Bankers Life & Casualty Long-Term Care Insurance Reviews
Our editorial standards
- Our editorial team reviews and fact-checks all content before it’s published.
- We rely on expert input and trusted sources to verify our articles.
- All articles published must meet our editorial standards and independence policy.
Our review standards
- Our moderation team evaluates reviews to make sure they meet our guidelines.
- We require contact information to verify reviews come from real customers.
- Financial relationships do not influence whether we publish a consumer review.
About Bankers Life & Casualty Long-Term Care Insurance
This profile has not been claimed by the company. See reviews below to learn more or submit your own review.
Bankers Life sells term, permanent and universal life insurance policies. Term life insurance covers policyholders for 5, 10 or 20 years, and the whole and universal policies provide coverage for life. Permanent policies automatically include individual riders. Customers must speak to a local representative for quotes and coverage options, then apply with that representative. The company does not let customers apply online.
Visit www.bankerslife.comBankers Life & Casualty Long-Term Care Insurance Reviews
Filter by Rating
- (6)
- (2)
- (3)
- (5)
- (81)
Popular Mentions
Our review standards
- Our moderation team evaluates reviews to make sure they meet our guidelines.
- We require contact information to verify reviews come from real customers.
- Financial relationships do not influence whether we publish a consumer review.
Recent
- Recent
- Oldest
- Most helpful
A link has directed you to this review. Its location on this page may change next time you visit.
Our review standards
- Our moderation team evaluates reviews to make sure they meet our guidelines.
- We require contact information to verify reviews come from real customers.
- Financial relationships do not influence whether we publish a consumer review.
Reviewed March 12, 2015
My father-in-law has Alzheimer's disease and was diagnosed 3 years ago. Our nightmare with Bankers began in January 2012. I have read all of these complaints and feel as if I am reading our own story. I will try to keep this short and share some possible strategies that we are trying.
We began meeting with the first agent in January of 2012 after my father-in-law went missing and was thankfully found. We started the claim process at that time. After numerous delay tactics, mismanagement, and incompetence on the part of Bankers, we were finally, one year and two months later in March 20, he was DENIED money for his daily care. We were asked numerous times to provide information that we had already provided. It went on and on. In addition, our caregiver was told to take classes for her certificate and she would be covered. She spent over 700.00 to complete the course, but they refused to pay on the grounds that she was an independent caregiver. Nowhere in the policy does it stipulate that the caregiver needs to be associated with an agency. I wrote to the NJ Insurance Complaint Department, but to no avail.
Just recently, my father-in-law stayed at a local facility for respite care, which was covered in his policy. The dates were 12/24/14-1/5/15. Of course the facility faxed 33 pages of information to Bankers, then completed another 10 pages deemed necessary for the claim process to continue, which it hasn't. That was not enough. They required an itemized bill, which the facility does not complete. I'm sure Bankers knows this well.
However, the facility has been very helpful and is trying to meet all of Bankers' requirements. The facility stated that they have NEVER dealt with this problem before and they deal with companies all the time. I have called Bankers repeatedly. The last time I asked how many people were handling our claim and the man said, "Quite a large number of people." This is absurd. Every time I call now I am taking names and writing what they tell me about the claim so I can keep track. I get someone different all the time. They appear to be reading from a script. I could go on and on. This claim still has not been resolved. But let's do something.
Please help me do the following: Write a letter to the president of the company - Mr. Scott Goldberg. It looks like the HQ is in Chicago. 111 E. Wacker Dr. Chicago, IL 60601-3713. Write to the insurance complaint department in your state. Nothing will help unless we make this more public. My next step will be to contact 7 On Your Side, our TV station in NYC. Please contact your local station. Please send letters to your local newspapers. CNN also has investigative reporters such as Drew Griffin. Write to the BBB of Illinois. You can do that on the BBB website. I am appalled at how much time this takes. But the bigger issue is that this company is getting away with making promises and knowing full well that unless an elderly person has someone to fight for them, they will never get a penny.
Reviewed March 9, 2015
I put in a claim for my father in September 2014 and expected a claim check to start in December of 2014. We have not gotten a check for December, January and now February. I have spent many hours on the phone and each time they tell us that some other information for him all of the requirements from the beginning of this process but they did not. After many lies that the check will be sent out, we still have no payment for his care. I would never take out any insurance from this company. They take your money but do not pay their claims!
