009 that they were denying my claim. Have had to go into my savings account to pay bills, while making several heated phone calls to Metlife. Mother is in a rest home and I go to see her every day, having problems with them over her bill, and dealing with death of son in law 3/20/2009. In addition, have had several furloughs from work due to the economic situation, further depeleting my funds.

In 1997 I was injured at work resulting in a long term disability. Metlife is my carrier. First off Metlife immediately had attorneys who handled this with Social Security to avoid having to pay. I am now totally disabled and on Social Security. Every year Metlife sends me a form that my physician needs to fill out. This is not covered by insurance and is an out of pocket expence. For the past 7 years on line 8 of their form my physcian states I can NEVER work again. Yet every year they require this. This year I sent them a cerified letter asking what part of NEVER is it they don't understand. Now Metlife calls again with they're recorded conversation and says we need your physcian to fill out this form. To me this is nothing but harassment by Metlife to try and end my claim.

I paid LTD for many years. When I left the company US Filter a Siemens Company I was not reminded, offered or recommended to file for LTD. I was in such pain, fatigue and stress I forgot I had LTD insurance. I was out of work for approximately eighteen months.

Since 2005 my health depleted, I have been evaluated by several physicians. Thyroid problems, stress and anxiety, fibomyagia and digestive disorders. Because of all these health problems I am to this day having serious economical situations.

I was a systems engineer for Cisco Systems for 7 years. Star employee and given many awards for my achievemets. I began experiencing debilitating head pain which caused dizziness, inability to focus, vision problems, etc. I exhausted my short term disbility while visiting numerous doctors including neurologists, chronic pain management doctors, accupunturest, etc. I attempted to return to work with the help of opiod mediations, which seemed to be the only options for chronic neuropothic pain. I failed terribly as I was unable to work more than 20 minutes at a time due to the horrible pain. I last worked in May 2007.

Of course Metlife denied my first request for LTD. I appealed, with the help and expense of an attorney, and they took their 45 days and then another 45 days only to turn me down after requiring me to see 2 quacks who had absolutely no credentials in diagnosing chronic pain. I've had 3 attorneys tell me this is a joke. I have 2 doctors (experts) state that I am totally disabled, yet they feel a conversation with an alleged doctor for 3 minutes is much more qualified to determine my disability.

It's terrible that they continue to get away with this. You're left with no money, no trust, no energy, and your only alternative at this point is to try to find an attorney who will fight for you and only collect if they can win. Metlife needs to be put out of business.

Several years in a row the bill for our annual premium comes with only a few days before it is due. Last year, MetLife's bill was postmarked on their envelope three days after the bill was due. Every year we nearly miss paying it on time. Every agent and customer help rep says, You have up to thirty days after it is due to pay, but I doubt they'd be so accomodating if I was disabled after the due date. GenAmerica under MetLife is marginally better, but teir bills also arrive with nearly no time to mail the check back before the due date. Neither offer on-line payments.

One year they changed the mailiing address for the bill so after we sent it in in advance, we found it was to go elsewhere, causing us to have to cancel the checks and reissue them. No other company (electric, phone, TV. credit card)sends bills out with no time to get the payment on time. I am suspicious this is a poly to make people, particuilarly older people, miss their payments and be out of coverage. Additionally, they do not and refuse to send confirmation that the bill is paid. The reps say, Your cancelled check is your receipt. No other business operates this way. Because we have heard from several reps in different states and the ohone reps You have up to thirty days after it is due and you are still covered. and You're cancelled check is your receipt. we suspect this is part of their formal training. We have asked repeatedly for an earlier invoice and have been refused.

I am 58 years old, worked hard all my life and never used disability insurance before. I fell and broke my arm near the shoulder and it will probably never be 100% well again, but I finally can move it enough to go back to work January 6th.. I am single, have no other income and now I may lose my home due to MetLife's slow or no payments. I paid to get their paperwork filled out each doctor visit, they terminated my claim just before each doctor visit, and made my life a living you know what! Just to survive till I could get back to work would have been very difficult, but they have made it almost impossible.

Even after they got their paperwork I paid the doctor's office to fill out and fax to them, they would then say it was not enough info and I would be on the phone to them and my doctor's office. I have spent hours on the phone trying to get through to someone, crying and completely devastated by the whole ordeal. The mental abuse they have caused me, I will never forget. When I reach their claim info line now, it says " you have been approved for long term disability to begin Jan. 10th". I don't even want long term disability, I just want the rest of my short term disability! I may not have a phone or use of the internet before I get it though. The damage to my arm was pain and suffering enough, but the way I have been treated by MetLife is despicable and may the LORD help anyone who has to depend on them to survive an accident!

I was in a car accident in 1989. I had a hangman's break with partial severance of my spinal cord. I lay in traction and once my neck moved, the doctor performed surgery to insert wires to connect my C1 vertebrae to my C3 vertebrae. Amazingly enough, I had a full recovery. Minimal restraint on my range of motion in neck but otherwise normal. As I aged, I have developed severe arthritis in my spine, nerve sheath deterioation, syrinx (pockets of spinal fluid) on my spinal cord, nerve deterioation, muscle degeneration, excessive pain and general deterioation. My body is going through the deterioation that a paraplegic experiences only I also have the pain that accompanies that deterioation. I like the people above have fought for my disibality insurance for 6 years. I won a circuit court decision and MetLife was ordered to pay.

1 1/2 years later, they had my record reviewed by the Neurology Board and following their review concluded I really was disabled. They began payments. Before this, I lost a $70K /yr job and almost everything I worked for including my home. I hired an attorney, our only choice in fighting big business and now I am having to sue him for holding my money ransom while he tries to take what I have gained. The whole ERISA law has become a joke due to insurance companies and attorney greed. The law was meant to protect us from corporate greed, but it only opened the door to permit lawyers in on the action. I feel the pain of each one of you and wish you well. Yea, we can sit here and complain but someone needs to head to Washington D.C. and stop our bleeding down here. I don't know how much longer I have, but I have certainly not gone down quietly. I have called senators, congressmen, the attorney general and now am sitting at the Bar Association waiting again to learn my fate. We need someone to look at what is happening and act on our behalf. Unfortunately, everyone who tries gets paid off by big business. Until the government steps up and ratifies this ERISA law, we will continue to complain on deaf ears.

In good faith, I purchased a Long Term Disability Policy from MetLife, through Home Depot. In December 2004 (I think), I was taken out of the work force due to several auto immune diseases, including Systemic Lupus. MetLife denied the claim, I used my ONE allowed appeal, and again, they denied. I sent a claim to the State of California Insurance Board, and they said they could not do anything about it because the policy was purchased through Home Depot's HQ, In Atlanta GA, and I am in California. It has made my life almost unbearable financially.

I exist on $1048 per month, Social Security Disability. Impossible, when my property taxes are $4500 alone. The stress of this, makes my diseases even worse.

IV worked for the same company for 27 years. I paid for out of pocked $40-50.00 for a LTD Policy with MetLife from the first month I started working for this company, 27 years of $40.00 to $50.00 per month! I was hurt on the job and had to turn to MetLife. I severd the nerves in my c-spine. Met life approved my disability claim until I reach 65 years old. I also have to apply for SSD, wich I have done and was turned down two times becasue of my age 49 years old. I filed for Workmans Compensation and it took almost three years to go to court.

MEtlife told several times that if Irecieve any Workmans compensation, it would be deducted from current monthly payments they were sending me. So, I get my settlement from workmans compensation. A lump sum. I faxed the info to MetLife
three times. Finally after almost four months of waitng for them, this guy calls me and I cant understand a work her is saying, becasue of his accent! He told me something about an overpayment and that I owed met life $39,000.00! and that I would no longer get anything from them until this was paid back!

During the four months I was waiting fr MetLife to tell me how much they were going to reduce my check every month, I paid off all my medical and credit card bills I had. Nothing much left after that. MetLife also told me that once I get my SSD, they will start sending me checks again, but they will only make up the difference from my SSD of $360.00

Im going to lose everything becasue MetLife lied to me. They said they wanted my SSD back pay and now they want all my Workmans Compensation award after I was told many many times by them that Workmans Compensation awards are paid back by reducing my monthly disability check. Now I have no monthly income after paying these people all this money every month for 27 years of my life.

I have a job where I am sitting in a completely tiny, cramped cubicle with broken chairs, broken office furniture, and after a while I developed an inflamed sciatica. I was not able to sit for long periods of time and it hurt to lay back or lay down at all. I went on a short term disability leave so I could get physical therapy done. I was hurting so bad I had to take 3 different meds to make the pain subside.

I had the same problem happen where I filled out all the info needed, called my Dr. to make sure any needed info was faxed and/or sent to Metlife, and over 2 weeks went by with no updates and no paycheck; they claimed they NEVER received any information from the Dr's office even though I called the Dr. several times and they confirmed they sent everything.

Another few days went by until I called and they said they denied my claim because they hadn't received accurate enough information from my Dr.

