FAQs About The UnumProvident Settlement |
These FAQs were approved by the Lead Regulator States to aid the public in understanding the settlement. If you have any questions regarding the information provided in the FAQs, please contact 1.866.278.4641. What is the UnumProvident Settlement about? What is the implementation date? How can I get a copy of the Settlement Agreement?
How do I know if I can have my claim reassessed? However, if you have a reasonable basis for asserting that the Company improperly denied or closed your claim for any of the reasons listed above, you may also have your claim reassessed. (If this applies to you, for purposes of these FAQs, you are an “Other Claimant”). In addition, if you have pending litigation against the Company challenging the denial or termination of your claim, and your lawsuit was filed after you received notice of the Claim Reassessment Process (“CRP”), or your lawsuit was filed before you received notice of the CRP but there has been a verdict or judgment on the merits before the completion of the reassessment of the claim, you may not have that claim reassessed as part of the CRP. Will I be getting a notice? If your claim was denied or your benefits terminated between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 1999, the RSA provides that you will not receive a notice of your eligibility for the CRP from UnumProvident. However, if your claim was denied or your benefits terminated between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 1999, and your disability insurance policy was written by Provident or Revere, the Amendment provides that UnumProvident will mail you a notice of your eligibility for the CRP no later than March 1, 2006. (If this applies to you, for purposes of these FAQs, you are a “New Notice Claimant.” You should also note that different rules apply for residents of California, which has a separate agreement with the Companies.) In addition, if you are an “Other Claimant”, you will not receive a notice of your eligibility for the CRP from UnumProvident, according to the RSA. However, if you were covered by a group policy through your employee benefit plan, you may receive notice from the administrator of that plan. In any event, if you wish to have your claim reassessed, you must contact UnumProvident by calling: 1.877.477.0964 or by visiting their Web site and submitting an online election to participate. You will need to provide your name and either your claim number or social security number in order to begin the process. If you have questions about the CRP, you may call 1.866.278.4641. If you experience difficulty with the UnumProvident claim handling process, you may call the Claimant Hotline at 1.866.865.9015 for assistance. What should I do if I don’t get a notice? If you are a New Notice Claimant, UnumProvident will mail you a notice of your eligibility for the CRP no later than March 1, 2006. If you believe that you may be eligible to participate in the CRP and you do not receive this notice from UnumProvident, you should contact UnumProvident no later than June 30, 2006. You must contact UnumProvident by calling 1.877.477.0964 or by visiting its Web site and submitting an online election to participate. You will need to provide your name and either your claim number or social security number in order to begin the process. If you have any questions regarding your election to participate in the CRP, you may call 1.866.278.4641. If you have further difficulty regarding your election, you may also call the Claimant Hotline at 1.866.865.9015. What do I have to do to have my claim reassessed? If you have not received a notice and you wish to have your claim reassessed, you should contact UnumProvident as soon as possible. You must contact UnumProvident by calling 1.877.477.0964 or by visiting their Web site and submitting an online election to participate. You will need to provide your name and either your claim number or social security number in order to begin the process. If you have any questions regarding your participation in the CRP, you may call 1.866.278.4641. If you have further difficulty regarding the claims process, you may also call the Claimant Hotline at 1.866.865.9015. Why should I expect the decision this time to be different from the previous denial? What if UnumProvident denies my claim again? If, following the CRP any part of your claim is still denied, you retain the right to initiate or continue litigation regarding that portion of the original denial that has not been reversed or changed by the CRP. If however, any portion of your claim is granted, you will not have the right to seek additional remedies regarding that portion of the claim that has been granted. Do I need a lawyer? My claim was denied years ago and I have lost all the paperwork. What should I do? When will the reassessment process be completed? Pursuant to the Amendment, the Company is committed to using its best efforts to complete all reassessments for New Notice Claimants by June 30, 2007. Once you have opted for reassessment, the Company will acknowledge your decision to participate. UnumProvident will contact you again at a time closer to when your claim will actually be reviewed. After you receive that notice, and the Company has obtained all the information it needs for the review, it estimates that reassessment of your claim could take from four to twelve weeks, depending on the complexity of your particular situation. Will I need to sign any papers waiving my rights? What if I have a pending lawsuit against
UnumProvident challenging the denial of my disability claim? What if I returned to work or I am no longer disabled? Is there someone I can talk to about my claim? If you are an employee benefit plan participant and believe that UnumProvident has treated your claim improperly, you may also contact your plan administrator, and/or your nearest EBSA office. |
|