Reviewed Feb. 28, 2015
After a stroke, and they provided no help. Now my step mom is in a nursing home and I am going to try to get the policy reinstated, but after reading all of the reviews, it still looks like there is going to be a battle to even get them to pay anything. She is being forced to spend down her assets/life insurance policy and lose her home to apply for Medicaid when she had a long-term care policy in place. This is not right. Shame on these insurance companies preying on the elderly.
Reviewed Feb. 8, 2015
We began filing a claim for my father who is 94 and needs 24 hr care because of various health reasons. We first began the process in Sept. of 2014 and have yet to receive any funds, though he is well qualified, we have met all requirements, and he has met the deductible easily. Every time we call, we get a different agent in all countries around the world. Each agent has different information and every time we are told that we need something different to meet the requirements. My parents both have a considerable amount invested in LTC and I am ready to help someone bring a class action lawsuit!!!
This company preys on the elderly who can't defend themselves. It is as bad as the scams you read about with people taking money from the elderly. I will keep on this company until something is resolved!!!
Reviewed Jan. 9, 2015
My mother-in-law took out a policy for long term care with these people 15 years ago and now wants to use the policy and it is a nightmare. I'm surprised there hasn't been a class action lawsuit against them. They are happy to take your money for years but they DO NOT want to pay any claims. They keep harassing us and calling us trying to find a reason why they don't have to pay. The agencies they use have extremely POOR workers providing care. We have had 5 different employees in a few months period because they keep quitting.
They tell you you can go with whoever you want, but that is pretty much a lie too because they will look for ANY reason not to pay a claim. They keep calling to see if they can find something in your recorded conversation that will let them off the hook. If you're even considering this company - run - don't walk. I would NEVER get a policy like this and especially NOT from Bankers Life, after seeing how difficult it is to use it. It was definitely a waste!
Reviewed Dec. 18, 2014
I will be 86 in a couple of months. My husband has Parkinson’s and I have been caring for him now starting our 70th year. When we took out the policy in 1999 everyone’s so helpful. Little did we realize what laid ahead when we needed to start using the policy. When we used Visiting Angles they told us they would not recognize them. The agency sent documentation to no avail. We then got private girl only to be told that Home Health Aid would not work. Finally got a CNA. Reading previous complaint on this site it is what I have gone through. They would say they didn't get pages etc. It has been a nightmare.
Finally I have been getting help with an office locally. She would fax to them my paperwork so no excuses. They have been wonderful but now the headquarters say this is not enough. I would send them for the last couple of years a copy of the back and front of the check. Now they want the banks cancelled check so we are talking waiting a month before I get my statement and a couple weeks for them to process. I am tired out fighting this awful company. Would love to quit but that is probably what they want. Can't something be done???
Reviewed Oct. 29, 2014
My Mother (who is 80 yrs. old) has had this policy since 2002, and has had $90/month deducted from her checking account for the past 12 years! In May of 2014, she suffered a stroke, and was unable to stay in Senior Housing. I moved her into Assisted Living (which Banker's Life does cover). I requested paperwork to submit a claim, and once received I diligently filled-out all paperwork & faxed to the # listed. I had to call numerous times to check on status, couldn't understand any of the rep's I spoke with (terribly heavy accents - made me think I was calling Dell Tech support). They repeatedly sent out paperwork asking for the same information over and over. Everyone I spoke with said they'd make Notes of our conversation, but they never did.
She did a brief stay in Rehab, while in Assisted Living (which Medicare & supplemental Insurance covered). We just got a letter in the mail stating that they've now overpaid us (since they paid for the Rehab stay--which we told them OVER & OVER that we were NOT claiming for that care), but they refused to listen & cut the check anyways. Now they are requesting reimbursement. We finally received one check and have submitted additional invoices for her care thru October 2014. In the meantime, we've spent well over $24,000 for her care, and her move to a permanent Long-term care Nursing Home. We're waiting for reimbursement of Sept. & Oct. charges to continue to pay for her care. We cannot put her on Mass Health as long as there is Insurance Money that can be used.