The worst part other than never receiving my pay was that one of the Metlife reps ACTUALLY said something to the effect that I was not really sick and that Unfortunately like us ALL you will have to eventually go back to work. He treated me like I was abusing my time off. And I still haven't received anything, and I'm going on one full month.

Was not able to pay this month's rent, am now behind in several bills, will not be able to continue physical therapy unless I pay them SOMETHING.

I am currently receiving long term disability from Metlife. I filed and won the claim for Social Security Disability as of Jan 2008. I received lump sum from Social Security. Metlife sent me a letter for the overpayment. I paid them the lump sum of $ 3771.50 (Aug 5th, 2008) and wrote a note saying balance they could deduct from my monthly payment. Inspite of my written authorization to take it from the payment they failed to act on timely manner and my payment is held back for last month and half. Last payment received was on July 30th 2008.

I had done everything on time before my surgery for cervical C7 Lamenotomy. I am going thru several medical treatments. I have them paid off and still my payment is held back.

This has cause lot of stress and I am going thru financial crisis. My recovery has been slow and I am not able to buy my prescription on time. I have to borrow money to live. I am going thru physical stress and mental stress. I want somebody to look into and give me the best advise on this issue as what are my rights?

Nobody at Metlife wants to take the responsilities for their mistake each department is pointing finger at other department without any resolution. I feel that they are just delaying my payment. Its electronic fund transfer set up and inspite of making things easier for everybody I have to deal with this nonsense. Its unacceptable. thank you for your time.

Seizures, vomiting, diarhea, extreme stress on my marriage, financial losses incurred trying to come up with money to replace the lost income, high blood pressure, pain radiating down my legs (from sitting at a computer for many hours writing complaints, responding to their book of a response to NYSDHR (seriously-a bound book,etc.

MY ADVICE: GET AN ATTORNEY AND FILE WITH A STATE AGENCY ASAP! I have had a nightmare experience with them. I am NOT an attorney (yet) and if I were you I would get an attorney asap. If you cannot find an attorney to take your case, then you can always file with the appropriate state agencies. In NY, it is the New York State Division of Human Rights. The Department of Labor handles ERISA-related complaints (too complicated to explain here). NYSDHR has an on-line complaint form to be filled out an mailed.

As you can imagine, MetLife will come back at you like crazy so make sure you keep accumulating evidence as you go along. We taped our calls (legal in NY if one party agrees). We used a cell phone so we have records of the gazillion times we called. Filing with the appropriate agencies is often a pre-requisite to suit anyway and is a powerful bargaining chip BUT, again, it is better if the attorney does it since anything you say/write can and will be used against you.

If the agency finds in your favor, you may be more likely to find an attorney willing to take the case on contingency. Many attorneys run from MetLife because they bury attorneys, doctors, and insureds in paperwork and bull and attorneys can go broke fighting them when the claim is for a relatively small amount.

Metlife uses unethical practices violates every protocal in business but places unreasonable expectations on medical professionals and exploits the disabled and chronically ill. They should be investigated by congress and every government agency and held liable. They have used emotional and financial blackmail against Americans and have taken advantage of them at their weakest moments and have caused them to sacrifice everything they have ever worked for. When they are in need. If this was a country, the US would have issued sanctions against them, if it was a person, they would be prosecuted, if it was a politician they would have been impeached. SO they are they allowed to practice business?

Why are they allowed to continue to ruin our lives, possible cause wrongful death due to emotional stress and trauma and psychological damage. The list of allegations and files I could write are endless. They have done nothing but cuased my condition to get worse and caused undo hardship. The last "stunt" they pulled was they closed my claim, after they sent my doctor papers on 7/03/08. And closed my file on 7/15/08. That only gave the doctor 7 business working days to complete the file. Two of which the physician was off work. So, the physician had five days to complete extensive paperwork, when I didn't have an appointment. They also sent me paperwork to complete, the same day they closed my claim.

My advice to you....EVERY TIME YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT, CONTACT YOUR HR DEPARTMENT OF YOUR COMPANY IN WRITING. KEEP A COPY. Because for every employee that they continue to sell metlife insurance through, that employee is buying through your former employer. You might be able to prevent it from happening to someone else. Plus, your company doesn't want to be know, for having business relationships with companies like metlife. That doesn't look good for retention. I doubt, I will be able to get my claim reopened this time. And just so you know. I recieved my letter from metlife, that my claim was closed. 10 days, after they closed it. Which was the same day my mother died. TO help you: Everytime you write metlife: send, correspondence via return mail receipt. Do not talk to these people on the phone. They lie, cheat steal.

Make sure, you email your H.R. department regarding every unethical behavior that metlife does. Becuase, they say they send your doctors papers, but they don't send the release for your doctor to return them. SO, your doctor can't return them. They wait for doctor's to make mistakes on paperwork, so they can say it's pre-existing and recapture your funds or your claim; Keep copies of everything you do. I had to fax them to my company HR representative and have them send them to METLIFE. After all, HR has the right to find a different carrier.

We must unite. so unite through your company. let them know, what metlife is doing to you. Email your HR department on every complaint. You will have a direct paper trail. It will help your file. And your company, can not hide it. Even though, you are on disability, you were their employee. They have to respond. Metlife, also will not allow you send overnight paperwork. Just like they will not allow you to "cash" your checks at their bank. Every thing that is set up is only set up to benefit metlife. Just know, that nothing in the system is for you. They are the DEVIL. There is nothing Good about them. And Good People Could NEVER work for the DEVIL.

Health worsened; Lost insurance for entire family; Lost Health Care for entire family; Lost job; was emotionally and financially blackmailed. YES METLIFE uses illegal and unethical practices - it's emotional and finacial blackmail. My health deteriated. Physically and mentally. Affected probabilitiy of any future employement. Forced me into filing for social security, when I wanted to return to work. All I wanted to do was get well and return to work. I never forget how horrible metlife has been, I will never be able to get over the trauma they caused. They caused me to develop EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION.

I was completely mentally healthy prior to this. I was only having a physical illness. They get paid to cause people psychological trauma. It's mental terrorism. And, they are legally getting away with it. WE should form a class action law suit against them, to sue these people for mental abuse. They are a disgrace and each and everyone of them deserve to be in our shoes. The said part is, there are no advocates to fight for people who are dealing with METLIFE.

I have been in extreme pain with multiple back surgeries, procedures, the installation of a morphine pump with my brain only half-functional because of the morphine AND being on a very powerful and disabling anti-depressant which I have for the last 3 months been trying to get off of. Excuse my lack of sentence structure as my brain is still dysfunctional.

About six months ago MetLife sent me a one and one-half page "financial disclosure form" to fill out and return, in fact they sent me three over about four months. Then on 6/26 I received a letter stating unless the form was returned my check would not be deposited for July. I called Met at that time and asked that they send me a new form. I never got it. I called again (I don't recall when) for another form, which I didn't get. Finally on 7/28 I got the form, filled it out, and returned it with three 37 cent stamps and the words "Please Rush". I called on 8/4 to check on the status and was told it was still not received by Jaspal, although he did promise to keep me apprised, call me when the form arrived, and expedite the "review process" of 5 working days.

Well, this morning after waiting 5 business days and still no check, I spoke with Jaspal once again who said, "Oh, your form is on my desk, give me a minute to review it. Oh, it's OK, we'll have your check deposited within 24 hours. At this point I told Jaspal, very calmly, that he had no empathy and should not be working with neither physically nor mentally disabled individuals. And that he had lied to me, manipulated me, and intentionally held my form. I am currently writing a letter to an EVP and CAO of MetLife, Disabled People's Advocates, Nat'l. Assn. of Ins. Comms., Florida Ins. Regulators, and the EVP and Chief of Human Resources for Disney/ABC-TV.

I worked fot tek systems allegis group, my back hurt went to the doc and he said no working i may need surgery. went to dr on 5-15-08 job ended 9 days later i was laid off. hartford did not want to pay std, i filed online and waited i castd i was told lled tek systems who i sub contrated for. after bask and forth i was granted std. i have that then it was to roll over to ltd, because i do not work for tek after being laid off i was told that i was not getting ltd i had surgery on my back.

when i first purchased my isurance i put down ltd, i was called and told to have ltd i had to buy std, so i had these insurance co deduct from my pay check, i went to the doc 5-15-08 he s, i am a telphone woman he said no more work and hwould fill out the std,he did i was approved. in 2 weeks my std will end, i called about my ltd and they said i don't have it, its on my pay stubs,and because i was laid off someone made a mistake and approved my std.

However when i got tek on a 3 way call they aggreed with me i was working when i filed my claim and i had no knowledge i was getting laid off. they cancelled my health isurance while i was seein these doc. i had back surgery which medicade paid for with shared cost. i was lucky and got my cobrsa in on time because after back surgery no one was going to pay for my physical rehab.

