UnumProvident Insurance Company

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Select an insurance Auto and Home Auto Home Life Health Long Term Care Are you currently insured? Yes No Enter ZIP 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

A class action suit charges that Unum systematically denies disability claims. The complaints we receive do nothing to dispel that notion. For a particularly outrageous chain of events, see Judy's Story.

Joseph of Skokie, IL May 20, 2009

I qualified and received my long term disablity payments from Unum for 2 years. My policy from Safeway/ Dominicks said that at age 65 I was elgible for 3 years of payments. Mr. C sent me a letter dated July 14 2008 stating that as of January 1. 2006, my policy was amended to two years. My disablity date was February 7, 2006. We went back and forth and got no where. I talked to a lady at Safeway;her name is Marikay S.She said that the policy had not changed since January 1, 2003. She sent me a copy of the policy.

It stated that Safeway and myself were to be notified of any policy changes.I had a lawyer send Unium a letter with my conserns. They told him the same as they were telling me. I am not sure when but Marikay S did a complete turn around. She said that Unum did not change their policy and that Safeway dropped Unum because of unsatisfactory performance. Later, she said that they did make the change. After that, I gave up. I lost a year of payments equalling 24,000.

kathleen of buffalo, NY May 6, 2009

unum has systemically held up payment of my std claims by repeatly stating doctor has not sent requested information. on several occasions I have witnessed the doctors office faxing over all information. unum has unfairly closed my claim. I am not able to continue to pay my bills with no income from myself. They trying to force my back to work when physcially I am not able.

Katherine of Wurtsboro, NY April 6, 2009

Katherine of Wurtsboro NY (04/06/09)
I am a full-time employee working part time and have been approved by Unum for long term disability. Some days I am able to work, other days are not as good, but my employer has agreed to allow me to work 4.5 hrs per day and I received disability for the remaining 3.5 hours. Every month I would fax my paychecks to Unum and based on the amount of hours that I was disabled they would send me a monthly payment. There are 2 months of the year that I did not receive payment from Unum because I received 3 paychecks from my employer and that put me over the amount I was allowed to earn.

That was all fine until November 2008. At that point I reached 24 months, never earning more than 50% of my total earnings from my employer. Unum then states to me that after 24 months they are doing a new calculation and they base it my projected earnings for this year. I requested a copy of my employers contract and it clearly states If your disability earnings fluctuate, Unum may average your disability earnings over the most recent 3 months to determine if your claim should continue. The contract goes on to state they will not terminate your benefits unless Beyond 24 months of disability payments, the average of your disability earnings from the last 3 months exceeds the gross disability payment.

My gross disabiltiy payment is 1673.26 per month, and my average earnings over Nov, Dec and January were: 1,577.37 which is clearly below. I have requested an appeal, only to have it denied. Unum states they can calculate my income on a common basis and are projecting that I will make over the limit. This is totally untrue since I have not worked nor will be able to work over 4.5 hours because of my medical condition. I am not being denied disability due to my documented illness, but simply because Unum has decided to calculate my income in a way that is not conducive to the policy.

I have gone to my Human Resources regarding this issue to no avail since they no longer use Unum as their disability carrier which is why I believe they are denying my benefits. There are 2 months out of the year that I do receive 3 paychecks so for those 2 months I have not received benefits from Unum because I was over the allowed monthly income amount. I don't have a problem with that. You simply cannot talk to anyone there regarding this issue. I was told to file for Social Security disability if I did not like the decision. I am trying to do the right thing by working as many hours as I can, and feel as though I am being punished for it. I would appreciate any advice. Thank you :)

Pamela of Laporte, IN March 12, 2009

Pamela of Laporte IN (03/12/09)
I purchased std through my company to off set my companyies benefits. I went on dis.SEPT.26-08. It took four weeks to recieve any benefits and then i was contacted that they over payed me so they stopped my payments when time came to start paying me again they have done every thing they can to not pay me. I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy and hypothyroidism the doctor has sent them all of the paper work, everything they have asked for. they keep putting me off Ihave been with out benefits since DEC.29-08

IT IS NOW MARCH 12TH THEY ARE RUINING ME FINANCIALLY. I PAY FOR THIS BENEFIT OUT OF MY OWN POCKET SO THAT I DONT GET INTO A SITUATION LIKE THIS. What is my legal right? where can i get help. We have had to get into our pension just to stay afloat. THIS has got to stop. this insurance company should be held responsible for ruining peoples lives by not paying beneifits owed. HEAR WE GO AGAIN THE LITTLE GUY GETS [HURT] AND THEIR IS NO ONE TO TURN TOO

FINANCIAL HARDSHIP UNHEALTHY STRESS

Sandra of Memphis, TN February 22, 2009

Sandra of Memphis TN (02/22/09)
I work for Snucks grocery in Memphis Tn. I took out insurance thru the Company witch provied Unum Providince. I had surgery done to my hand on Oct. 2c. 2008 and have been out of work since that time. Unum sent me 600 dollars as a first payment in jan 2009. Since that time I have recieved nothing else from the except a denial due to not recieving my claim from my doctor. This is not true since I have contacted my Doctor on several occasions and they have verified that indeed that the claims were sent promptly at each request to satisfy Unum claim that they had not recieved my paperwork.

In addition I have also sent the claim by Certified mail next day mail just in case the were to keep denyng that they are not recieving my claim.I need my money for this since I don't have any other income and cannot work due to thye type of surgery I had done to my hand.

This contant use of paperwork denial by Umum has brought me under extreem durest and now I am facing losing all I have worked so hard for all my life. I cannot pay my bills and or take care of basic needs such as food clothing etc.

Jane of Peachtree City, GA February 19, 2009

Jane of Peachtree City GA (02/19/09)
I purchased Long Term Disability Insurance with Unum Co. through my employer in 2004. Since I became disabled from work in 2006,I have two issues with Unum not honoring my benefits that I am entitled to receive under my policy. First, Unum abruptly stopped paying my benefits on August 12, 2008. Unum sent me a letter that they stopped paying my benefits because their internal doctor who never has seen me or evaluated me, overturned my treating doctors medical restrictions. Unum advised my treating doctors restrictions were too extreme, and I could in fact return to my previous job.

In fact, although I was diagnosed with multiple herniated discs in my back, and had a broken tailbone, and had sustained nerve damage and muscle damage from performing my sitting and driving job duties while my tailbone was broken (but as yet undiagnosed) - Unum determined I could sit and drive for extended hours on my previous job. However, the company fired me for the doctors restrictions, and refused to allow me to work until my restrictions were lifted.

My second issue with Unum is that once I obtained a copy of my file with Unum, it came to light that they had been paying me a lower benefit amount than stipulated in my policy the entire time they were paying me. The underpayment was based on Unum using three different incorrect disability dates - rather than the date my company's H.R. dept shows that I first missed work due to illness. Part of the problem developed from a wrong date that my doctor initially put on one of my forms. However, the doctor later corrected the date, and Unum refused to pay me the correct benefit amount. The difference of the underpayment so far is approximately five thousand dollars. (5000)

The consequences I have suffered from Unum not paying me the money they owe me, is that I have had to use my savings and credit to pay bills and expenses and medical expenses. In November, 2008, my funds completely ran out. I cannot afford medical treatment or medicines now. My stress level is very high because I have not had money to eat, put gas in my car, or pay my bills. My credit was in very good standing previously. Now, I have missed a credit card payment for two months straight. It is totally unfair to be placed in this position - while I am sick. It is an abomination that a company that is supposed to be helping disabled people, would take advantage of them in this way. I am the victim of bad faith practices on the part of Unum.

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