During the last several years of CO_ID, insurance companies engaged in very little risk management, stealth, or deception. You might say they gave everybody a break. BUT, the gloves are off, and Unum, in particular, is giving insureds and claimants a really hard time. And, not just with their risk activities, but with their unfounded threats to deny claims from Unum’s claims handlers who have turned mean. Unum’s behavior is resulting in increased anxiety and frustration for insureds.
All this is happening in the midst of incredible disorganization with claims employees who can barely speak English, lost paperwork, and timely or no communication at all. The environment in which the claims process is taking place is broken, and often non-existent.
Having been left alone for several years, most insureds and claimants have “unprotected” themselves from becoming the victims of claims handlers who are rude, aggressive, unsympathetic and unkind. Although Unum’s claims handlers are not claim decision-makers, their comments such as, “I don’t understand why you can’t work”, or, “Why don’t you just go back to work?” are quite common. “The process” doesn’t allow for unqualified Unum employees to make these types of determinations, and they shouldn’t be making the comments they are allowed to make now. Still, claims handlers seem to have a negative effect on insureds, who in my opinion, are allowing Unum and their reps to be unprofessional and accusatory. Being disabled does NOT mean you have to take that kind of, crap.
The important thing for insureds, is to realize that the “gloves are off” at Unum, and I presume other insurers. Unum is out to get you. Please don’t allow any insurer to intimidate, insult, or threaten you into doing what’s right, backed up by your Plan or contract. Disability risk management always was a dangerous process, and in the after pangs of CO_ID, it still is.