I was told today that i had 2 weeks left and will not get my ltd that i had to pay for. I sent my grandson whom i have had custody at birth he is 13 to stay with a friend so he did not see my pain and my upsetting phone calls i have cried gone ito depression i paid on 2 polices and i should go into long term, i was working when i was told disabled when i file i get laid off, weeks i was crying no paychecks because hartford gace me 400 a week i had no food stamps,money for auto insurance got behing in all bills.

however, I can not go back to work have had no rehab still a lot of pain, anixity worry and having a very hard time recovering. I paid for both std and ltd, forced to pay for both to. Now whith 2 weeks to go hartford says i should have never been approved, i dont understand i was working and paid right to the last pay check. I can not help the job ended but i filed before it did.

I submitted the appropriate claim information for std on 1-27-08 my doctor sent in medical information on 2-1-09 again on 2-14-08 2-21-08 and weekly going forward thru 4-24-08. I was told that no information was recieved or that it was not sufficient to support my claim. I had one person tell me that my claims will be denied as a matter of practice and I will need to appeal all claims. I finally spoke to one person that took the time to review the documents and on 2-21-08 they had all the required information.

I was terminated over the issue. lost pay for 8 weeks prior to a partial incorrect check being issued. and the delay of ltd benefits by 3 months. Other things thar occurred were phone calls not being documented or the information given was not put in my claim. I finally had to have all calls pulled and reviewed. Metlife is by far the worst company to deal with lies documents do not get reviewed and claims are denied as a matter of practice with never being reviewed.

I have lost over 5000 in pay inf fees of over 1500 for non payment of benefits or benefits that had stop pays placed on them. Medical issues that delayed my return to work. Mecdical appointments for health issues that came up only after the stress of dealing with Metlife became overwhelming or to have my doctor fax items again. Loss of pay over 10000 for time paid at 60% minys my bonus and shift premium.

Ifiled a claim with them July of 2007 for disability resulting from 2 hip replacements while working as a police officer at Dulles airport in Virginia. Metlife first told me they would need extra 30 days after the 60 day time to investigate. They continue to call and harrass me 2 or 3 times a month and also just this week sent me doctor update forms which I can not possibly get back to them before there deadline.

My policy states I have to be able to return to my profession (police work) or they have to pay me for 2 years. The doctor has already told them I can never go back to police work again because of pulling my hips out of place or breaking 1 of them or wearing them out.

The economic damge is I worry every month if they are going to send me a check or am I going to miss paying my mortgage, the electric bill etc. Wht are they going to do to me next? I also am very iritated all the time do to them harrassing and lieing to me and yell at everyone. I can't predict when I will go off.

I was 36 weeks pregnant and experiencing cramping especially while sitting at my desk all day. My doctor advised me to stop working and she let Metlife know I was at risk for preterm labor. Allthough Metlife claims they will give you an answer in 5 days, that is never the case. Weeks went by and I still had no paycheck. Then they call to tell me I am denied because the information my doctor provided wasn't good enough. They feel I should have kept working. Now I feel like I am stuck in the middle, was I suppossed to ignore the advise of my doctor? Risk going into early labor at my place of employment?

I had my doctor submit more information and yet they denied me again. I then put in an appeal and submitted even more paperwork from my doctor and I am currently waiting to hear back. They say they have 45 days to give me an answer on my appeal. I am not hopeful. Then on June 9th I gave birth to my son. My maternity ended July 20. Meanwhile, I started having pain in my sciatic nerve during my maternity leave and could barely walk.

I went to my doctor and he said he would advise Metlife my disabilty (or maternity) should be extended 2 weeks. Tomorrow will be the end of the 2 weeks, and I am actually feeling a lot better now and can return to work. However, I still have not been paid for these 2 weeks. It is way past the
5 days Metlife promises and they still say they are reviewing my claim. At this point, they owe me almost 5 weeks of pay. I have 2 babies and need money to feed them! Everyday I call Metlife and get the same answer, they say they will have an answer by the end of the day. My case manager called today and was very rude & sarcastic with me. I am sure when they do feel like actually doing their job and giving me a decision, they will again deny my claim. I personally believe they are just playing games and denying everyone from Verizon, because the company is going on strike in 2 days.

All I did was have a baby and they are cheating me out of thousands of dollars. Furthermoe, I have 17 years with the company and other than last years disbility with the birth of my 1st child, I never was on disability the whole 17 years, and rarely even out sick. This is how they treat their best employees.

I have had to borrow money to pay bills and buy groceries. I am very stressed out every day over money, meanwhile I am trying to take care of my 1 year old and 6 week old. I have had to use my overdraft money and pay finance charges to my bank.

Filed for short term disability with Met Life it was approved.Then applied for Long term it was approved along with social security per met life. Nov 07 now in April 08 metlife decided to deny my ltd. May 08 I was released to return to work and sent a letter with my restrictions, and now its July 08 and I start getting letters from Verizon stating my medical insurance has been cancelled with United Health care.

I am in kidney failure with polcystic kidney and need to go on diaylsis as soon as possible now no insurance and verizon wont let me come back to work since they have my restrictions and it now includes a service dog in training, I filed a grievance with my union but all these processes take so long and only social security Im about to lose my car so I wont be able drive to treatments or doctors appts. I NEED HELP AND QUICK!

I applied for disability benefits through my employer from Metlife in November 2007. I was approved in April. I received my first check in May 08. In the meantime i also applied for ssi disability in dec.07 and was approved for that also in April 08. I received a form from met life at the beginning of June 08 stating that because i am receiving ssi i will not get anymore benefits from metlife unless i pay the overpayment i received from them. in order to pay that i would have to arrange payments through my ssi benefit which i cannot do because i am only getting 995.00 a month and i cannot afford to do that. So i am out of my benefits from metlife and i am very angry. I had only received 1 check from them and they want it back. What a rip off Metlife is.

I'd finally had it and had plans to commit suicide, but instead checked myself into the hospital's psychiatric unit. I spent about a week there, then was released and given another week at home before returning to the stressful environment, with a treatment plan including new medication to also stabilize my mood and for therapy sessions. When I came back to work, it was too much too soon. After a day and a half, I went home again.

I had to open another claim. My first one was denied after the same runaround every person on this site has had to pull, finding that I had to drive back to the hospital to sign a form and they refused to send my records by fax to MetLife. I told MetLife to mail their request to the hospital, due to the sensitive nature of psych records. The hospital never received it and told me it was because MetLife has to pay to get the records and they were skipping out on the bill.

I had to mail my records myself, and my claim was still denied -- because they weren't received within 20 days. It so happened that my records weren't finished, that it was just that soon after being released from care, and not enough time was given.

The next claim was denied because I didn't report it within 8 days. A third claim was opened, and again, surprise, denied.

I applied for my benefits when my company had their enrollment period, back in September 2007. I send my Statement of Health form in and it was signed by me on 9/16/07. I later called MetLife to check on my coverage and they said I was being denied due to a pre-existing condition, pregnancy and that I supposedly send them a letter saying I was pregnant that was signed on 9/16/07. I informed them I didn't conceive until 10/11/07. They then told me to fax in a letter from my doctor stating my conception date with an appeal.

So, I went ahead and faxed the letter from my doctor, but MetLife STILL denied me for coverage. THEY state that supposedly on my Statement of Health form that I signed back in September, that I was pregnant at the time, even though my doctor states I didn't conceive until 10/11. When I called in to discuss this with them, nobody including the supervisor wanted to hear any of this. They just kept repeating themselves about the paper I signed. I tried to inform them I would've had to have been psychic to say a month before I conceived, that I was pregnant. But, they didn't care what my doctor had to say. They just simply said they would not give me any coverage.

This company is horrible with this! I've seen the complaints...and they all basically sound the same! I'm sooo ready to get an attorney for this. Now, I will not be able to take any maternity leave to recover and spend time with my baby...and get paid for it. I can't afford to just take time off! MetLife is awful. I will NEVER sign up for disability insurance with them...EVER, or EVER recommend them to ANYONE!

I began to get sick the end of jan. I went to my GP who then reffered me to a neurosurgeon. I ended up with neurology the begining of Feb. I sent in all the proper paper work I recieved one check feb 24th. They required that I send more paper work, all my records. My doctor was suspesious that i have a neurological disease.

It is now May the 2nd. Met life took their sweet time (3 days after the specified time) to approve my claim, and I still have not recieved a check. I have not been able to fight I have been and still am very sick. I need to file bankrupcy. Now, I may lose my job because I have exceeded my fmla.

Stress everyday because of no funds. Stress makes neuro diseases much worse. Bankruptcy, lack of food for 3 children. May lose car if I dont gethelp quickly. ..too much stress and sick too. No one to fight these people.

I was in an accident and had a slip and fall in the Month of February 4th 2008 that placed me out of work so I had to go for short term disability. My Doctor set me up with physical therapy advised I could not work, so paper work for short term disability was filed and a complete finding was sent to Met life. I did not hear anything after the 5 day waiting period, so I called on the six day and met life advised that they had not received any faxes from my doctor, so I called my doctors office again and they advised that they would re fax and that they had spoke with a few people over the phone about my claim, that met life has all the information needed, no more information was required.

