Functional Capacity IMEs – Another Trap
Functional Capacity Evaluations are a “type” of Independent Medical Examination that measures your physical ability to stoop, stand, walk, bend, reach, lifting, finger movements etc. The result is written within the functional capacity definitions of...
Independent Medical Evaluations
Insurance companies are once again utilizing the IME provisions in disability policies, therefore, I thought perhaps a reminder of a few important facts would be a good idea. Have you ever heard the expression, “Those who can’t DO, TEACH?” This is...
Financial Reserve Is Key
Most people would tend to think that the medical merits of any disability claim depends on the seriousness, or nature of the impairment. But, disability insurers are NOT Social Security, for example, that sets presumptive as a standard for approval timing. In fact,...
Reminder Of Summer And Holiday Surveillance.
This post is a reminder of summer investigative activity, most notably, surveillance. We are coming up on the 4th of July holiday when some insureds might be tempted to push the envelope on restrictions and limitations. It would be in everyone’s best interest if...
Don’t Hold Your Breath
I’m hearing from quite a few insureds about how anxious and nervous they are about either not hearing from insurers requesting updates, or not receiving what I call “good news” letters. Although I’ve must have written as many as five articles...
IDI Applications For Disability – Best Practices
One of the most frequent mistakes IDI insureds make when applying for disability is deciding for themselves to stop work without the prior buy-in of a primary care physician. The offenders are usually physicians or lawyers who own their own practices and seem to...
What Are You Dealing With Really?
After over twenty years of trying to inform the general public about disability insurance products, it’s still pretty clear that a lot of people are still left shaking their heads. After countless articles about disability plans and policies, it is still no...
Living With A Disability – Everything Changes
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in my career pondering what it must be like to have to apply for disability, particularly total disability. During my time at Unum I applied for STD once, and of course, my claim was denied, sending me back to work in the...
Unum – The Worst Of The Bunch
As a practicing Consultant I have many opportunities to speak, and work with insurance company representatives. In my recent experience, I can tell you that all insurance companies but one are exhibiting helpful and common sense claims management. That is, all but...
Memorial Day Surveillance?
Over the years, I’ve discovered that most insureds will do what they want to do. Despite my repeated attempts to warn against surveillance exposure, on holidays such as Memorial Day, insureds forget the rules and “let it all hang out.” Then, some...
Things To Remember Tips For You
All US disability insurers are now entrenched in their own disorganization and chaos. Although I’ve been writing about this for awhile, it seems as though few are really paying attention. Therefore, in order to further clarify for those managing their own...
Unum Doesn’t Change Its Spots
While Unum isn’t unique among its peers in how it manages claims, in my opinion, it is by far the worst example of fair and equitable claims reviews that I am aware of. Since demutualization in the mid 80’s the company’s claims process has been...
Are You Disabled From Work, Or Not?
For at least 20 years I’ve been writing articles about the “semblance ,or visual presumption of disability.” It is on this one point that I believe most insured claim me to be “all wet.” Still, I do feel compelled to keep reminding people...
Weird Things Going On With Insureds…Why?
I have been receiving quite a few calls lately from insureds and claimants who seem to be acting against their own best interests. Granted, most do tell me, “I didn’t know”, but some things are just outside the realm of common sense. One...
Unum’s Gonna Get’ Cha
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....
So, What’s Going On at Guardian?
Insurance companies are indeed back to their pre-CO_ID tricks and are applying a “no mercy” risk management strategy of “going after insureds” regardless. While insureds may have enjoyed a “hands off” away from harassment in the...
Field Visits Aren’t A Game
I can’t believe in this day and age that claims handlers are still trying to sell field visits as “benign conversations, to better manage disability claims.” I’ve spoken to two Guardian claims handlers recently who fell over themselves trying...
End Of First Quarter Confusion
This is a reminder that we are headed toward 1st Qtr. profitability for the insurance industry. It appears that most insurers are focusing on paper update forms, but can’t find them once they are sent in. The overwhelming paper chaos plaguing the industry...
A Disorganized, Chaotic, Cluster Trucker Mess At Unum
After several hours of trying to reach a warm live body at any insurance company, I focused back on Unum to locate a claims handler for a client claim. We had questions. The claim had already been assigned to three claims handlers, one of which had a heavy foreign...
Blast From The Past -“Unum Life Gaslights Its Employees”
At this particular time, Human Resource functions were split between two separate departments—UNUM America HR (payroll, and all HR functions for non-executive personnel), and Enterprise HR (HR functions relevant to the CEO, Jim Orr III and the top 26 Senior Vice...
