If you filed a legitimate disability claim with Sun Life Assurance Company and received a denial, you’re not alone. Sun Life has a well-known reputation for denying claims in addition to a long list of strategies to keep from paying you the benefits that are rightfully yours. Don’t be intimidated by a Sun Life long-term disability denial. An Ocala FL LTD lawyer at CJ Henry Law Firm PLLC can help you file an appeal.
Deny, deny, deny. That’s Sun Life’s favorite response to long-term disability benefits claim and they have numerous reasons in their arsenal to delay or avoid paying your disability claim. Here are just a few.
Sun Life may ask repeatedly for forms and reports you have already sent, say they never received your information, or they may claim they lost your information.
You may receive a letter saying you failed to provide sufficient objective evidence related to your claim, particularly related to your ability to perform work. Always indicate how your disability prevents you from performing your work.
Sun Life may decide your documentation does not provide sufficient evidence of the severity of your condition. They’re saying that despite your disability, they believe, or want to believe, you can still work.
You may contact Sun Life over and over again about the status of your disability benefits claim and be told they’re still reviewing your information. They hope you’ll get tired and give up.
You may be told that there’s no need for you to hire a disability ttorney or consult regarding your policy or denial.
One of the tactics Sun Life uses to avoid paying your claim is to pressure you into taking a lump sum benefits settlement. This lump sum is substantially lower than you deserve and would be in lieu of any other payments. You would get the lump sum and no other payments.
Sometimes Sun Life takes this tactic even further than offering an undervalue lump sum. Policyholders have reported that if they refuse the lump sum settlement, Sun Life has terminated their benefits.
If denying your claim on paper isn’t enough, Sun Life’s claim investigation process is known to be aggressive. Instead of being interviewed by a company claims examiner, Sun Life has hired private investigators to look into the background of the policyholder and his or her family. They look for ways to either discredit or damage the claimant’s reputation. The supposedly damaging information is then used as a reason to deny a legitimate claim.
Sun Life seems to begin its claim review process by looking for ways to deny the claim rather than to evaluate the facts.
Insurance companies have the right and sometimes do ask you to see a third-party medical professional to confirm your diagnosis. However, when Sun Life asks for a “peer review” or examination by an “independent physician,” look out.
In the past, the reports from Sun Life’s supposedly objective medical experts are biased beyond the point of believability. These biased claims are used by Sun Life to deny disability applications even if they are based on false evidence.
Sun Life has been known to send denial letters up to 20 pages long to intimidate and discourage policyholders from appealing the denial. Don’t be fooled by this attempt to keep you from appealing your claim with the help of a disability or ERISA attorney.
If your disability insurance provider is Sun Life, pay extra attention to every detail and deadline for your claim. Follow these tips so your claim is complete and accurate.
We are well aware of the strategies insurance companies use to avoid paying legitimate claims. To learn more about how we can help with a Sun Life long-term disability denial, contact CJ Henry Law Firm, PLLC today.