Now, we're scrambling to make another Month's payment to the Nursing Home. BUT I have to get on the phone & explain to them AGAIN, that they paid for care they shouldn't have, and that we're still waiting on payment for her Assisted Living expenses, and Nursing Home care. They very readily took her $$ for 12 years, but when it comes to submitting a claim for reimbursement, they make it extremely difficult - and if it wasn't for me, her daughter handling this, she would've given up on submitting any type of claim - due to her age & health. Oh yes, and as her Power of Attorney, it took over 3 phone calls to get them to even talk to me. They wanted an Original copy of the PoA which I don't mail out to anyone. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying LTC Policy thru them, unless you don't plan on using it.
Reviewed Sept. 23, 2013
My mother purchased a Long Term Home Health Insurance Policy on April 12, 2002, from Agent Kip **. Since then she has become legally blind and they refused to pay for care. In August 2012, I traveled to Washington to help take care of my mother as she had become a danger to herself. Being there 24/7, I realized that she was having periods of confusion/paranoia. These became severe enough that she was diagnosed on January 9, 2013 with Dementia. I could no longer take care of her, so we moved her to Patriots Landing Assisted Living. She had to have help bathing, being taken to meals, dressing, given medications and so on.
I contacted Banker's and asked what they needed for me to file a claim. They gave me a list, reminding me that this was supposed to be a home policy and therefore they would only pay the amounts for the services themselves, not the "room and board charges." I assembled everything they asked for in a packet and sent it to them. They continually requested the same information from me and her doctor and Patriots Landing numerous times, then denied the claim. I contacted Kip, the agent, who said he didn't know why they would deny it and that he had also sent a copy of the info to them. Since then, the Claim Dept has told me to file for an appeal, as my mother's Dementia has progressed to the point where she could not stay in Assisted Living (she attacked other residents) so she was sent to Highline Medical Hospital's Specialty Campus, where she was evaluated again for a two week time period with a final diagnosis of Dementia and Alzheimer's.
Since Patriot Landing had no opening in their Memory Care wing, she was transferred to Emeritus @ Harbour Pointe, in Ocean Shores, WA. My sister had built a house there, and would be able to visit with her there. I filed and sent all the paperwork again, this time as an appeal. After weeks, I called to be told they wanted it filed as a new claim since she was at a new facility (meaning we would not be reimbursed the amounts they should have paid from February 2013 on). And finally, we get to today, when I received a call telling me the claim was denied. Emeritus hadn't sent the documentation to prove Dementia, nor other statements of itemized billing and their Facility License, and that even if they had, we need to go to a different company called "Personal Service Providers" at ph (360) 538-1540.
The claim was denied. I have been around and around with this company, supplying the paperwork time after time, and they are still taking money every month for this policy they refuse to pay on. I can't be the only one they are doing this to, and I am ready to do whatever it takes to get them to honor their contract or refund all monies they have collected from my mother, with interest calculated at the 2002 rates.
Reviewed July 6, 2013
After paying for years into this insurance policy and finally placing a claim, the seller assigned us to an agency that was very ill-prepared to care for much of anyone. It has been a struggle from the word go. More so, no one provided a list of agencies from which to choose and the one recommended threatened us with the idea that no other agency, locally, would be able to bill the insurance directly. No care to the elderly. Just a machine to feed the loop of insurers, providing agency, and the less than helpful staff.
Reviewed June 25, 2013
Don't understand the "no account rep" complaints - I have had an account rep ever since I bought a policy 7 years ago. In fact, I get called by reps and managers at least once a year here in MA, and the same in CT. I have not - thankfully - needed to access it yet, so I can't additionally vouch for them. I have a high-deductible "MediGap" policy with them and I get tons of contacts from them on that.
Reviewed June 13, 2013
My fiancé took out this policy with Bankers a long time ago. He decided to cancel it about 3 months ago, but cannot. He cannot get anyone to talk to. His bank told him since it is a direct debit monthly from his checking, they cannot stop it. His money is being thrown away to this company and he can't even put an end to it.
