Unum Insurance Company Reviews

After close to a month, I received my first denial notice which stated "substance/drug abuse is not covered unless prescribed by a physician." This was their first stall attempt. The medication was prescribed. However, I decided to play along. I wrote them a long letter describing the situation. In addition, I provided the full year of pharmacy printouts which showed the **. In addition, my primary doctor wrote a letter stating he prescribed the ** and **, and my psychiatrist wrote a small note stating that he had prescribed the ** for generalized anxiety. I sent this package via certified mail on October 13th with high hopes.

I received my second declination on November 5th. This time, their reason was completely outrageous, and I know they are just trying to waste my time. They stated, "The diagnosis provided by my physician is generalized anxiety disorder and is excluded from the policy." The fact that I had anxiety and was being treated with ** in the past should have nothing to do with the fact that I was now claiming substance abuse as disability which they do cover. I am not disabled from anxiety. In fact, since being in rehab since August, I have not been on any medication whatsoever.

I do not think they can change my whole disability claim to "anxiety," because my doctor wrote I was being treated for anxiety in the past on a prescription pad. I filled out all the legal appropriate forms and had the rehab doctor sign the disability forms stating substance abuse was my disability. NY state paid my disability. I have some meager sick time left from my job, but it is not enough to support my family. And it irritates me that through this all, first Unum is still being paid every pay period and not paying me on my claim. Now, they say they want my full private medical records, and I am not sure if I should give that to them. They already have enough information.

I worked for my company for over 15 years and voluntarily paid out of each paycheck for added disability benefits. After several mergers and years, I am still considered on a leave of absence. How bizarre is this. The company has been satisfied with my doctors but not Unum. They were satisfied to take my premiums for 14 years and qualified to say I can lift 20 lbs or more when my doctors do not agree.

My home is in jeopardy of foreclosure. My car payment is behind. Doctor bills are behind. I no longer have medical insurance. I cannot take many of my prescribed medication. I have a hospital bill of $20,000 or more and payments are delinquent (because I was hospitalized after insurance coverage). My medical bills are enormous and like many, I am in constant pain.

I worked for the Mental Health Association of Southeastern PA for 9 years, and for the last 7 of those years, I was a project director. I loved my work and thrived there. After the fall, I gradually became worse from the pain, the migraines, and fibromyalgia flare ups. My father died, and I had a terrible time of grief. The migraines became so frequent and so bad that I was unable to continue my work and had to take a leave of absence. I realized that I was too sick to work, and I applied for STD through my employer insurance, Unum.

Well, I had one hell of a time with constant paperwork, doctor visits, more paperwork, and more requests from Unum for more and more proof, until I ended up having a nervous breakdown. I felt suicidal and had to be admitted in the local hospital behavioral unit for a week. Unum demanded all my records from my mental health providers, and pressured me to send them everything. My therapist and doctor would not send my progress notes, only the dates and times of appointments. I did get short term and then long term disability after Unum made me go to Philadelphia to see an independent neurological specialist to determine the extent of my problems.

Finally, they gave me long term benefits. They pressured me to sign papers to get LTDs and demanded that I pay them my social security award, which I did not do. They began to a portion of my LTD benefits as repayment to them from me for what I have no idea. My long term monthly benefit is $1,495.00. They keep it. Every month from February of 2007, they continue to keep my monthly benefit. They want to sue me for a total of $55,000.00. My social security award was a little over $12,000.00 and I used that money to move to Florida to give family support to my sister, and to my mother who was dying of lung cancer. She passed on in February of 2008.

I am surviving on my social security income, about $1,000.00 per month. Believe me, I am not complaining about that because I am grateful to have it. But I am being grossly mistreated by Unum and they are getting paid somehow. They are supposed to be sending me a check but they are keeping it. I really need an attorney to help me to fight for this and to sue Unum provident for all of the pain and suffering this has caused me and my family members. I could not afford to have a funeral for my own dear mother, thanks to them.

Since I am not receiving my Unum LTD benefits, I had to move into a small place. I cannot afford clothing or shoes. I have to get free food, sometimes from the food pantry and other charitable places. I cannot afford a vehicle. I had to give up a lot of things I used to enjoy, like cable TV, a telephone, outside activities. My mother’s cremated remains are in a box on my bedroom dresser. My friends are providing me with a cell phone and internet access (great friends). I never get to go out to eat, or to shop for clothes or anything like that. I can't afford a car, so I very seldom get to go anywhere due to the physical disabilities I have. I can't afford fruits and vegetables all the time or all the right foods for a diabetic diet.

