Divorce And Disability Claims
Unfortunately, the divorce rate for disabled insureds is greater than the 50% cumulative rate for couples in the United States.Those who are most vulnerable in our society are often left behind when non-disabled spouses fail to cope with their care-giving roles....
Hello? Hello? Is Anyone There? Happy Holiday.
Have you tried to reach your claims handler recently? It’s as though all claims specialists suddenly went DOA, or took a trip to East Gish somewhere. (East Gish is an imaginary place in Maine folklore.) “I’m going to find someone for...
DCS Greenhouse Downed By Wind Shear In Maine
Just wanted to post an announcement that this morning we had a 55 mph wind shear that completely demolished our 45 ft. greenhouse. The winds are still pretty bad and are expected to peak around 5pm this evening. DCS will be closed today, I don’t want power...
Complaints Won’t Get You What You Want
People who have been burned by a private disability company often become so angry that the eyes of revenge turn livid and efforts are made to “make the insurance company pay”, or “get them in trouble”, and even expose them to the press....
Summer Sun And Surveillance – Summer 2021
This is just a reminder that with better weather and a loosening of lockdowns, insurance surveillance is back on the insurance agenda. If you’ve had inquiries from your insurance company about verifying your address, chances are a surveillance is being planned....
Where Are You From? I Can’t Understand You!
Several insureds have been telling me that they are unable to reach anyone at their insurer’s location, particulary The Hartford. Today, I had the experience of trying to locate an Hartford claims handler, who in the end, was located in the Philippines. After...
IDI Policies – Over-Insured Is Not Better!
In the last decade many highly paid individuals, physicians, dentists and self employed entrepreneurs purchased multiple disability policies in the hopes of having money while disabled. Planning for the financial future, is of course, a necessity, but stockpiling...
Disability Claim Review – First They Plan It, Then They Make It Happen!
I think there must be information in the public view that suggests private disability insurers review claims in “good faith and fair dealing.” However, those who believe this are obviously unaware of the actual claims process, because insurers DO NOT...
It’s Too Late For My Help
I’m once again receiving calls requesting my assistance for denied claims. It seems very reasonable there should be an increase in denied claims since we are within two weeks of 1st Qtr. profitability reporting. However, the idea is not to have a denied claim in...
Afraid Of Angering Your Insurer? What Nonsense!
Earlier in the week, someone said to me, “If I do that will I make my insurer angry?” “Oh, boy”, I thought, “here we go again.” Throwing aside my first instinct to reply, “Do you care?”, I realized the correct answer is...
COVID’s Administrative Perils -Can’t Find It – No Way, No How
What is becoming increasingly clear in the last few weeks is just how much chaos and disorganization is going on inside insurance companies. Not only is it almost impossible to speak with claims handlers, it is also impossible to keep documentation updated because,...
Everyone On The Net Has A Sad Story
Every disability claim is unique with its own set of circumstances, medical reports and history. The idea that one can “look up”, or research other cases on the Internet, and put together their own strategy from the tales of someone else is pure lunacy....
Prudential – Second Only To Unum In Unfair Claims Practices
Usually, there is so much focus on Unum Group and its unfair claims practices, that the second worst insurance company, Prudential, is often left out of the discussion. Make no mistake, however, Prudential and its close ties to Unum, remains steadfast in unfair claims...
Unum And Reservation Of Rights
I’ve been hearing quite a bit about Unum and “Reservation of Rights” lately. It doesn’t surprise me that Unum would suddenly resurrect the “old ROR dog” it used on a regular basis since we are about 5 weeks to 1st Qtr....
The Hungry Vulture – Unum Denials Begin With A Vengence!
Yesterday, I received 4 calls from claimants reporting denied claims. Although three of them were non-clients I referred everyone to experienced attorneys for Appeal processing. They were all ERISA claimants with Unum Plans, and one person was from Texas. So, in the...
Guardian’s Nastiness! “Any Entity That Is Nasty Is Already Beneath You”
Fifteen years ago, Berkshire/Guardian used to be a decent, fair-minded insurance company, but like all others who merge, the tide changes and insurers always seem to become like each other – unfair and downright nasty at times. Guardian is now the awful...
Reminder – I Can’t Help You If You Wait Until Claim Termination
In today’s current state of turmoil, even attorneys are recommending that claimants and insureds take special care to continuously support their claims in ways that encourage continued payment of benefit. Opportunities for fair litigation may not exist in the...
First Quarter Profitability Results And Short-Deadlines
This is just a reminder that we are within 2 months of 1st Qtr. profitability. Requests for IMEs, surveillance, and to a lesser extent field interviews will be sent out. Insureds should also be exercising due diligence on “short deadlines” given to...
Employer’s Leave, FMLA And Private Disability
Those who first go out on disability often “intermix” everything that’s happening together with little understanding of any one thing. Understandably, STD can be confusing because there ARE so many things going on at once. First, every employer has a...
The Re-Birth Of Any Occupation Investigations
Any occupation investigations are haphazardly done by ill-advised claims handlers, vocational reps, Genex, and other third-parties. As the insurer’s last hope of denying claims to avoid costly liabilities, the “any occ” process, is so out-of-touch...
