Unum warns of stricter state benefit claims

Unum stops selling to individuals

I am surprised that you are published the views of the discredited company Unum. I refer you to www whywaitforever com/dwpatosbusinessunum html and in particular the Personal Today article www personneltoday com/articles/2000/09/01/7038/till-death-do-us-part html. Unum use their "non medical" model for assessments to deny, delay defend claims (see their evidence to Parliament). Unum have in March 2012 withdrawn from providing products to individuals. Employers are likely to be liable for full costs when an ill patient tries to claim from Unum and is turned down. Unum only sell through employers or through independent financial advisers to SMEs. As most employees frequently change employment the Unum offering is near worthless. Further premiums rise steeply with age and risk and Unum will only pay out for a limited time probably far less than the twelve months limit proposed for ESA. Unum financial figures are published. The number renewing continues to fall. Employers and employees in the UK undertake due diligence. Unum do not fully disclose patients denied et al. Without these figures Unum is not a company to work with.

Posted by: MikeBach | Mar 21 2012

unum dont pay out on they cover

the warning by Unum of stricter state benefits to sell their products. the fact is Unum are well known not to pay out on the policys, I had my shoulder ripped out had had it rebuilt along with the tendons, I made the clain Unum delayed paying anything out by saying not enough medical report 3 different doctors 40 pages of notes 12 months after clain made declined benefits under policy. been with out income for 11 months solictors have told me Unum policy are worthless state picking up Unum tab while I recover to go back to my job.

Posted by: w mickleburgh | Jan 16 2012

Unum in the US

Anyone thinking about doing business with Unum might care to read Linda Nee's blog. She is now a lawyer helping people with disability claims, but once a Unum employee. She has lots of material on Unum, and their underhand practices, determination not to pay and business processes. Here's just once story - included because it's short, and reveals their attitude towards claims! ---------- January 4, 2011 Vikki [note: not me!] was denied her long term disability benefits, but she fought for her rights—Unum proposed a judicial review and she won. But Unum appealed. “One of Unum’s lawyers said to me, ‘No matter what part of the process you win, we will continue to appeal until we win or you run out of money,’ which I interpreted as a threat,” says Vikki. ---------- It is possible that Unum offers a really good package to employers, who are their main market in the US. The employers then tell staff that they have disability insurance. When the staff are forced on to long-term disability (say by MS - which is bad news for Unum, it's now survivable in the long term for many, and hits the young) their fate is no longer crucial to their employer. So it's not the customer (i.e. the employer) who suffers the penalty. For the individuals who are the target of Unum's current (Nov 2011) UK campaigns, it's a different matter. They will pay Unum for IP, and get the Unum service - solid delay, denial and denigration. See Linda Nee's blog for much much more evidence.

Posted by: Vicki | Nov 30 2011

welfare state privatised

Unum does not pay out on claims. It has been sued and lablelled "disability deniers" in US Courts. Its selling point for Payment Protection Insurance from them is that state benefits will not be enough to cover you iff off work ill. That is because they joined forces with the previous and past government to make sure that is the case. it is privatisation of the welfare state and the deliberate denigratin of sick and disabled. It claims that 1 million people a year become disabled in the UK per year, in order to frighten people into buying their insurance. Yet its brief to government is that disability and sickness is a " maladaptive illness belief cured by work." Totally contradictory statements. One to sell Privat Insurance, one to deny state insurance paid for by National Insurance contributions. The company bragged several years ago there was large profits to be made in the UK on the back of limiting incapacity claims . Don't fall for it. Today there have been protest up and down the country against ATos who are linked, and have carried out work assessments on sick people declaring even the terminally ill fit for work. People need to fight for National Insurance contributions to be what they are meant to be. Any benefits you might be due under ESA will be deducted from UNUM insurace payout anyway, whether you get it or not. Predator Company!