I can't afford to go to a dentist. I can't get my glasses repaired or afford an eye exam. I have glaucoma. I make "too much" money with SSD and I cannot get approved for welfare of any kind. The quality of my life has gone down so far, that I simply survive and exist to survive each day. There are days we have little to eat but a cup of soup and an egg sandwich, and we are happy to have that. There are many times we can't even afford a roll of toilet paper and we have to ask neighbors.

I requested a copy of my employer's 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 disability payment is $1,673.26 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 three 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.

The check came. It was almost 17,000. I paid off my truck, I paid off hospital bills, etc. Two months later, I received a bill from Unum for this amount in full within 30 days. I called. They asked my rep's name who had told me to pay off bills with the money. They said that was their money. I called social security. They said they had never heard such a thing that was insurance like life insurance, you can have as much as you want as many policies as you want to pay for.

So I called Unum back, asked to speak to the rep who had told me this. She was no longer my rep, no longer with the company, and they would no longer be paying my monthly payment to me. They would be keeping it to pay themselves back for the overpayment, since I was stupid and paid off hospital bills with my social security check. Since this time, I went through 15 surgeries and ended up having my leg amputated and finding out I am HIV positive, I am so depressed all the time, and now, because I am learning to walk with a prosthesis and have been released from my orthopedic because it is out of his hands now, Unum is bugging and bugging and bugging me and needing this and that form filled out and blah blah blah.

I told the gentleman I am dealing with, "Now look **, I just went through my three-year evaluation with social security and they still deem me disabled. What more do you need?" My Unum policy is as long as I am deemed disabled. They have to pay me to age 65. I am 33. This is a very long time to be harassed and put through their stress.

Unum asks again and again for documents they already have in their possession. And I definitely feel like they are stalling.

Once, my benefits specialst called me 10 minutes before she was to leave for the weekend to tell me they haven't received a response from one of my doctors and now they would require an extra 30 days to process my claim. (Even though they already knew this doctor only made an insert for my shoe and gave me no medical treatment.)

Every other week, they request information from a different doctor - which only prolongs the process and, in turn, they again said they had to take an additional 30 days to process my claim. Like I said -- they already have ALL of this information!!

I'm broke. I literally have less than $10 in my bank acount and all of my bills are MORE than overdue. Creditors call me EVERY day. I can't take it much longer.

My partner can't afford to take care of everything, which has also put a tremendous strain on our relationship because her bills are now behind because of me.

And here's the thing - according to Unum in order to receive benefits, I must be currently be receiving dotor treatment for my foot BUT I can't afford to go to the doctor because i do not have the money to pay the doctors -- so what do I do? Unum's got me either way!

It's going on 3 months and if it weren't for my partner I would be out on the streets -- if something doesn't happen soon, we may BOTH be out on the streets. I am completely depressed, broke, AND out of a job. Please help!

I called my employer and they denied they had ever told UNUM that. What was more, the indiviual I was communicating with thought I could still perform my work duties in spite of the fact I lived 25 miles round trip to my workplace and could not drive ( I broke my right ankle) per my doctors orders. Additionally, the cast would not allow me to wear most of my work clothes. When I protested these determinations, the agent became extremely rude and suggested I was trying to pull something. I was completely disgusted by the whole incident.

I never received a penny in compensation from UNUM insurance. They are not in the least bit helpful and the premiums, although inexpensive are a waste of money. They seek any possible means for denying a claim. I did not know this web site existed or I would have provided this information a long time ago.I do not expect any compensation at this late date but I want others to know about this disreputable company.

At the time my accident occured we were not doing well financially.The money sure would have helped. I wouldn't say any damages occured as a result, although we really had to struggle as my income was vitally needed. However, the agent I was dealing with was so upsetting I had to start taking medication for my nerves.

Unum has sent me $350 dollars in 10 weeks,they are (reviewing)!! my case since it is in long term status now.It's a good thing my children are grown now, because we would be homeless and starving to death waiting on unum to pay what they owe.It is mighty strange,my employer deducted money every single week out of my check without missing a beat for 18 years,every since they started the std/ltd program.Between unum and my employer,they gave me several different fax and phone numbers,said they have tried to reach me by phone,which they have'nt,wont call my doctors,but they did call my therapist to see if they knew me.I have sent them countless sheets of paper from doctors and therapists.They didn't believe i have been taking therapy since november 2007.

Have had to quit therapy 2x because of complications popping up.I've been widowed or 2 years,my 3 children are grown,two are out of college,one is a junior in college.They are struggling trying to help me and themselves.If it wasn't for my church and my family,i would have been kicked out of my apt,wouldn't have any utilities,and very close to losing my car.For the life of me i can't understand how unum continually gets by with these tactics,with all of the past and present lawsuits.Is there anyway they can be stopped?