I then called met life and they advised that they never spoke with any one from my doctors office and they needed paper work faxed in again. So I wised up and received a copy of my medical and had my doctors office fax another copy to met life, I then also faxed my medical information to met life I waited the 24 hour posting time for faxes to post on your claim.

Would you believe that they never received any of the faxes sent from my self or from my doctors office? So with going back and fourth with met life and my case manager I asked to speak with her supervisor the unit manager. The Unit manager gets on the call and starts rambling off dates to that were not in the file and advised she needed to do more research on my claim. I receive a letter from met life stating that they suspend my claim due to incorrect dates. So finally get things cleared up with met life and low and behold that they found medical faxes from me and my doctor but they call my doctors office twice a week to get the same information each time and have my clam in a suspended status because they need more info.

I still have not been paid and its March 28, 2008 for my short term, Im being evicted from my apartment, I have no food, the only thing I do have is my prayers and they are running short. We all need to get together and sue, Met life treats the people that are hurt, sick, and truly trying to get better and work badly.

I Have been harassed by Metlife, I am also disabled and Metlife continues to put me through hell, so I hired an attorney here in Boston for my appeal. I'm too sick to deal with metlife. I had a hard time finding a lawyer to represent me against a private ins co., everyone does social security. I am definitely in if anyone wants to proceed with a class action suit! We should, so the elderly people and people who are just too sick to deal with it and can't afford a lawyer can get justice and be paid for their hard work and dedication to their companies and or premiums they paid for themselves.

Metlife had 45 day's to review my appeal and then took an additional 45 days, do they think this isn't effecting peoples lives? I have no Insurance, no Income, nothing! Thank goodness for my son's dad (my Ex-husband). I am living with him and he is supporting me. I hope I can pay him something eventually. I often think of the people who don't have what I do have and I'm still suffering.

Due to metlife's report and decision, my company fired me when I didn't return to work on the day metlife told me to, and I lost all my benefits even though I had filed the erisa appeal. I was told that when you file this appeal your not supposed to be fired, however I guess Verizon doesn't have to follow laws rules or regulations. I worked over 11 years there and I have worked since I was 16 and now I'm sick and I get harassed. At least 5 doctors have documented my illness in the past 5 years and I worked with it until I could no longer work and boom, let the paperwork harassment began! Good Luck. My advice hire a lawyer asap!

I have no Income and I would be homeless if my ex didn't take me in. I have lost my self image, my self worth, depression from what Metlife has put me through. Not only do I have to deal with my physical disability, I then had to deal with being harassed constantly while I try to have some kind of life I was left with by my illness. They treat you like dirt and they really don't care, even my doctor complained that metlife was harassing her and her staff constantly, My doctor asked me to maybe forgo metlife and go for social security, because of the harassment, so even my doctor that put me out on disability couldn't deal with them.

I have had to deal with MetLife through my employeer, Verizon Wireless, twice within 3 and a half years. My first experience was due to pregnancy. I was taken out by my OB/GYN at 36 weeks gestation, which in California, 36 weeks until time of delivery is qualified for state disability. Well I filed my claim in July of 05 and returned to work October 6, 2005. I never received a denial or approval letter but on December 29, 2005 my HR department brings me down for a final written warning for my Short term disability being denied from July 05 through September 19, 2005. When I gave birth in August. Metlife tells me that being taken out at 36 weeks gestation is not qualified for disability regardless of state regulations. This was hilarious to me since State superceeds federal in this case. Then when I tried to appeal it, it was too late since they state they called me and sent notification, which neither were received, in July and that I was past the 180 days appeal period.

Now I am in my second war with Metlife yet again. I was taken out on February 25, 2008 for disability for high stress anxiety and other complications. I notified Metlife on March 1, 2008. Well I get the paperwork for my Short Term and FMLA one dated 3/3/08 and the other dated 3/4/08. The ST, the paid portion, has a 10 days from date of letter due date while the FMLA, the unpaid portion, has a 15 days from date of letter due date. However I received both packages on Friday 14, 2008 in the afternoon. So on Monday I go to kaiser and submit the forms which will have a 15 business day turn around. So I call Metlife to advise them that I just received the paperwork and that I would need an extension with the due date due to Kaiser's processing. I leave a message with my case manager who calls back the following day and just says to call her.

Along comes payday and I have no pay. Why? Because my case worker denied my claim because no health care provider information was recieved on Monday 3/17/08 even though she did recieve a message. So I have been told once the information is received to fax a dispute letter with my health care provider information and FMLA forms, which won't be ready until April 4th and once recieved MetLife will take 5 business days to review the information and it may be approved. If anything is questionable they may escalate it, which may take up to an additional 45 business days before a conclusion is made. So this leaves me and my 2 children without any money until I return to work or this claim is approved, whichever is sooner. Meanwhile I may be evicted from my apartment that I have lived in for 4 years and mess up my credit score which I was trying to preserve to buy a house for my family, and leave my family hungry and without power or water. And worse of all, my daughter will be kicked out of preschool, since that is not free, and this impacts her educational future which is the future of our world when my generation is no longer here.

I am writing because I just can no longer keep silent about the many injustices that Metlife long term disability has been able to do to people and get away with it. I worked for The Home Depot for 14 years. I became disabled in 12-06 and had to get on state disability and then applied for long term disability, and was approved. But now that my state disability has ended and metlife has to pay the full amount, they are now saying that suddenly I am able to work even though the disks in my lower back are shattered, bone on bone and I am, according to my specialist, my physical therapist, and primary Doctor, surgical. Metlife is forcing me to go 60 miles from home to take a test just so that they can get someone to say that I can work in this condition. I can hardly walk. My left leg is totally numb and I paid on this premium for 14 yrs. just so that I would not end up 50, sick and unemployed. Where is the justice for honest people?

I am in constant, chronic, sever pain. I am depressed. and cannot sleep because of the pain. I cannot walk, I cannot stand or sit for long periods. Everyone should refuse to use metlife's services and put them out of business once and for all.

In approx. 2002 I had a massive stroke in Texas. (I live in Indiana) The company I worked for had taken a lifetime disability plan out on me. I had just made it over the waiting period for the policy. I spent over a week in the hospital in a semi comatos state. I am now unable to work due to epilictic seziures from the stroke. Partially blind, lose of memory and some lose of use of the whole right side of my body.

Due to the slow response of Metlife in paying up I have had to file for bankruptcy, I'm gonna lose my house, and my wife left me due to the stress. And now since I am recieving SS they say that what they did pay me was too much. So here it is about 6 year later and Metlife is just about paid off and I am alone and bankrupt. Unable to work and if I was who would hire me? I am gonna have to file for goverment assistance for housing give up my dog my psychistrist wanted me to get so I would have a reason to get up in the morning. The economic and physical damage I can work thru, but how do you put a 'price tag' on your mental and emotional damage this has caused?

I was covered by a Met Life Long Term Disability policy through my employer CHW - Mark Twain St. Joseph's Hospital. I became ill and my MD took me off of work and then after a few months told me to file for Long Term Disability as I was not getting better (my conditions are complications from cancer treatments I received in 1998.)

Met Life denied my claim based on lack of objective evidende even though I had MRIs showing the DVTs, a vascular surgeon stating I had severe lymphedema and other Xrays and MRIS showing my spinal damage, along with surgeon reports showing dense adhesions and radiation damage to my intestines.

Met Life was so blatent in their denial they relied on a wrong specialist and stated that my Gastroeneterologist (stomach MD) showed no evidence of Lymphedema (a condition that you see a Vascular Surgeon for)even though my GI doctor did not state this. Currently I have a lawyer and am fighting it. However, because of ERISA the deck is stacked against me as there are no damages besides the claim payments that can be awarded to me.

Basically, Met Life can deny all the ERISA LTD claims it wants without penalty as any litigation must go to Federal Court and there are no punitive damages, witnesses, juries, etc. I counted on this benefit from my employer, but as my HR Director, Lori Tribble, stated, she does not make the decision, Met Life does and she would not help any further.

If my claim is not approved I will loose everything in 2009. I have some savings to carry me through until then and I have been collecting my California Short term disability but that will end in April 2008. The social security disability process has already been started but that is a long haul. If I loose my house and become homeless I will kill myself as I cannot live on the street and will have no where to go.

I was injured in a slip-n-fall incident in a department store on May 15, 2007. Not knowing my injuries, I continued to work. I started experiencing swelling and pain in my foot. I went to the hospital where I was examined and placed in a cast. I had to follow-up with an orthopedic specialist. He ordered an MRI which showed a sprain and tendinitis and knee pain. I started physical therapy in July. During therapy I started to experience radiating pain up my right leg. My doctor ordered a second MRI which showed a herniated disk, nerve damage, and an anular tear. Therapy didn't help, and I was referred to pain management. I've had 3 procedures on my back, and my pain has only increased. I am now referred to an orthopedic surgeon for consultation.

