Unum Life Insurance Company is the leading provider of disability insurance, both in the United States and the world. But Unum lawsuits, government investigators, and investigative journalists have alleged that Unum employs a variety of tactics for bad faith insurance denials.

Possible Unum Tactics

Based on Unum claim denial lawsuits, one of the tactics to deny legitimate claims is the in-house expert. In this tactic, Unum uses in-house physicians to overrule and give their expert opinions and declare that a person is, in fact, not disabled. A 2002 segment by the television news show “60 Minutes” found a former Unum in-house physician who reported being fired after refusing to rule that a policyholder was not disabled when they actually were unable to work.

Another tactic alleged by several lawsuits is to continue to demand excessive documentation of a disability, creating a burden beyond a policyholder’s duty to prove that they are disabled. Along similar lines, it is alleged that Unum will stretch and distort a person’s job description in such a way as to make it appear that they could continue working despite injuries or disability.

One tactic sometimes alleged to be in Unum’s arsenal is to claim a person is not covered under Unum’s policy at the time of their accident. Disagreements between Unum policy and HR departments administering group plans sometimes create the appearance of discrepancies when there are none.

Remedies

If you have filed a disability insurance claim through Unum, you need to take the correct steps throughout the process. Even if nothing ultimately goes wrong, it is still a good idea to take precautions.

First, document everything. Keep a journal of your contact with Unum. Be certain to include details including the date of contact, the subject discussed, and the person you spoke with. If you find yourself in court over a bad faith denial of your Unum disability insurance policy, these details could be critical. Makes special note of any documentation they request.

Second, remain courteous and professional through these interactions. Acting out of frustration or making legal threats does not necessarily grease the wheels of this process and can cause problems for you down the line.

Additionally, make sure that you and your doctor(s) are on the same page about your disability insurance claim. A careless comment by your physician could completely derail your case. Additionally, getting multiple opinions from different doctors saying that you are disabled can greatly strengthen your case. Be sure to record any doctor visits and their statements in your journal.

Lastly, consult an attorney for specific guidance. A Unum attorney can help you greatly with specifics unique to your case. They can help you make sure an appeal or court documents are handled properly. Hiring an attorney is often a critical step in any legal matter.