Reviewed April 22, 2013
Worst company - Do not buy this Long Term Care! Many, many, many problems with this company from getting answers, resolving concerns, and getting the money even when it's been approved! They don't have direct deposit even when you do get the money. It's awful! On hold wait time is at least 20 minutes, and then you get cut off. I can't understand the customer service reps, and they can't get you to a supervisor. It's the worst company I've ever dealt with! Do not recommend. I’m putting in a complaint with the Attorney General's Office!
Reviewed Feb. 7, 2013
Everyone knows that there is a 90-day period for which the policyholder must meet before Bankers Life and Casualty Company will make payments. What they don't tell you upfront is that they will only pay for the services provided in the past month and not at the beginning of the month. It can be expensive for 90 days of long term health care in a nursing home - shall we say $12,000.00 is a reasonable amount, but when you learn that Bankers Life will not pay upfront for the period 91-120, you are then stuck with having to come up with an additional 4,000 dollars for which Bankers Life will reimburse you. What if you can't come up with that 4000 dollars? You then get a bad credit stab from the nursing home, who wants the money upfront. Bankers Life can also delay their payment beyond the 30 days, which also adds to your bad credit. In discussing this with the finance department at the nursing home, I was told that only Bankers Life pays after the 120 days - all others make payment at the first of the month for the month following the 90-day period.
The way this stacks up, the family must make the payment to the nursing home and then depend upon a reimbursement each month from Bankers Life. All other companies make payment direct to the nursing home at the beginning of the month. In other words, you may have to pay out 16,000 dollars before you will see one penny from Bankers Life. Think about it.
Reviewed June 5, 2012
I filed a claim with Bankers Life Long Term Insurance on behalf of my dad. It was quite aggravating at first getting all the paperwork together and straightened out, and getting the correct fax numbers for the correct papers. True, you never speak to the same person twice. But after we got everything in order, Bankers has sent us the money allowed us from the claim. Everything has been going smooth with them. My parents were smart to take out this insurance policy.
Reviewed Feb. 29, 2012
Bankers Life is terrible. They do not have direct lines, emails, or account reps. They transfer you around, and delay responses. They are constantly behind in payments, and you have to contact them every month to see why. They use excuses like "did not receive invoice", or have the billing so behind and confusing, no one can tell what is paid for or not. They come up with reasons not to pay claims. This process needs to be governed by an outside agency, as they are taking advantage of senior citizens, who would not be able to handle these frustrations, and it is not fair to family members to deal with this all the time. This is ongoing, and I have heard and seen additional complaints that Bankers is the worst, and no one is doing anything about it.
Reviewed Dec. 27, 2011
Our policy's premium from 1995 to 2011 has increased 250%! This year it rose by nearly 40%! I am no longer going to accept these increases without an adequate explanation from those in the State of Illinois government who receive and approve the company's rate increase documentation. There is massive incompetence as some level, and I intend to find out where it is.
Reviewed July 20, 2011
I signed up for high-deductible supplemental insurance with Pat in July of 2010. However, it did not become effective until November, when my Medicare became effective. Pat promised me excellent customer service and was always responsive before I actually signed on the dotted line. He even told me not to call the 800 number because he wanted to serve me personally.
I recently received a letter indicating that my premium was going up in July "due to a change in your age." I called Pat two times to find out why my premium was going up in July and not in November, as that is the anniversary date of my policy and my birth month. Pat never returned my calls.
I finally called the 800 number and was told my premium was going up in July since that was the month I signed up for the policy. I protested, indicating that my policy and premiums did not start until November and that is when the increase should become effective. This is five months too early and it adds up every year it happens. I didn't get anywhere and asked for a supervisor and she (Raquel) indicated she would have a "processor" review and get back to me in 10-15 days with a decision. That was on June 21 yet I have not received any call from her since that date.
Reviewed Nov. 9, 2009
Reviewed Oct. 30, 2009
Reviewed Oct. 12, 2009
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2009
Reviewed Nov. 7, 2008
Bankers Life & Casualty Long-Term Care Insurance Company Information
- Company Name:
- Bankers Life & Casualty Life Insurance
- Year Founded:
- 1879
- Address:
- 111 E Wacker Dr Suite 2100,
- City:
- Chicago
- State/Province:
- IL
- Postal Code:
- 60601
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- www.bankerslife.com