I pay for short-long term insurance at my job. I applied and was given benefits until October. I've been denied benefits since then. I appealed and was denied again. My doctor says I cannot work in my condition. I can't do house chores since the accident. I am a single parent of four; my oldest is in college, and I have to help her, and my mom is also my responsibility. I have no other help. Could you please help me or refer me to the right source?

I'm about to lose my home, my credit is not good, and my daughter is about ready to quit college. I'm physically hurt and mentally and emotionally drained. I've always taken care of my household, and all that has ended. I am just in a miserable state. I hurt every day, all day.

I am 32 years old and have worked for the same company operating bindery machinery, for the past 15 years. In June of 2007 I began having seizures and ended up being hospitalized and almost died. What they determined was that I have a rare disease called Hashimoto's Encephalopathy. I have difficulties walking, sleeping, and sometimes even speaking. At times the swelling in my legs and feet is so bad I can see and feel my skin splitting apart. Add to that the risk of having more seizures at any time. None of my doctors will sign papers allowing me to go back to work at this time; I am disabled.

Now Met Life did start out paying for my short term claim for 10 weeks until August. Then I saw no money from them until November. I called nearly every business day, and they requested more information from my doctor. I also was in constant contact with my doctor about the issue, as well as with my employer. Finally I was sent a check for 11 weeks' worth. With that payment, I was sent paperwork to apply for long term benefits, the deadline being November 21 to get this in. I received the papers on Nov.15th! I got them in regardless, and received a letter the following week stating that my short term benefits were shut off. A few weeks later the long term was denied because I hadn't met the 26 weeks required short term. Why did they need the paperwork in if they already knew it hadn't been 26 weeks?

Now, January of 2008, I have had no disability payments since November 15, 2007. Metlife needs more information. My doctor has faxed and re-faxed almost my entire medical history, but yet it isn't enough. I asked Metlife to fax my doctor exactly the paperwork they needed; my doctor faxed back the completed forms. Metlife says the doctor faxed back the wrong forms, yet Metlife was the one to fax the forms to my doctor. This is too much--how do they expect anyone to begin healing if they need to worry about paying the mortgage or starving?

My mortgage payments are now late, as well as the electric bill; telephone will be shut off soon. I'm starving, and my savings has been totally depleted. I've been selling off my personal items to pay bills, and I haven't got money to pay the deductibles for my medical visits. I call Metlife almost daily and speak with a different person each time who tells me something different about my case. What do I do now?

I became permanently disabled in Aug. 2007. I was on short term payments from my employer's Metlife Disability plan until Sept. 30; then Metlife told me they were stopping my payments. I did what they told me and filed an appeal, and my Dr. also advised them I was disabled. Then I got a phone call from Jill Brown at Metlife who says my appeal is denied because my Dr. said I was not disabled. I was so upset; I didn't know what to do. I called the Dr.'s office and was told it was a lie from Metlife. I was then told no other appeals are allowed. I was so upset and ended up in the emergency room Dec. 5 - Dec. 9, 2007, and now am told the only way to fight for my benefits is a civil action. I don't know how to do that, and if I did know I am too sick to do it or would have a nervous breakdown or die--which is what Metlife probably wants me to do! HELP!

I have no income and am going to end up in the streets; also I cannot handle any stress anymore. The pressure in my chest gets worse everyday over Metlife.

Apparently, I am not the only one who has had a problem with the Met Life disability program. After paying me for approximately 6 months, they have decided my 6 herniated disks of the lumbar spine and degenerative spinal disease is okay, and I can return to work any old time I want to. There are days when all I can do is stay in bed w/ my heating pad and my medication, and even then the pain runs through my body. One of the attorneys I spoke with suggested a class action suit against Met life. I thought it was not a great idea until I read all of the complaints about them on this website. Might not be such a bad idea after all.

I have worked since the age of 14, put myself through college and graduate school, and taught for 29 years and they're playing games for $100.00 a month. Seems silly but when you add it up, it comes to serious money. Their deal is to knock off as many people as they can so they can profit. My deal is I'm still young enough to fight them. Many elderly people are not. This is how they make their money. For every person who does not fight back, that is money in Met Life's pocket. Well, they're not getting mine. I paid for it. I'm so disabled, SSD never even asked me to file an appeal. There is no surgical cure. The damage is too extensive. My life is ruined, and now Met Life wants to piddle around for $100.00 a month. The most ironic thing in this whole matter is I pay Met Life $94.00 a month for life insurance for my husband and myself. So they're giving it to me with one hand, and I'm giving it back with the other. Is Met Life really that stupid, or is it just me?

Met Life has caused emotional distress from having to prove and reprove that I am in the condition I am in, dealing with case managers who have a superior attitude and no medical knowledge, and being deemed suitable to work from a person I've never even seen, nor spoken with. Their Dr. Saad Al-Shathir better go back and read the highlighted part of the MRI report that says disks are in danger of collapse. Nobody calls me a liar after I have been working for 37 years. It's not like I slipped on an orange peel last week. I have 25 years of documentation, and I'm getting every last cent they owe me.... plus!

I have chronic Lyme and multiple co-infections. Headaches, fatigue,deep depression, body aches, etc. I worked for Atronic Alarms, Perry Atha, I was a co-owner, 22 years of service. Perry fired me while I was being treated. I tried to go back to work and found that I was unable and started to have more chronic depression, anxiety, adn pain. I have appealed with MetLife and keep getting told that Dr. Carol Ann Ryser, a renowned specialist in chronic pain does not follow protocol. I have filed with Kansas insurance commission but have not gotten to far. I now have Genworth, now Sun Finacial stating that I am not disabled due to Lyme. Each week I seem to have both good, bad, and horrible days both physically and mentally. It also does not help that my employer fired me with out paying commissions, etc.

I have hired attorneys, and now approaching every agency and adcovacy that I can find to get some results.

I went on short term disability in March of 2006, my original diagnosis was clinical depression. In the past year and a half, I've had triple bypass surgery, a subsequent infection of the sternum incission that required debridement of the necrotic tissue. This left a softball sized hole in my upper chest. I had IV antibiotics for 4 continuous months and wore a wound vac for 3 months to close the wound. I was hospitalized in May and July with acute renal failure and was found to have a fractured kidney. Now I have a suspicious lesion on my left kidney and am following up with a nephrologist and urologist surgeon. By the way, I have acute degenerative arthritis in my left ankle, and both knees and suffer from chronic pain daily. Social Security has awarded me permanent disability, but I just received a letter from met life telling me that they have cut off my benefits as I am capable of going back to work. I am diabetic, with nerve damage to my right hand, suffer from anxiety attacks, high blood pressure, and wake every hour screaming in pain. Anyone want to hire me?

It's anyone's guess how long we'll be able to keep paying our mortgage. I am 51 and my dear husband is 60. If he keeps working at this pace to keep us a float, I'm afraid it will shorten his life. Is there no justice for us?

Equals: Employees are Screwed!!!!!!!

Facts do not matter. ERISA has sealed the fate of the disabled employee. I am sure Metlife thanks their lucky stars for ERISA everyday. They know as long as ERISA is in place they do not have to worry about paying claims.

I lost everything after dedicating twenty years of my life to my employer.

I was newly diagnosed as having epilepsy, my doctor has told me to stay off of work while I am getting used to my medications as they make me drowsy, moody, and you can often times have increased seizure activity on them. I have had a multitude of seizures and Metlife again a nurse at metlife who won't give out her name is stating I am fine to go back to work and that I have no reason to stay away from work.

I have been paying into this insurance since I started my job with a bank here in Arizona and they are treating me horribly. I told one person at metlife that I hope his family comes down with the same illness that I have been plagued with and he hung up on me. They constantly deny that they talk to my doctor, and that they don't have the medical records on file. I requested a copy of the records they have at met life regarding my case and they have all of my records that my doctor has. They are a sad sad company and I recommend going with your own company.

I have been getting disability from METLIFE for double hip replacement and osteoarthritis at 60%of my base pay as a police officer. I have been disabiled since 07/11/07.I have to file for social security within 6 months or my benefits will be cut. I have not been disabled for the 6 month time limit, but my benefit has already been cut by the estimated social security amount.

I am unable to work so the small amount of pay I recieve from my disability that I have paid into for the last 17 years is very important as to my survival along with my wife.

I was eight and a half months pregnant and I was gone on maternity leave. Metlife didn't pay for my maternity leave because they told me that my doctor hadn't put me out work. If that's what they say, then I think metlife expect me to work until my delivery. From what I know, I was suppose to get paid for the maternity leave which the company that I work for has provided us through Metlife.

I used up my savings and 301K. I am a single mother of 6 and can't support my family any longer.

Forced me to go back to work too early 9/17/2007. I had open shoulder torn rotator cuff surgery 8/6/2007. Dr. stated clearly for me to return to work 10/1/2007. I have the paperwork from MetLife stating this. They said they do not tell people when to go back to work.

