A Florida resident is alleging his Provident Life disability benefits were wrongfully denied and has brought suit against the insurance company.

Filed by plaintiff Doug G., the Provident Life disability benefits lawsuit claims that he notified Provident Life of his disabling condition as soon as possible and followed all reasonable procedures established by the company.

Yet Provident Life essentially put him off and ignored his claim, he alleges.

Doug was employed by IC as a line supervisor for 15 years.  As part of his compensation package, IC agreed to provide benefits under a short term and long term disability plan administered by Provident Life, should he become disabled due to an illness or injury.

Provident Life Disability Benefits Claim for Work Injury Ignored

Doug says that on Dec. 3, 2016, while he was working at IC, there was a jam on the production line.  When Doug tried to clear the jam, his dominant left hand became caught in the box-folding machine, severing one finger and severely fracturing another, according to the Provident Life disability benefits lawsuit.

He went on sick leave following the accident, during which he used all his sick, annual and holiday leave.

In his Provident Life lawsuit, Doug states that through his employer he made a timely claim with Provident for disability benefits in February 2016.  However, he says that Provident Life did not respond to or even acknowledge the claim.

The disability benefits lawsuit states that IC terminated Doug’s employment in February 2016, at which time he retained counsel and wrote to Provident Life demanding that it pay him short term and long term disability benefits.

Doug states he wrote to Provident Life again in April and May regarding his disability benefits, sending copies of his medical records. Each time he received a letter that the matter was still under consideration.

In July 2016, Doug once again wrote Provident Life but according to the lawsuit, the insurance company failed to respond to his claim and has failed to pay either short term or long term disability benefits.

He is filing this Provident Life lawsuit for breach of contract and is asking for appropriate equitable relief.

Bad Faith Insurance Tactics

Disability insurers must act in good faith and deal fairly with their insureds when processing claims. Sadly, this doesn’t always happen.  Some tactics insurance companies like Provident Life may use to delay or deny valid claims include:

• Delaying payment on a valid claim without justification
• Failing to respond to disability policyholder requests
• Making endless demands for additional information
• Making an unreasonable request or the failure to order an Independent Medical Examinations (IME)
• Performing an invalid Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE)
• Failing compliance with ERISA rules and regulations
• Ignoring new medical, occupational or financial information
• Conducting selective video surveillance of claimants
• Making a lowball settlement offers or policy buyout offer
• Misinforming you about the terms of your policy
• Failing to independently evaluate all of your conditions that prevent returning to work

Was Your Disability Benefits Claims Denied?

If you think you were properly insured against short term or long term disability under an individual or group policy through Provident Life, only to have your valid claim for benefits denied, you are not alone.

When an insurer fails to pay benefits that you need and deserve, you have the right to appeal the denial or take further legal action. An experienced disability benefits attorney can help with your disability benefits claim denial.

The Provident Life Disability Benefits Lawsuit is Case No. 1:16-cv-23588 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division.