According to a new study of 575 lawsuits filed against the seven major disability insurance companies, the companies are using bad faith to deny insurance claims and taking advantage of the Employee Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA) approved by Congress. Each of the suits against the companies — MetLife, Unum, Prudential Financial Inc., CIGNA Corporation, Standard Insurance Co. and Aetna Inc. — argued that bad faith had played a role in the denial of the claim.
The ERISA law basically stipulates that workers that are denied insurance disability benefits may file for a bench trial, or a review of the case. During these reviews, there is no proof of bad faith allowed. The only thing that is really looked at are the disability insurance claims records that are kept by the insurance company. Federal laws don’t help workers, either, as they only let claimants sue for the benefits they were originally seeking —nothing more for damages or pain and suffering.
It is for this reason that so many policy holders with companies like Cigna have to turn to disability insurance lawyers for help in filing their claims. Many policyholders simply give up their claim because of pressure tactics by the insurance companies. Some of the other things companies can do to ensure your claim is denied are:
- change policy information without your consent or knowledge
- hire their own in-house medical examiners to refute your claim
- deny that your disability is genuine (especially in cases where the policyholder suffers from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and mental disorders)
- claim your condition was a pre-existing one
With the ERISA law in place, many denied claims will remain that way. That is why you should hire an experienced disability insurance attorney like Greg Jones to help you. I will work hard to get you every dime that you deserve. There is no fee for your initial consultation. Give yourself a fair chance against big insurance companies like Cigna and let me help you force them to stop hiding behind the ERISA laws. Your case deserves to be heard, and I will be there to fight for you when it is.