I have requested transcript of phone conversation with this Susan. She is lying, she wanted me to go to work 9/12/2007, I did not know when the doctor had me going back to work, so I assumed that she spoke with the doctor, which she did not. She said, well I guess I can give you until the 17th.

I went back to work way too early and I have suffered horrible pain and since now I don't have my STD, I am using vacation days for Physical Therapy etc. I cried at night, my arm hurt so bad and no relief. I want money for an MRI to see if damage has been done and I want money for pain and suffering.

I am now out of a job and in therapy for the hip replacements and have no income do to disability and am still waiting after 3 months on METLIFE.

I am on disiibility for post traumatic stress. Sent by registered mail my medical report from three Doctors and hospital records. 5 pounds worth of paper work package was sent in a box that was taped and glued so it does not open. The package arrived to metlife. Sign by employee of Metlife though when it got to the mail room of metlife, the mailroom sent a letter to my case worker that all the paper work is missing.Had to buy fax machine which I could afford. I sent them three copys so far they lost all.

Debt collector are calling me making threat this far

I contacted Laura, on 2 April asking about payment for short term disability and she assured me that payment was to be sent. Now here it is on 4 May 2007 and I still have not received any short term disability payments. This is after no less then THREE more phone calls to Laura, each time she has assured me that a payment has been sent. I'm now behind on ALL of my bills. Bottom line is don't listen to MetLife case worker personnel.

I became disabile in Feb 2005, and signed up for short term and long term disability through my company. I called and applied for Short term disability through Metlife, the first month was easy for approval, after that it hasnt been. I ended up being out longer then expected and filed for longer. After rentless hours spending filling out forms every month for disability, I recieved the forums for LTD benefits.

I am continuing to pay for Disablity through my company etc to keep my insurance. After fighting to get on long term disability was when the headache started. I was told by my LTD person that they would not pay LTD until I filled and have proof I filed for LTD benefits, and to sign all these papers. I filled them out and signed. At that time another LTD benefits person called from SSDI area in regards to that, and has been bugging me for information since.

First declined by SSDI and approved about 2 years after I filed in Feb 2005. During the time waiting for my trial I would fax in paper work (at charge to fax them stuff or mail) and they would claim they never got it. They also claimed that I never called or return phone calls when I have done those. Proof on my phone bill and left messages. I know have 3 different Metlife employees calling my house and sending letters. I get forum sent to my house a month after I had my doctor fill one out.

Now I'm recieving calls saying they need my SSDI back payments sent to them and then some to pay them back. I bought this insurance to pay me, and continue to pay my premiums while I'm disabled, now they are no longer sending me payments until i send them 19,000 or more. I need the money to pay for surgeries and doctor appointments.

There is now even a black dark tinted suv that drives around where i live slows down to my house and looks around. I feel confined where someone is watching my every move.

In Debt, stress, unable to sleep which worses my condition, and my condition getting worse not better. I am looking at filing Bankruptcy due to medical debt that I can not pay off because they want the money and then some.

Three years ago I had a major heart attack and double by pass surgery. I attempted to go back to work however due to the heart attack a major part of my heart was damaged and I could not work any longer. My doctors (cardiologist, internists) have stated I am permantly disabled and I left my job. Under the insurance I have through my company I can receive part of my life insurance. This is through Metlife insurance. I sent in all paperwork from two different doctors and received both a verbal and written approval from Metlife. For two weeks we believed we would receive money that would assist us until my SSD appeal came up.

Well one of Metlife's representatives, Pam, called and stated the approval was an error and I was not approved. When I addressed this with the woman and stated I have written documentation as well as a list of metlife employees stating this was approved, Pam began screaming at me (my wife heard the entire conversation) stating I need to get over it and the letter means nothing!! In addition to this when I initially talked to Pam she stated in the computer it does state the approval, however by the next day no approval existed. When I spoke to other reprsentatives they said no approval existed, obviously Pam erased the approval.

Now Pam states although they received all required paperwork for the claim The nurse whomever this is states she needs more medical information. Supposely the necessary papers were mailed more then a week ago, however we have not received them.

This has caused my family financial destruction. Our home and car are a few weeks away from repossession, we can't have christmas for our sons. My son's front tooth is broken and we cannot afford to fix it so he goes to school humilated. I cannot afford my health insurance much longer which I then will not be able to afford my heart medication. We owe great sums of money to our family due to them helping us get buy. How can one company destroy so many peoples lives and get away with it?

I read many of the complaints about Metlife but this one may never get printed because our Technology is moving much faster than our Privacy Laws. I have had two cervical fusions with the majority of my neck fused. I was told by the top ranked surgeon in the Hospital for special surgery, I should seek long term disibility. I kept working because I was making well over 100,000 a year and the chronic pain was getting worse but I had a great career, (almost 30 years with Sears) and ranked in the top 5% in performance as a Director of stores.

I was only 46 years old and had to get my children through college, mortgage, car and all the other bills we all have to pay. I kept working even though my medical history was more than enough to get approved for Metlife LTD. In August of 2005, I could no longer take the pain so I had to go out on Short Term and then Long Term disability. Metlife immediately approved me because my medical records indicated I was 100% disabled. I hated to leave my Dream job but my Surgeon's all told me I would be in wheel chair in 5 years if I kept working.

My issue is not that Metlife won't pay me.

How would you like to have constant harrassment of Metlife Private Investigators following you to the doctors? How about tapping into my ONSTAR system after I reported the constant PI's parked by my home with their tinted windows. Neighbors telling you that the same vehicles are always driving up and down my culdasack? Having Onstar send you e-mails notifying you that your RED LIGHT on your ONSTAR unit in your car is a Data communication interuption that will cause your airbags to fail to deploy? When the Pi's knew that I was reporting them to Metlife for harrassing me and my family they could no longer prk near my house or follow me so what do they do.... They Illegally tap into my GPS system to follow me or whoever is driving my car.

I went out on STD due to what I thought was a bad case laryngitis in September of 2004, however my voice never returned to normal. After many tests and prodecures I was diagnosed with Spasmodic Dysphonia, a neurological condition which is permanent and incurable. My voice is strangled and broken sounding and I am difficult to hear and/or understand. Because my job required that I was on the phone all day, every day it was impossible for me to return.

I began undergoing the only treatment for this condition, which is injections of Botox directly into my vocal cords,which is painful and only a temporary fix, in Feb, 2005. I applied for and was granted LTD. Since that time I have had my LTD cut off or terminated several times. Each time it is bacause Met Life doesn't receive the medical documentation that they have requested, although the medical records department assures me that they have faxed the info to Met Life as requested.

At first I thought there was a problem with the medical records department, however I find it strange that Met Life always receives all records from all of the doctors I see except for the one who is treating my spasmodic dysphonia whick is the orginal reason for the disability. I even had my doctor send them a letter stating that I am unable to work.

The most recent incident was that Met Life sent me a letter saying that they had not received the most recent office notes from my doctor. I contacted the medical records department and had them fax all records from 1/06 thru the present. I called to make sure the info had been received by Met Life and was assured that they had received several faxes of information including information from the doctor treating the spasmodic dysphonia. Then, yesterday, I received a call stating that my disability had been terminated. Today I called and was informed that they hadn't received the notes from that particular doctor after all!

My husband then contacted the medical records department and spoke directly to the gentleman who had faxed the records to Met Life last week. He said he remembered talking to me and assured my husband that ALL records had been faxed. My husband asked him to fax the records from just the one doctor to us directly. He did this immediately. I then faxed the one page of notes to Met Life. I waited about an hour then called to verify the fax had been received. Well, my case manager had already left for the day so I left her a voice mail, hung up, and called back and asked to speak to the nurse clinician who had made the decision to terminate my claim (I had spoken to him earlier in the day. The rep. who answered would not allow me to speak to him, stating that it takes 24-48 hrs. to scan a fax into my claim. Then, she said, it will take eight working days to review the fax. EIGHT DAYS to review one page?? I could read this page, look up all medical terminology, and research the condition in just a few minutes.

Of course, this way I won't be paid benefits for no telling how long,(if at all) so I am forced to just wait on Met Life once again. Thank God my husband still has income or I would be in the same situation as some of the others I have been reading about! Met Life is extremely difficult to deal with. I often feel they are lying to me and that they are just telling me anything to get me off the phone! I don't intend to give up. I worked at the same company for many years before becoming disabled, and that company offered disability insurance as a touted benefit. Met Life needs to give the benefits that were paid for!

I struggle with anxiety and depression due to my disability. These issues are definately aggrevated by Met Life! One of the aggrevating factors of my condition is STRESS! Met Life continually stresses me! I also worry about my finances. I have bills to pay and a wonderful daughter to support! Thank God for my family and their support, I don't know how I would get through this without them!

