Many of you know that I’ve maintained my connections with attorneys, who when I touch bases with them, share information from their experiences as I do as well. In most instances I share that information with my readers and clients. Recently, I’ve been...

Summer is on the horizon and so are up coming holidays such as Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. To say that visual surveillance will certainly be out there is probably an understatement. Although I’ve written many detailed articles about surveillance,...

One of the most investigated issues dealing with IDI claims is “incontestability”, a provision in nearly all IDI insurance contracts preventing insurance companies from rescinding policies in effect more than two years because of misinformation....

Insurance companies are continuously sending out letters to insureds stating,“We are currently reviewing your LTD disability claim and have determined we need additional information”. This one sentence seems to cause a great deal of stress and anxiety because...

Attorneys are sharing with me that they are receiving quite a few calls from insureds asking whether they have to pay back their SSDI overpayment to insurers. While it may be understandable on some level due to our horrible economy, DCS has always taken the view that...

In the 25 years I’ve been managing disability claims, I’ve run across AFLAC on several occasions. In my opinion, AFLAC is one of the worst insurance companies simply because they don’t cover much. Some insureds believe the company covers total...

Despite my previous posts about Claimify, I received as many as 20 calls this past week   from claimants who were still unsure of what to do with the company’s requests for SSDI information. It seems as though both Unum and Lincoln are using Claimify to chase...

Recently, Unum placed a claim on its 1st Qtr. target list, but the claimant waited until last week to contact me. Before I could begin to assist, Unum denied the claim. It was just too late. The objective of a Claims Consultant is to assist in supporting the claim to...

I had a telephone call the other day that quickly reminded me of old times and some of the credibility tricks claims handlers use to catch insureds in untruths or exaggerations. One of the biggest mistakes insureds can make is underestimating the ingenuity of the...

Sometime ago I wrote a lengthy brochure regarding disability claim settlements and although it initially received some attention, during COVID, interest on the subject seemed to fade away. However, the subject of insurance settlement is back on the table for Unum, and...

Every now and then it happens that some claims handler somewhere inside Unum does something that actually helps insureds. It’s during these rare moments that I make a special effort to recognize the king of mean caught in an unusual act of kindness. Just...

A recent DCS website update will also include a “Donate” button allowing insured readers the opportunity of keeping Lindanee’s Blog and DCS continuing to write articles and provide services to insureds who are not clients. In the past, I’ve...

Now that we are into the first quarter of 2022, Unum has obviously resurrected its egregious claims practices with frequest requests for more and more documentation. Although the company presents with several administrative problems, such as losing and not updating...

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of my readers who contacted me recently with positive feedback about Lindnee’s Blog. I appreciate the comments and taking time to let me know how valuable the site is to you. The DCS Website located at:...

I have written so many articles about insurance claim targeting, and yet I have to say that I think readers have paid very little attention, or perhaps say to themselves, “Linda’s all wet on this, insurers wouldn’t do that.” Regardless of the...

Worker’s Compensation was enacted to provide employees with an alternative to suing their employers for injuries on the job. It is an employer-paid benefit that provides lump-sum and periodic payments for health care of employees who have been injured in the...

While most claimants and insureds say their employers “are on their side” during periods of absence for disability, in reality that may not be the case outside of what they are told in person. The primary goal of all employers is to ensure a well qualified...

Physical and mental “functional capacity” is quickly becoming the major determination factor to make benefit decisions regarding claims. While treating physicians are more reluctant to certify to “functional capacity”, insurers are putting...

Pointing to yourself Unfortunately, the disability claims process is an industry where, “it’s better if they don’t know your name.” In other words, “no news is good news”, and let’s not poke that bear. It’s far better...

Those with disability claims should always be “guarded” in conversation, particularly when speaking to treating physicians who report to insurance companies. In December, I read at least two denial letters citing activity and travel obtained from patient...