I reported that to my doctor along with something that did make my back hurt which was a long bike ride through soft beach sand. I got off the bike and walked it to the hard sand so I could resume riding it. The strenuous efforts of trying to ride in the soft sand caused immediate pain which was why I walked the bike. I have arthritis, osteoporosis, bone spurs, steel rods and screws in my back and am in pain daily. Unum asked for an update letter from my surgeon which was sent 4/10/08. On 4/30/08 they called to say they had not received it so I faxed a copy on the spot. Now they are telling me they will probably send me to another Orthopedic Surgeon to be evaluated even though they have numerous letters, follow up reports and copies of all MRIs.

If their doctor pronounces me fit with a quick office visit I will be cut off financially, addicted to narcotics, and still have no ability to work. When I asked how am I supposed to get a job, much less one just like I had, when I am in this position they told me that is not their problem. What a company. Glad I paid my premiums for 20 years. Now I can get ready to lose my home and any assets I may have because of a 10 minute ride on a jet ski.

I explained in writing several times thru fax, but was ignored. Every week I was getting multiple calls and at that point, was scared to talk with them The doc office advised that I not tell them anything, just keep refering them to my doc. Then I get another letter saying I would be going back to work full time April 1st - NO IDEA WHERE THEY GOT THAT DATE, not from me or the doc.

I ended up being able to go back full time April 7th THANK GOD and thoughtI would not hear from them again. WRONG, they have called me multiple times since, just recently again tonight and last Thursday - this from long term disability(Glenn Walker) - already told them once. I was under a lot of stress both financially and physically, and I truly feel, Unum was contacting me to the point of harrasement. PLUS in the beginning the number that was on their letter head was not the correct number. I would tell the people at the first number to update my file, and they just flat out didn't They were supposed to transfer me to HSBC Unum Provident.

When I was very ill, one person was SO RUDE I hung up on her and then found out all the calls I made had not updated anything. I understand that some people my fake a problem - I had plenty of documentation and doctors to prove what I was going through was not a fake. That didn't seem to matter to Unum. I have their letters and my faxes to back up what I'm saying and believe me there was much more.

I only received part pay and from Oct to Dec I got paid twice. and when I called them, they said it was HSBC. I also have uncerative colitis and this entire process was pretty upsetting that I had a flare up which was documented in Dec by the hospital as well as not being able to walk.

Economic damages: no longer could be independent, moved in with then boyfriend who had to pay my last 2 months rent on the apartment. Could not get unemployment because I was not well enough to work. Found a job working from home, but later the company wanted me to commute. I could not stay alert enough to drive the distance and I quit that job. Stayed off work for a few months and found a low paying job at the city of Houston. I have been ill off and on throughout, but in October I had a serious episode with this illness. I was off for 2 months, then went back part time. I cannot seem to make a full week of work because of the exhaustion.Ii have a sleep specialist, neurologist, endocrinologist, primary care, psychiatrist and in April they have referred me to a rheumatologist.

When my SSDI came through, oddly enough, they (Unum) decided to pay my claim in a lump sum. It came the same day as my SSDI did. I was told I could keep it. They bugged me every month because, heaven forbid, they had to pay me 100 dollars each month. That was my benefit. I was later put in collections for the $3,000.00 they had paid me, and I had to empty my pension to pay them back. They got off scott free.

As the years have progressed, my disability has gotten worse. I have fallen down my apt stairs and have broken my right foot in 2004, requiring reconstructive surgery. I had PT for 2 years. I recently in October re-broke the same foot. I walk with a cane now. I'm only 46 years old. I'm a prisoner in my own apt. (second floor) because I don't have enough money to move, and my apt. wants a 400 dollar transfer fee. I don't know how Unum employees sleep at night. They get away with not paying and leaving the government to foot the bill. I don't see things improving for myself and I feel deeply for all of you who told your stories.

Had to go into my pension and withdraw all my money. $3,000.00. Physically, I fall to the right, and mobility is an issue. They told me I could still work! I'm stuck on a 2nd floor apt. with no way to move. What I get paid a month, $892- apparently is too much for any kind of assistance. I live alone. And my disability gets worse each year.

And then the nightmare really began, it was my responsibility to get doctor reports, to prove my case should stay alive and not closed. Took Genex almost 2 yrs to get my SSDI, but an ironic thing happened when I got approved. Genex had my new address, but they sent to my old address, and faxed the approval to Unum. A phone call would have been appropriate, 3 days after approval of SSDI I received a letter form Unum saying I will need to fill out more info to keep my benefits coming. And a week later I received another letter from Unum's financial department stating I owed them $18,126.00, and then another letter came saying I had to sign over all rights of my Social Security Information, and if I did not my benefits would cease. I called the financial department and spoke to Ms Austin, who explained I would not be getting any back pay until all areas were straightened out accordingly to make sure I did not get overpaid. She said she would followup in January 2008. We spoke a few days ago and since I might not receive any payment at all due to personal reasons, they (Unum) have stated my benefits will cease and my monthly benefits will stop coming to repay what is owed to them. I am already in financial ruin and lost my home, and my vehicle, not much left but to file bankruptcy.

