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Judy's Story

UnumProvident • Consumer Complaints • Reader Comments News: • UnumProvident Agrees to "Sweeping Reforms" • In Settlement with NY, Unum Agrees to Review Denied Disability Claims • Unum Class Action Filed • $31 Million Jury Verdict • Georgia Fines Unum $1 Million

Judy of Portland OR (2/2/05):
I am an acute care hemodialysis nurse who was working on an acute mobile unit. My work takes me to several different hospitals where I dialyze acute patients primarily in the ICU. Last year I obtained a very virulent penicillin-resistant staph infection via an unknown papercut in my finger. The bacterial infection quickly entered my bloodstream and settled into my SI joint (lower back/sacral area) and over towards my hip, resulting in a critical condition in which I became septic and found myself in the hospital for weeks in critical condition with severe pain. I was unable to even turn in bed.

I have been out of work for almost a year now, spending my days in various therapies and doctors appointments, dealing with chronic pain requiring an assortment of pain medications. I have spent many months regaining my ability to walk. I work more now trying to recover my health and my ability to work than I did as a full time nurse. But that's only the beginning and not the worst of the story.

I wish I could say that this was just a story about a nurse who got hurt, but it's not. I have been introduced to the world of numerous fradulent business practices.

To start with, my workman's compensation case was denied (I later found out they had an attorney working on a denial of my case after I was in the hospital only a couple of days and I didn't even know I had a case). But I thought, I'll be OK ... I have disability insurance. Yea right!

I'm here to share with people that if they think they and their families are safe in case they lose their income due to an injury because they have a good job and have insurance, they're wrong and they better plan on a very long rainy day. My disbility insurance company (like millions of others) is Unum Provident. And if you look up Unum on the internet, that gives you only a glimpse of their business practices.

But here's the real interesting part. My claim was not denied. I was approved, not once, not twice but several times by Unum. But do they pay? No! I have waited now for over 10 months to obtain my short and long term disability payments for which I have been repeatedly approved. I have spent countless hours, written countless letters and even have retained attorneys on my behalf. I have found that they can ignore my attorney just as easily as they ignore me. Unum's "business as usual" practice includes repeated requests for documentation that they have already received (I should state via certified and overnight mail). They act as if they have never received anything.

After my initial approval, they even sent me a check, but I was called at 6:00am the next morning by their representative to tell me that they had put a stop payment on that check and that "he was sorry, he had made an error in the amount". After their representative continued to tell me one thing and then another I decided to let my husband speak with him. We have concluded that lying and playing stupid is their normal business practice and we don't talk to them anymore but now have an attorney represent us.

After the initial stopped check, Unum said they would expedite another check for the correct amount which of course never arrived. Then Unum wrote to tell me that, well, maybe my case is not approved and they need all my hospital files to send to their medical director for review. Yet another month later, I received yet another letter, congraduating me once again because I was approved. Do I see a check? No! Then new letters with requests for more documents. At this point their is nothing else to send. I retained an attorney who has also sent them many letters and made many phone calls on my behalf. Nothing has worked.

What's worse, is that I live in Oregon which is a state with no laws to protect its workers. In other states you will see many people suing for this very thing -- yet in Oregon I have very little recourse though I hope the Oregon legislature will soon make a change and can only hope that myself and others in my situation are helped. Unum doesn't care how its business practices affect indiviuals. Unum has continued for years to operate in this manner even after countless millions of dollars have been paid in damages for this very thing.

Just because they are a billion dollar insurance company, they aren't above the law. It's time this type of business practice is stopped. We need to encourage our legislature in our states to get tough and protect its citizens.

I have had numerous adverse financial affects as a result of Unum's refusal to pay my approved disability claim. I have had to sell my beautiful home, run up enormous debt, and have a huge financial burden placed on my new marriage. And I'm one of the lucky ones as I'm married to a wonderful man who has been so supportive both emotionally and financially though it has been difficult for both of us to say the least.

If I were single, I would be homeless and destitute as a result of these practices. I'm only speaking now of my disability claim. I have much the same to say for my workman's compensation insurance company who operates in the same fashion. And not much positive things to say about my medical insurance who pays some but mostly denies most of my medical bills.

Yes, this past year has taught me much about insurance companies business practice. I'm still shocked that they have been allowed to ruin so many peoples lives. I'm here to tell you. If you think you have insurance coverage ... think again. My advice to all consumers is: save your money for a rainy day and hope you'll never need it. Oh, and one final note: I have continued to pay my monthly benefits including to Unum Provident. It seems to me that these insurance companies only like to see money going one way: theirs!

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