MetLife covered me for disability Insurance from my former Employee. In May of 2004 I was sent a letter from MetLife stating my disability Insurance coverage was being canceled. MetLife stated at the time my Psychiatrist had stated in his last notes I was able to return to work. I said at the time that was not true and preceded to try and get my disability reinstated. My Psychiatrist asked me on one occasion If I felt I could return to work, My answer was no. My doctor stated he was only doing his job by asking me questions to see my reaction. And that he does this with every one of his clients.

My Doctor said they used his words to their own benefit to be able to stop my disability payments. I had to leave the company on medical leave due to a complete break down from what had happen to me during my employment. I have not been able to return to any work at this time and am now receiving SSI. My Doctor states he does not know if I will ever be able to return to any job due to what happen at my last employer.

January 1st 2004, Within 7 months after MetLife canceled my disability payments my home went in foreclosures. I was approved in July 2005 for SSI and was given a check for back support; I was able to pay the home mortgage a portion of the back due. I am now making up past dues with my monthly house payments. I do not know for how long I can keep these payments up monthly. I have tried to search for an attorney to help me for almost two years now, with no results. Every attorney I speak with states I can only get 13 months of back payment, and it’s not worth his or her time.

I do not understand how MetLife can be allowed to let this happen to me without being liable for all my suffering due to them canceling me wrongfully.

I am retired Navy and had the surgery performed at the Navy Hospital in Pensacola. As soon as I returned home from 4 days hospitalization, I had mail waiting from MetLife, seems they were unable to obtain required information from the doctor. I have made a number of phone calls to MetLife and the hospital to try and get things coordinated. At one point, I went back to the hospital to again fill out an authorization to release medical information. Note that this was while I was supposed to be recuperating...at the time I went to the hospital regarding the form I was in moderate pain, having difficulty walking and most likely legally intoxicated on Percocet.

Upon returning home, I called MetLife to let them know 1) that the form was signed and 2) the name, phone and fax number of the contact person in the hospital. Two days after completing the form, I received a call from MetLife, asking for contact information for the hospital. I was surprised, as I had already given this information to MetLife.

On 6 March 2006, I received a letter informing me that since I had not supplied required information, my claim was closed as of February 11, 2006. I have a prejudiced opinion regarding insurance companies in general and any company selected by my employer in particular, so I was financially prepared for this. I cannot imagine the hell my wife would be going through had I died during surgery. Regarding that, it was successful, I'm cancer free now but that's the only good thing to come out of this so far.

I was denied STD benefits. I lost my home, my SUV, my credit was destroyed. I was homeless.

I was placed on Short Term Disability with MetLife in November of 2004. I applied for Long Term Disability and they determined my condition was pre-existing. I fought it with appeals then letters to the State insurance commissioner. MetLife responded that if I gave them more information they would reconsider it. I got the information and they promptly replied that their original decision sticks and they wouldn't reconsider. I had to write the Commonwealth of Virginia's Insurance Commissioner then Metlife decided it's not pre-existing but now they want proof that I've been under continuous care. I lost my car, home and insurance because they wouldn't pay so I got the best care I could afford but I'm sure they'll find some reason to deny my claim again.

My wife worked for TRW for five years until a recent injury to her back. TRW's insurance carrier for short & long term disability unfortunately is Met Life. She basically has had a nervous breakdown in addition to her unhealed back injury. Running around & constantly calling your Doctors office to send explanations & repetitive information is what Met Life expects from you.

Met Life keeps telling us that we need this or that & we got a different story from every customer rep we talked to. This is down right wrong, & Im sick & tired of beating a dead horse. I believe this is Met Lifes strategy to build their profits at the expense of hard working Americans who honestly need help. Unfortunately, making this information public is our only weapon, because even our doctors dont want to get involved. Not only do we have corrupt insurance, but our doctors fear any legal matter that will cause their insurance premiums to go up as well.

This country is headed for serious problems unless things change!

We have two daughters that will be severely impacted by our loss of income. Obviously this takes a mental & physical toll on the whole family. My wife has been told by her doctors that she cannot continue this type of work.

I worked as a factory worker (laborer) for the same company for over 25 years, I am only 44 years old. I went out on short term disability in Feb, 2005. For influenza B and pnemonia/bronchitis. I was out of work for some time for this. When I tried to return to work, I was sent back to my PCP, by the company doctor. NO WORK! I became very week, and was taking Darvaset for lower back and upper back pain.

Tests/Ct's/MRI's show that there is a problem in my upper and lower back, and I also just had to have a deep mass removed from my right shoulder and lower back that was very painful. I'm now going through a living HELL, trying to satisfy MetLife LTD. I've sent them all my PCP's notes/tests and even sent them back the statment they wanted filled out from my surgeon. They keep saying WE NEED TO KNOW!

This is the first time I ever had to go from STD-LTD. In 25 years. They are making me feel like a criminal for just being sick.

I have been fighting MetLife Disability for the last ten years. I have been through the claims review and denials process (27) twenty-seven times. My claim started in 1995 and I have been through at least like I said, 27 reviews, 10 denials, 3 terminations of benefits, 2 appeals, one lawsuit, which I thought returned my benefits permanently, since I got accepted for Social Security at the same time, and just three months later I am going through all these reviews all over again.

I currently get SSDI, but Metlife started recently sending my doctors videotapes of me doing little things and saying I was never disabled, so watch out people. Does this mean that MetLife is more powerful than the government? I don't know. I do know that they will do ANYTHING to get rid of your claim.

In 1999 one of their Case supervisors actually called me and told me I had two choices. Go to NY and submit to their doctors and have a morphine implant pump installed, so I could go back to work, or else. After I said no, they hired an the attorney to get my SSDI benefits, which lowered their monetary output in benefits to me. Now they only pay half. Don't think you'll be able to keep all that cash if you get your SSDI benefits either. I had to pay MetLife back 13k dollars once I got my SSDI. Overpaid benefits they call them, and why am I 18k dollars in debt now? MetLife is the answer.

I work for Honeywell who uses MetLife for short term disability. I had pneumonia and was off work for 3 weeks. MetLife denied my claim for 2 weeks of STD. I fought them and finally got it. The pneumonia turned into Valley Fever. I was told by my family doctor and a pulmanologist that I could work 4 to 6 hours a day. MetLife's "nurse" who is over 2,000 miles away and never met me said I'm okay to work a full shift. Believe me I was not able to do that at all.

I returned to work full time on Sep 8th. When I was sick I would get very tired and coughed a lot. I slept about 12 hours a day. I was unable to do anything but sleep and go to work. My wife had to do all the work around the house, run errands, care for the cars, handle social duties, etc. These people say I was not sick. They think I'm trying to scam them. I have never cheated or scamed anyone in my life.

I can get several hundred people to vouch for my character if need be. But, I cannot find anyone that will say MetLife is fair and honest. Two other people that I work with are going through the same thing with them right now. Honeywell HR people say that MetLife should be taking care of the hours I was not able to work, but all they do is make my life miserable. MetLife keeps using the lie that they never got anything from my doctors, but when I checked with them, they have records of faxes sent to them.

Another wrinkle: I called their 800 number and I talked to a lady in Warwick, RI, but she said my case worker was in Conn. However, all mail I've received and things I have mailed to them was a Lexington, KY address.

I had a major surgery, June 17th. I was in hospital. I regained consciousness / some control on June 23rd, when I called MetLife, to give me SHORT term disability for 7 weeks as per my doctor advice. I am very careful/meticulous person, and asked MetLife to give me all documents if any, urgently and if i could download to speed up process. However, MetLife took its time, one week to just mail me the consent/authorization to proceed.

Metlife continued to send me piece-meal information one by one, to delay my claim and make the process so frustrating that i just stop persuing my claim. It has been 3 weeks now, and I have spent 3 weeks in torture dealing with MetLife. They took wrong information, not what I gave them, and then they gave me different reasons to make me drop my claim. I have been very sick, and it has been very difficult at this time of my weakness to deal with Metlife.

I would not ever like to deal or think about MetLife. They have really made me go through a very tough time. Some of their agents even smirkingly and mockingly talked, I find it hard to forgive MetLife, for making me go through this hell. They finally approved my case for 5 days, rather than 7 weeks, saying that the doctor provided insufficient documentation. My doctor has been very clear, but they just needed some reason to deny my claim and rather than denying, they insulted me, by 5days/1 week, disability.

I wish them bad luck, and I wish, that my agent, Jenniffer W goes through same hell, as she made me go through. I always though Short term disability is a protection for me, but it became my nightmare.

I have worked for my company since 1991 and have always carried long term disability because I had recently found out that I had Multiple Sclerosis. I have been very sick since last Sept 2004 and was hospitalized with diviticulitus. I had 4 very serious operations and lost a lot of blood then contacted c dif then got parentantis. Was in hospital a month. During that time my MS flaired up. Met Life told me I would have to contact social security which I did and I informed them promptly.

Social security accepted me and pay me, now Met Life wants me to pay them back almost $4000 which I do not have. They enclosed a envelope and told me to write them a check. How can I do that? They also informed me that my check will be cut from $1200 a month to $432 a month but I won't get that until I pay them back.

