Comments on: In View of Past Misdeeds, Unum is Playing it Smart http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blog/in-view-of-past-misdeeds-unum-is-playing-it-smart-01390.html America's Premier Online Legal News Source Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:57:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MelissaBee http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blog/in-view-of-past-misdeeds-unum-is-playing-it-smart-01390.html/comment-page-1#comment-238705 MelissaBee Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:41:50 +0000 http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-238705 Unum is evil, plain and simple. I have a rare genetic disorder, and I saw my geneticist today. When I told her my Unum claim had just been denied, she shook her head and said, "They're not paying ANYBODY." I have a legitimate claim, and I'm sure her other patients do, too. My bet is that those few who haven't had problems either a)have a terminal illness with an end in sight for Unum, b)are on short-term disability, or c)have just begun to receive long-term payments. Just wait--they essentially reward their employees for cutting off claims (Check out the Dateline and 60 Minutes reports), figuring that most sick people won't be strong enough for the protracted legal battle that is sure to follow--Unum is famous for bankrupting people by fighting to the bitter end. They threatened one of my doctor's patients by turning her in to our state's insurance commission for fraud (the investigator was very irritated when he met the woman, who is clearly disabled.) And don't even think of filing a "behavioral health" claim. Unum likes these because they only have to pay you for a few years--perhaps this is why they try to drive their claimants crazy. Even multi-million dollar verdicts and fines have not deterred this sociopathic company. Employers beware--if you are thinking of purchasing this insurance for your employees, look elsewhere. Many employees have had to reluctantly sue their employers to force the employer into suing Unum for not fulfilling their contracts. Like thousands of others, I have faithfully paid my premiums for years, only to be turned down in a time of great need. In addition to my physical ailments, I am developing an anxiety disorder from having to deal with these people. In fact, my elderly mother took over the process for me when I started to have a meltdown after the company repeatedly "lost" paperwork, claimed to have never received documents that I or my doctors had sent multiple times, or asked for additional paperwork from doctors who had already completed complicated forms multiple times--anything to delay, delay, delay. They even closed my claim after saying they hadn't received paperwork from my surgeon. Fortunately, the surgeon's office had kept a copy of the fax transmission report, confirming for me that this was not just mere incompetence but an outright fraudulent tactic. Unfortunately, they are wearing down my poor mother, too. Her exact words to my Unum "claim specialist": "I can see why my daughter can't deal with this. You're driving me crazy, and I'm not even sick!" Unbelievably, until my latest claim was denied and I heard an ad on TV from a lawyer representing victims of Unum's bad faith, it never occurred to me that so many other people could be having the exact same issues. But my experience is par for the course. Do your homework. Don't believe the ridiculous rhetoric on the Unum website about how they protect all these poor, pitiful souls during difficult times. They make sick people sicker. (Don't take my word for it--just Google "Unum lawsuit" or "Unum bad faith"--there are tens of thousands of hits.) Avoid this company at all costs. There is a reason Unum has been vilified in the press--they earned it! Unum is evil, plain and simple. I have a rare genetic disorder, and I saw my geneticist today. When I told her my Unum claim had just been denied, she shook her head and said, "They're not paying ANYBODY." I have a legitimate claim, and I'm sure her other patients do, too. My bet is that those few who haven't had problems either a)have a terminal illness with an end in sight for Unum, b)are on short-term disability, or c)have just begun to receive long-term payments. Just wait–they essentially reward their employees for cutting off claims (Check out the Dateline and 60 Minutes reports), figuring that most sick people won't be strong enough for the protracted legal battle that is sure to follow–Unum is famous for bankrupting people by fighting to the bitter end. They threatened one of my doctor's patients by turning her in to our state's insurance commission for fraud (the investigator was very irritated when he met the woman, who is clearly disabled.) And don't even think of filing a "behavioral health" claim. Unum likes these because they only have to pay you for a few years–perhaps this is why they try to drive their claimants crazy. Even multi-million dollar verdicts and fines have not deterred this sociopathic company. Employers beware–if you are thinking of purchasing this insurance for your employees, look elsewhere. Many employees have had to reluctantly sue their employers to force the employer into suing Unum for not fulfilling their contracts. Like thousands of others, I have faithfully paid my premiums for years, only to be turned down in a time of great need. In addition to my physical ailments, I am developing an anxiety disorder from having to deal with these people. In fact, my elderly mother took over the process for me when I started to have a meltdown after the company repeatedly "lost" paperwork, claimed to have never received documents that I or my doctors had sent multiple times, or asked for additional paperwork from doctors who had already completed complicated forms multiple times–anything to delay, delay, delay. They even closed my claim after saying they hadn't received paperwork from my surgeon. Fortunately, the surgeon's office had kept a copy of the fax transmission report, confirming for me that this was not just mere incompetence but an outright fraudulent tactic. Unfortunately, they are wearing down my poor mother, too. Her exact words to my Unum "claim specialist": "I can see why my daughter can't deal with this. You're driving me crazy, and I'm not even sick!" Unbelievably, until my latest claim was denied and I heard an ad on TV from a lawyer representing victims of Unum's bad faith, it never occurred to me that so many other people could be having the exact same issues. But my experience is par for the course. Do your homework. Don't believe the ridiculous rhetoric on the Unum website about how they protect all these poor, pitiful souls during difficult times. They make sick people sicker. (Don't take my word for it–just Google "Unum lawsuit" or "Unum bad faith"–there are tens of thousands of hits.) Avoid this company at all costs. There is a reason Unum has been vilified in the press–they earned it!

