DCS Report Newsletter – November – Understanding ERISA Plan and IDI Provisions
The DCS, Inc. Report for the month of November will focus on various ERISA and IDI contract provisions that are most commonly misinterpreted or misunderstood by claimants and insureds. Insureds who have not yet subscribed may do so through Pay Pal using my email...
Unum -News Updates
Just entering into 4th Qtr. profitability results Unum is denying large numbers of claims attempting to prepare for an economic recession in the spring. As a result of Unum’s targeting of claims for profitability, I’m already aware of several claim denials...
Holidays With No Money – Late Checks
We are quickly approaching the holiday season and that could mean delayed checks and late benefits from insurers. While Unum by far has the most difficulty in getting checks out on time, hardships over the holidays from not receiving benefits on time can happen to...
Adjusting To The New Insurance Normal
The claims process for private disability changed. It happened so silently, and covertly, that claimants and insureds failed to notice subtle changes in communications and how insurers have tightened the reigns to make denying claims easier, more efficient, more...
Medical Proof Of Claim Not Sufficient
So far this year I’ve written at least four articles about medical “proof of claim” I thought were going to be very popular and helpful. In reality, these very informative medical articles were not popular since insureds opted to read writings on...
Top Five Worst Disability Insurers For 2019 By Disability Claims Solutions, Inc.
Based on business calls and other consulting business, connections with attorneys etc., the following are the worst disability insurers in the country. Unum Group – Unum’s inability to adopt patterns of practice to include fair and equitable...
Don’t You Believe It! Unum Field Visits And Other Prevarication
Yikes! Insureds are calling DCS with reports of, well….let’s say “untruths” Unum is using to get people to agree to field visits. Deception appears to be the name of the Unum game lately. G4S, Unum’s investigators are certainly going all...
What You Respond To On Questionnaires
As a disability Consultant, I have always recommended that insureds and claimants request communications from insurers in writing. Despite this common “best practice” many insureds continue to communicate directly with claims reps, and/or OVERWRITE answers...
Fact or Fiction – Do You Know What’s True?
It always amazes me how much public misinformation there is out there regarding private disability insurance. Although separating fact from fiction may seem daunting, it also gets a bit ridiculous at times. Insurance fiction usually stems from word of mouth from...
Financial Management For Disability And Beyond – Part II – Net Worth
Welcome to Part II of my Financial Management for Disability articles. Since I’ve already discussed the need for financial planning BEFORE a disability occurs, and previously established that YOU are your own best asset, “net worth” is a great place...
Testimonials For New Website
In order to meet many of the new Search Engine requirements I’m having my website re-designed. My web designer informs me that Google, for example, likes to see Ratings and Testimonials in order to place higher. If you would like to write an anonymous...
Money Management For Future Disability Part I
One of the most destructive reactions to those with private disability is “fear.” Although I write about it quite often, I’m not sure my message is understood as something that can be planned for and controlled, or just part of a complex system gone...
How Many Times Is Unum Going To Recalculate?
Most people receiving disability insurance look to receive monthly benefits when they can’t work due to medical impairment. However, if you have a Unum claim it may seem as though you are continuously paying THEM and not the other way around. We all are aware of...
Returning To Work – A Sunday Editorial
There’s been a great deal of talk lately from insureds looking for advice about returning to work after a disability, and that’s a good thing. I am of the opinion that it is physically and emotionally healthy to return to work after a period of disability,...
When Insurers Laugh At You
Some years back one of my investigators read the Facebook pages of many of Unum’s claims handlers and managers and discovered the following comment on a managers page: “Insureds are like slinkys, they aren’t worth anything, but you sure do like to...
A Front Page Worthy Post
This kind of thing has been going on at Unum for the last 25 years that I know of. Had this former Unum employee made these comments publicly in 2000, lawyers and the press would be all over her. Today, the fact that regulators, and attorneys looking for free...
October’s DCS Report News Letter
The focus of October’s newsletter will be about the popular subject of “Surveillance.” If you have not already subscribed, please process your annual subscription fee of $25 through Pay Pal and I will add you to the distribution list. I will also...
Liberty to Lincoln – Change Isn’t Always A Good Thing
While disability insurance companies are grouping together in a last ditch to remain solvent, mergers and take-overs may seem at first to be a good idea, but claimants are the ultimate victims. I never considered “Lincoln” to be a fair evaluator of claims...
FRIDAY Q & A
Can I receive Workers’ Compensation and STD? No. Most, if not all, STD Plans do not pay STD in addition to injuries covered by Workers’ Compensation. It’s an either or scenario. In fact, private disability insurers love to hand-off injuries to WC even when “sickness”...
UNUM HUB INVESTIGATOR’S COMMENT
Yesterday I noticed a negative comment posted on Lindanee’s Blog by a Unum Hub Investigator who was having a problem with me throwing all field investigators into one negative basket. The comment has been deleted. While I encourage people to post comments expressing...