Also during that time, in January at work, our company decided to go with a new insurance plan which I pay part, but it doesn't cover MRI's, specialts, or the first $2000 of hospital. What is a person to do? Do I have to pay Met Life this money and will they stop my checks? I have nothing to live on!!

I have no money to pay bills since I have been out of work. I feel like a fool going to my neurologist and telling him I can't pay for blood test or MRI. I am now in debt of $4000 and can't pay it. and I live on $804 a month. What is a person to do?

Two years ago my wife became ill and had to quit working. At first everything was going fine then out of the blue MetLife decided that they didn't like our the diagnosis of my wife’s board certified MD, PhD, JD and that their nurse practitioner knew better. They reversed our original approval and denied our claim out right. We appealed and provided them all documentation requested. We were denied again because we did not provide specific documentation that MetLife specifically told us they did not need.

At this point we are a year into this fiasco and MetLife has still refused to provide even 25% of the documentation required by full disclosure laws and there is strong evidence that they have placed all of my wife’s medical records in the public domain and with absolutely no remorse declared it was irrelevant as they were not bound by any of the hippa rules as they are an insurance company and not doctors. After involving the DOL MetLife finally provided us a copy of our policy. After further review of the policy and what tiny amount of documentation they did provide us we found a number of glairing omissions and outright lies they so kindly documented for us and they agreed to another appeal of our case.

No surprise we were denied again but the reasoning for it was at least entertaining. My wife is being treated by a rheumatologist and her claim was denied because she had not either attempted to kill herself or anyone else. Heck if we had known that was the criteria for accepting the claim we might have visited the MetLife claims office and saved all of us quite a bit of trouble. As this is an ARISA policy even if we sue MetLife only has to pay us what they owe us at the time of the judgment.

All attorneys we have consulted with want 40%+ of the total value of the policy so essentially we could very well sue and win and end up with a net negative. My wife was making 100K at the time she became ill. At this time we are at the end of our savings and our patience.

I was abused at my job. I had no other choice but to remove myself from the situation. Therefore, I filed a STD claim and have not been paid since. I have been with the company for 6 years. I just bought a condo and do not have any money for my mortgage or food. I had to cancel my doctors appointements and failed to fill some of my prescriptions because i do not have the money. My doctor faxed in my medical records along with Patti's cover letter twice and she claims that she never received it to date. However, the doctor's office claims the fax confirmation was sucessfully sent.

I am very disappointed in the people at this company because they are dealing with people who are not in good health and do not realize that instead of helping, they are making the conditons worse with added stress, aggration and many phone calls which ALWAYS turns over to her voicemail or another representative who says sorry, we cannot help you. However, when you leave a voicemail for the case manager, they do not return your calls.

I June, 2004, I developed a peripheral neuropathy, first affecting my right hand, then my left and then to my feet. In August, I took two weeks off from work (I am a computer programmer) to see if it would help the condition, which it did a little. In the meantime, I have been to four neurologists and gone through medical tests including EMG, MRI, catscan, Chiropractic xray, blood tests, etc. I have the results of all of these tests. All are negative, except for the neurological tests which indicate that there is nerve damage and I have had two of those.

One of the neurologists that I went to see told me that I needed to take at least three months off and gave me a note saying that I had repetitive strain disorder and that I was temporarily disabled for three months. On 11/29/04 I began my three month leave, understanding that my short term disability plan would not pay for the first month and that I would then get 60% of my salary for the following two months.

In the meantime, when I first called Met life they suggested that I apply for worker's comp, which I did. Then the nightmare began. First I received a letter from Met LIfe stating that my FMLA claim had been denied. It took several phone calls to discover that what they were saying was that my job security was not insured since my employement at his company had not been for a period of 1 year yet.

At any rate, almost four months of phone calls where each time I spoke to a different person who had different information for me (I was being denied because I had applied for worker's comp and I would not be allowed to withdraw the worker's comp case or I have been given different fax numbers to mail documentation to and they seem to have a problem receiving what has been faxed to them, etc) I have now received a letter stating that I have been denied because my leave was not long enough for me to receive benefits (and by the way I am back at work with little or no improvement in my condition) I called them and they said no, no that is not the reason for the denial, it is because the medical documentation submitted did not support a short term disability leave.

I learned from Mike del ducca that they have a nurse that looks at the medical records, and, although I had sent all test results, they only looked at the emg results from a test taken in June, when only my right hand was involved. In addition, because I did not supply doctor's notes from doctor's visits while I was on leave, I was denied.

I asked why they had never told me that I needed to be seeing a doctor while I was out and that if they had, I would have complied and I said that I thought they were wrong in that they did not tell me before hand what I needed to do, so how was I supposed to know what they needed, not to mention that since I did not have any income, it was difficult to see doctors. In addition, I thought that they should have informed me that I was being denied and given me a chance to get the documentation that they required.

At this point all I can do is appeal, as my case is closed, but I would also like to start any action that I can against them because this appears to be a deliberate effort to confuse and to hope that you will give up so they do not have to pay. I realize that my circumstances are not as bad as many other contributors to this effort, but they should be brought up on charges for their deliberate obstructionism.

I became ill in 12/93. symptoms progressed and no one, despite many consults, could give me a correct diagnosis. Fianlly, I was told I had a rare brain disease in Jan 1996. I stopped working in Feb. 1996, only because I couldn't stand on my legs. Getting SSDI was no problem, just had to wait 1 year. However, MetlIfe went out of their way to deny any and all claims. I had no clue what was going on and could not fight for myself (brain damage caused cognitive impairment), so I hired an attorney. He said it had to be a federal case. I don't understand what happened as the inflammation in my brain on the left side hindered my comprehension, but I was fined $5,000 and MetLife won the case.

I pleaded with my attorney that they made the wrong decision. Next, MetLife decided to settle out of court with me and gave me $25,000 check. $15,000 was to pay me back for attorney's fees and $10,000 was to live off of. MetLife attorney gave my attorney $2,500 for getting me to settle out of court. That was back in 2000.

In March of 2002, I found out MS was the real diagnosis and I still can not work to this day. I contacted my attorney when I learned the correct diagnosis and he said there was nothing that could be done.

I had to sell my house, cash in my 401K, have been homeless more than once, more than 8 different addresses since 1999, and sell my personal belongings for food. My husband was furious I was not receiving my disability from MetLife he became abusive, blaming me. I divorced him to stay alive.

I am on layoff status with no money coming in and I currently do not have anymore medical coverage for myself or my daughter and I can't send or get anymore doctors information because of this.

I have been on long term disability for 3 years. I was also receiving Labor & Industries for a job injury along time ago. Met Life knew that I was receiving L & I I informed them on several occassions they didn't deduct the amount I was receiving. In January I had to fill out more paper work which I again put down my L & I.

In May my L&I went into a pension and I notified my met life worker to let her know. She said they didn't know that I was getting L&I and that I will have to pay back all that money. I told her that I put it on the paper that I just turned in and she said that she assumed nothing changed and didn't look at it. In June I received a letter that all my benefits are going to stop unless I send them a check for $11,000. I had an attorney ask for an appeal since it wasn't my fault they never responded to him. I haven't received any money for 3 months.

I hired another attorney which I had to borrow the money from my mother and because this is an Erisa contract it has to go to Federal Court and I can't get damages. They never tried to contact me to make arrangements or anything until we filed suit and then they contacted my attorney and wasn't willing to settle for anything. I don't know how an insurance company can get away with just dropping your payments with it was there fault. The insurance company knows that when your on disability you don't have the money to fight this and they shouldn't be able to get away with it.

I have suffered a lot of stress to where I was hospitalized and if it wasn't for my mother and boyfriend I would be losing my house and have bad credit by know.

am insured by a group policy from ecolab inc. I have been diagnosed with severe Ischemic cardiomyopathy and 10% heart function and referred to a transplant program at Tampa General. In July 2003 Met life wrote that they have disallowed my claim as I am able to earn 65% of my previous earnings at another occupation without any explanation of what that occupation would be or who would hire me with such severe limitations.

Their policy has a clause that states that if I were sick or injured during the year that benifits were calculted from tthat the previous years earnings would be applied to calculate benifits but they have refused to do so although I have supplied them with records from Ecolab of all pay stubs and 1040's for the last three years worked. I have sent them release information for my ssi records on 4 occassions but they keep stating that they don,t have them and send more request forms for release information.

I have since appealed my rejection, sent letters from my doctor but have only recieved a letter advising that they recieved my appeal. they do not return phone calls and it is almost impossible to get through the phone maze to speak with my case manager directly. I feel that they are ripping off my employer by selling such innefective service on our group polocy.

I have undergone a great deal of stress that I feel is causing my condition to worsen due to the uncertainity of my finances, supporting my family paying mortgage, son in college, and wife working 60 hours a week just to keep bills paid. If my appeal is denied I will lose medical benifits from my employer and if no med insurance then no heart transplant