Unum's Health Insurance Policy Worthless

Lake County, CATom's employment benefits at a tax software company came with a policy from Unum Insurers, including Long Term Disability. For Tom, the policy wasn't worth the paper it was written on.

"I had a breakdown in August 2001; there was a lot of tension and stress at work and I was incapable of working anymore," says Tom. "Everything went out the window, including my marriage and my sobriety. I was so sick that trying to deal with Unum's long term disability (LTD) process was impossible for me. If I was able to keep track of all the interactions and details in an organized way, I could have sued Unum and would have easily won—but they have a system in place that prevents anyone who is ill from being able to manage it.

"They kept stalling my claim until it was denied. For example, they got so picky about details that I couldn't clarify. They caused me to be more and more confused and didn't even have their doctor look at me. Meanwhile, I was granted social security benefits (SSDI) on the first application.

Even though Unum denied me, I never dropped the case—it was so disturbing and wrong but to interact with them was futile. It was obvious to me that they were doing the wrong thing but I couldn't understand the process. Unum made me feel stupid. Nobody at Unum seems to be the originator of this policy—another tactic and endemic to this criminal organization. (Unum has been accused of murder, racketeering and extortion).

Then I read about Unum's reassessment. I also read transcripts online that said about 90 percent of people eligible for reassessment don't bother or don't know about it. So I sent Unum another letter and I finally got into the reassessment process.

But it took another few years to deal with their ambiguity - another part of how they do business. They are so insular and sneaky and use complex business strategies to manipulate everything. It is even hard to tell your insurance policy is worth anything until you try to collect on it and find out there's nothing there.

Finally I was reassessed and it was decided in my favor, again without an examination by a doctor.

As far as I am concerned, Unum destroyed me life. The settlement, seven years later, has only let me pick up a few pieces of my former self. They can't give me my life back. And they didn't try—they just gave me what was legally obligated of them.