Posted by: Jane | Oct 02 2011

welfare reforms

Despite unprecidented legal claims against Unum in USA, they were appointed as the consultants to the DWP and Atos, with the clear intention to increase disability insurance within the UK following savage and unprecedented cuts in welfare for those in 'greatest need'. Suggest you look at a couple of websites: www.whywaitforever.com/dwpatos.html and www.whywaitforever.com/dwpatosveterans.html Even disabled veterans - pre 2005 -have no protection from the unlimited power of Atos. No complaint to the GMC against Atos doctors has ever reached a conclusion and the company medical staff have no public accountability according to the GMC, the former Healthcare Commission and the Care Quality Commission. The only redress is to make a personal complaint to the GMC - that can take up to 3 years to reach a conclusion. Why should people who are already so very ill, or chronically disabled, be obliged to do this themselves? Where is the genuine help for the most vulnerable people in our country? Government claims of concern are sounding more and more like a script, the Ministers for Welfare Reform and Disabled People both have past histories in business and industry and demonstrate repeatedly their lack of care, comcern and compassion and, without these, medical assessment rapidly declines into medical tyranny and that is my professional opinion as a retired health professional.

Posted by: Mozza | Mar 02 2011

UNUM - helpe UK write welfare reforms for sickness and disability benefits

http://www.lwbooks.co.uk/journals/articles/rutherford07.html http://www.meactionuk.org.uk/Notes_on_the_Insurance_issue_in_ME.htm NB - the same descriptors that deny claimants their benefits have been used to deny people insurance payouts in US!!

Posted by: Barbs | Feb 25 2011

Unum warns of stricter benefit claims

Many thanks to all of the people above. We haven't used Unum but recently had a contact from them asking us to cosider them . They said one of their niches was not declining to take on business on grounds of illness ; they looked at how people react to illness. If someone had diabetes say, but was never off ill they would take him on. They also said they prided themselves on paying quickly. From what all of you say, I gather we should stick with our existing five star IP companies

Posted by: Des Platt | Feb 24 2011

Nose deep in the trough.

Unum built the research centre at Cardiff which provides the information the government claims is proof of ability to work. Unum wants to remove benefits and replace them with insurance policies, preferably their own. Unum have spent a lot of time and money creating this system. Unum, however, are massively discredited world wide. Unum are frightening not just disabled people, but the disabled people of the future to buy into their policies, policies which in all likelyhood will not pay out. The disabled of today who cannot get policies will be damaged by a huge private company. Ask yourself, which historically could you rely on - state welfare payments, or an insuurance policy from Unum.

Posted by: Hoss | Feb 24 2011

Unum: "outlaw company"

Posted by: Des Platt 20 Feb 2011 | 11:28 Q. "Where does your description of "rogue firm " come from?" A. Insurance Commissioner of the State of California John Garamendi described UnumProvident as 'an outlaw company': 'It is a company that for years has operated in an illegal fashion.' More on this, see: http://www.lwbooks.co.uk/journals/articles/rutherford07.html

Posted by: Loan Ranger | Feb 21 2011

Umum

Des, JM has hit the nail on the head. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know about Unum. The fact they are banned in many states in the US and were fined hundreds of millions of dollars for ordering their Decision makers to find genuine claims for disablement null and void. The fact that they sponsored meetings at the Labour party conference which led to the idea of the WCA. The fact that they were on the committee (even with their track record) that implemented the current WCA provided by Atos, that is guess what Des?? Yes failing genuine disabled people fit for work. This is only the beginning. 40% of people fit for work are being found not fit for work. The dismantling of the NHS is next and companies like Unum will now show their true colours and be there to pick up the lucrative contracts by showing their model will be more profitable.. Seriously, please just google Unum and you'll see.. They have been working with the last government and are now with the Condems, just waiting for their piece of pie.. They are sadly about to get it..

Posted by: C.Scott | Feb 21 2011

Unum warns of stricter benefit claims

JM ; I agree with many of your sentiments about Welfare state for the genuinely disabled. Where does your description of "rogue firm " come from?

Posted by: Des Platt | Feb 20 2011

self-interest

We already have a National Insurance system which entitles those who need it to claim the benefits to which they are entitled. Unum stands to gain from the ideological changes which this government is trying to make and for which it has no mandate. What about those of us with pre-existing or recurring conditions? Is Unum going to insure us at reasonable rates? I don't think so. So, Unum - get your nose out of UK affairs. Many of us are determined to fight for our welfare state. no millionaire in an ivory tower is going to change that, nor is a company described as a "rogue firm" going to frighten us into getting insurance for services for which we have already paid.

Posted by: JM | Feb 19 2011