]]> By: admin http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blog/in-view-of-past-misdeeds-unum-is-playing-it-smart-01390.html/comment-page-1#comment-30361 admin Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:50:35 +0000 http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-30361 Hi Stop Unum, Thanks for your comments. The remark in this Unum post that refers to the potential for claims to still be denied is simply a matter-of-fact statement that no matter how much Unum tries to develop "wellness" and "return to work" programs, there will still be claims that are denied. No insurance system is foolproof--and we completely agree with you that Unum's contractual agreements with those it insures need to be honored and upheld. Hi Stop Unum, Thanks for your comments. The remark in this Unum post that refers to the potential for claims to still be denied is simply a matter-of-fact statement that no matter how much Unum tries to develop "wellness" and "return to work" programs, there will still be claims that are denied. No insurance system is foolproof–and we completely agree with you that Unum's contractual agreements with those it insures need to be honored and upheld.

]]> By: STOP UNUM http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blog/in-view-of-past-misdeeds-unum-is-playing-it-smart-01390.html/comment-page-1#comment-30286 STOP UNUM Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:47:22 +0000 http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-30286 The way UNUM can begin to repair their battered public image is to SETTLE THE BAD FAITH CLAIMS OF THEIR DISABLED POLICYHOLDERS who were denied payment based on return to work clearances made by corrupted inhouse MDs. THESE ARE DISABLED CITIZENS WHO ARE AT AN ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE OF CORPORATE FRAUD DEPRIVING THEM OF THEIR CONTRACTUAL BENEFITS. We are potentially talking 100s of thousands of claimants and their families suffering. How in the world do these claimants and their families benefit from UNUM opening a few gyms and pestering ill employees to prematurely return to work ?!? Disabled Claimants WIN = 0, UNUM WIN = 1. Lastly, I think its absolutely SHAMEFUL to suggest legitimate claims will continue to be DENIED and the public should not expect UNUM to fulfill their contractual obligations to their claimants. Shame on the author's disregard for the PUBLIC'S WELFARE. CONSIDER THE IMPACT UNUM HAS HAD ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY . . . WHERE ARE OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ? The way UNUM can begin to repair their battered public image is to SETTLE THE BAD FAITH CLAIMS OF THEIR DISABLED POLICYHOLDERS who were denied payment based on return to work clearances made by corrupted inhouse MDs. THESE ARE DISABLED CITIZENS WHO ARE AT AN ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE OF CORPORATE FRAUD DEPRIVING THEM OF THEIR CONTRACTUAL BENEFITS. We are potentially talking 100s of thousands of claimants and their families suffering.

How in the world do these claimants and their families benefit from UNUM opening a few gyms and pestering ill employees to prematurely return to work ?!? Disabled Claimants WIN = 0, UNUM WIN = 1.

Lastly, I think its absolutely SHAMEFUL to suggest legitimate claims will continue to be DENIED and the public should not expect UNUM to fulfill their contractual obligations to their claimants. Shame on the author's disregard for the PUBLIC'S WELFARE. CONSIDER THE IMPACT UNUM HAS HAD ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY . . . WHERE ARE OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ?

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