What is Unum Aspire?
I’ve already written an article entitled “ASPIRE to be Great and Go To Disneyland”. You may want to check out more detail using the Home Page Search for the article.
Unum’s Aspire program sends specially chosen claims handlers to Disneyland where they will attend additional “propaganda training programs” explaining how to deny claims and be overall “good little doobies” for Unum management. Those selected are claims handlers who have significantly contributed to “Unum’s Shareholder Value” (denied the most claims, and/or cozied up with their managers.) I always wondered why adults would want to go to Disneyland of all places. In my opinion, the Aspire Program is an insult to those who work very hard at Unum. Why go to Disneyland as an award when you work in it everyday?
What is the Survivor’s Benefit all about?
Most disability insurance policies contain a provision that pays three times the gross benefit to a spouse or estate at the time of death of insureds. In my experience, this one benefit is most often disregarded by insureds and claimants, but should be planned well in advance.
The Survivor Benefit can bring on multiple problems in the cases of divorce. I don’t know why divorce attorneys ignore the implications of spousal attachment to disability benefits to begin with, and of course potentially to the Survival Benefit. I’ve heard of multiple situations where an angry spouse and her attorney literally “go after” disability benefits, including the Survivor Benefit when the spouse dies.
It is always a good idea to specifically designate in a Will who the “surviving spouse” is, or identify specifically the “Estate” and Administrator of the Estate. Angry spouses looking to gain financially from disability benefits often win because attorneys do not seek to protect benefits in support of their clients. It is extremely important to know who will receive the Survivor Benefit at the time of death. Insureds may notify their insurers of a designated beneficiary in accordance with the policy provision. My point is that disability benefits and the Survivor Benefit should be planned out, especially to defend non-attached benefits in the case of divorce.
