A former Eglin Federal Credit Union employee filed a lawsuit against Unum Life Insurance Company, alleging the company wrongfully denied long-term disability (LTD) benefits under her employer’s plan.

Long-term disability benefits provide financial benefits to employees when they are unable to work due to a disability regardless of whether that illness or injury is work-related.

Plaintiff Anjanette S. recently became acquainted with the allegedly unfair disability insurance claim denial practices Unum has been accused of employing for years when she became disabled and unable to work.  The alleged obstacles created by the company serve as the foundation for the growing number of bad faith insurance lawsuits being filed against Unum. Anjanette filed her Unum claim denial lawsuit this summer.

Anjanette alleges in the Unum lawsuit that her former employer contracted with Unum Insurance to provide long-term disability benefits to full-time employees. According to the Unum claim denial lawsuit, Anjanette filed a long-term disability claim with Unum in March 2014.  However, in October 2014, Unum provided Anjanette with its written decision denying her claim for long-term disability benefits.

Anjanette appealed and provided Unum with documentation, records and other information in support of her appeal but was again denied disability benefits without explanation from her Unum LTD policy, the Unum lawsuit claims.

Even though she provided overwhelming documentation, Unum Insurance upheld their decision to deny her claim for LTD benefits, the Unum lawsuit says. Anjanette is filing this Unum lawsuit as she has exhausted her administrative appeals and also alleges that Unum Insurance has violated ERISA, a federal law, by refusing to provide a prompt and reasonable explanation for her denied insurance claim.

Unum Bad Faith Insurance Practices

Many American workers have money deducted from their paychecks in the event they become disabled and cannot perform the functions required by their jobs. However, many Unum policyholders may have to battle against unnecessary red-tape if they find themselves needing to use their Unum disability benefits.

Unum policyholders have reported that Unum Insurance has illegally denied disability claims by:

• Changing policies once claims are filed (and without the authorization or knowledge of policy holders)
• Improperly investigating claims
• Misreading medical records
• Refusing to acknowledge their disability

Although the Department of Labor in 2005 mandated that Unum resolve its bad faith insurance practices, many policyholders have since continued to complain about alleged illegal insurance claim denial practices.

Unum Disability Lawsuits

Unum claim denial lawsuits are personal injury cases that seek compensation for individuals who have been victimized by Unum Insurance’s alleged bad faith insurance practices. Unum Life Insurance Company was previously known as Unum Provident and currently includes a number of smaller subsidiaries, including  Provident Life and The Paul Revere Life Insurance Company.

Anajanette S. is seeking payment of all LTD benefits due with interest and continuing payment of LD benefits as well as attorney’s fees and cost.

The Unum Bad Faith Insurance Lawsuit is Case No. 3:15-cv-00291-MCR-EMT, U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division.