The consequences are marital problems and foreclosure on our home.

Anyway, UNUM was supposed to pay the difference between the SSDI amount and the UNUM amount which lowered UNUM's libility to about 1000.00 a month at the time.

We went bankrupt (legally in court) and never really recovered from UNUM'S crap and from that time approx 10-12 years ago, I've remained on SSDI and have never received a payment from UNUM which would be pretty big by now. Personally, I think they are all low lifes.

First thing, what right do they have to tell me I'm okay? Second, everyone heals differently, what could be good for one person is not good for another, therefore each claim should be looked at individually not as a rule. I am to return to work on May 15th, the company only wants to pay me for the time they think is reasonable, which is until April 23rd, which was my last Dr visit.

This company is very heartless and does not want to work with you on an individual basis.

I was unable to meet my financial obligations, so I had to borrow money just to make my bills, and promised to pay it back once UnumProvident paid me. I have just had surgery, which entails chunks of my body has been removed, I have stitches inside & outside my body, and now I am having to deal with the stress of these people, and getting my bills paid, and trying to recuperate. This should my time for healing and getting my body back to normal, not fighting with a company who should be helping me not hurting me.

As a result of one of the surgeries, I have significant difficulty with short term memory, comprehension, coordinating, forgetting what I'm, and walking away, no matter what it might be. confused very easily, and unsteadiness on my right side, and sometimes I forget something is in my right hand, and I drop it or it falls.

I suffered from extreme sleep apnea, had turned blue three times, was put into the hospital with breathing difficulties, and the decision was made that I needed to take time off. I was not allowed to drive and had to get help getting to the doctor, 70 miles away as they helped me. I was put on a c-pap which helped some, but not enough to make it through a day. I was put in the hospital three times for studies and the doctor stated clearly that my apnea was clearly disabling, after extensive studies and she would fill out any paperwork.

Social Security was filed and granted when I had to resign, the worst day I experienced. Unum Provident determined I qualified, as well, but not for the illness. I have been bi-polar for 30 years and am monthly monitored. I have no career ending problems with this, but the agent, when I called and was upset at this decision, actually called me a mental case. I received the two years of benefits for the mental issue, not the full benefits due me. I filed an appeal, was turned down and when I complained about this I was told I had reached the end of my opportunities.

I had so much evidence but they pulled what they wanted. I am one of those in review, but I believe Unum is Unum. My agent is decent, but I fear I will have to enter a class action or private attorney.By the way, not only do they take away your benefits, they take away your dignity, which gives me cause to keep fighting, for you see, I am not a mental case.

I lost my benefits that should have continued beyend the two years to age 65. I am not able to work, the stress caused severe stomach damage so that I had to have surgery to have my entire stomach removed. Currently I am on morphine and Vicodan for adhesions from the surgery. I have tremendous difficulty wearing my c-pap mask as I sleep sitting up to prevent vomiting in the mask. During the day I sleep two to three times, preventing me even the energy to volunteer in a school.

my reimbursement should have been in trange of $ 50 - 70,000.00 at this time, which leaves me in financial distress

So finally after 9 or so months I received a call from April: Good news, I just wanted you to know that this is a medically supported claim. Fast forward to 2 weeks later, oh we can't pay you because you have to have a 20% loss....OK, well I'm a 40 hour employee, and I cut my hours by 8 a week, so that's 32 hours a month. To me that looks like a 20% loss.

I was moving from NH to Maine when they sent a second letter requesting additional information during the summer of 2005. I was moving to Maine because we couldn't afford to live in Milford NH anymore. Besides the fact that I have been unable to work since getting ill, the company my husband had worked for, for about 17 years was cutting everyone's hours back to 20 a week. We couldn't make our mortgage payments, pay our taxes and all the rest. We had to sell our house. We had to use the proceeds of the sale to pay off debts we had accrued, and we had to use what was left to live on.

My husband was working for UPS part time in the Nashua NH facility in addition to his other job and was told if we relocated they would give him a full time position in the Wells facility. That didn't happen. We moved to Maine because we have a piece of land in Kennebunk Maine. We lived in our pop up camper all last summer waiting for my husband to be made full time and all along hoping that we would be able to obtain financing to build a house. We had no mailing address until we could get a building permit. All our mail was being held in NH.

After finally receiving the request, filling out the information they requested and sending it back, I received a letter back from Unum claiming it "was too Late". So again they have managed to screw me out of the coverage I deserved.

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 fraudulent 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 disability 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, congratulating 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 individuals. 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.