Many sick and injured workers who have bought group long term disability benefits from Sun Life through their employer are shocked and disappointed when the insurance company denies their claim for long term disability benefits.
If your group disability claim was unreasonably denied, or a private disability insurance claim was denied based on bad-faith actions taken by Sun Life representatives — we can help.
As experienced LTD benefits lawyers, Marc Whitehead & Associates has represented many clients in appealing their Sun Life disability denials. We handle claims against disability insurance companies across the country, fighting for the insurance benefits our disabled clients deserve. Marc Whitehead & Associates has an outstanding track record when it comes to overturning the unfair denial of disability benefits by Sun Life and other insurance companies during the appeals process. The driving force behind our success is the great compassion we have for our clients and their situation. We are dedicated to ensuring they their claim gets a fair hearing that considers the full record of their disability — not just parts of it.
About Sun Life Financial Disability Benefits
Founded in Canada in 1865, Sun Life Financial, Inc. is one of the oldest and largest insurance companies in the world. Its products and services include financial services, financial planning, pension plans, retirement savings, life insurance, health insurance and disability insurance.
Sun Life disability insurance plans include:
- Short Term Disability
- Long Term Disability
- Voluntary Disability plans for both short and long term disability (coverage provided on a voluntary, or self-paid, basis)
Originally known as Sun Mutual Life Insurance Company of Montreal, the company sustained various name changes over the years, including Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, to its current name Sun Life Financial.
In 2007, Sun Life bought Genworth’s U.S. group benefits business. In 2016, Sun Life bought Assurant Inc.’s employee benefits business, and is now one of North America’s top group disability and life insurance providers.
As of 2019, Sun Life Financial has a trillion dollars in assets!
For a free legal consultation, call 800-562-9830
Sun Life Disability Claim Denial of Group Disability Benefits – ERISA Claims
Sun Life’s group disability insurance plans are employee benefits are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA. Administered by the US Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), ERISA establishes minimum standards designed to protect the retirement, health, and other welfare benefit plans (life insurance, disability insurance, etc.) of private industry employees from fiduciary misuse.
Among other things, ERISA gives owners of group disability benefits policies the right to appeal a denial of benefits by Sun Life or other insurer.
However, you’ll only have a brief window of time in which to appeal your denial.
If Sun Life unjustly denies your group claim, your first step will be to file an administrative appeal to prove to them they need to change their decision.
The information you include – medical records, doctors’ notes, etc. – in your written appeal will be critical to the successful outcome of your case.
The ERISA appeals process is filled with traps and pitfalls for the untrained. On such catch is that while you can file a lawsuit in federal court after Sun Life denies your appeal, you will not be allowed to introduce any new evidence during the trial. With rare exceptions, the court will only review the records and documentation that were submitted during the appeal phase.
Because the deck is stacked against you in an ERISA-based claim, you may have a real fight collecting benefits under your policy. It is essential to prepare a strong, well-documented appeal that is solid enough to win your case in court.
Sun Life Disability Denials of Individual Disability Insurance Claims
Private disability insurance, also referred to as individual disability income insurance, is often bought by medical and dental professionals, accountants, lawyers and similar professional and executive occupations. Unlike group disability insurance policies, private insurance policies are not governed by ERISA. Rather, it is controlled by contract laws.
If Sun Life Financial has denied or terminated your individual disability insurance claim, you may seek justice through litigation. Depending on your state of residence, individual disability claim denials are governed by state contract law, bad faith tort law, consumer protection laws and other statutory protections.
The attorneys at Marc Whitehead & Associates have national experience in civil litigation and disability insurance law.
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Attorneys Experienced with Sun Life Disability Denial Tactics
While it’s understandable that insurance companies need to perform in-depth claim reviews in order to reduce fraud, it’s also important to realize that an insurance company can realize financial gain by doing all they can to deny your claim.
When the insurance company does not have your best interest in mind, Marc Whitehead & Associates are here to help you fight back. Some examples of claim delay and denial tactics we’ve encountered include:
- Employing doctors who work on behalf of insurance companies to conduct only paper reviews
- Very long application forms filled with confusing language and instructions
- Immense amount of follow-up paperwork – all designed to discourage and overwhelm claimants
- Confrontational interview techniques with claimants and doctors
- Third party resources that often document medically unsound data which becomes a basis for a decision to deny benefits
- Investigative campaigns meant to discredit the claimant, not the claim
- Abusing its discretion by relying upon immaterial surveillance to form conclusory opinions
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Call Marc Whitehead & Associates about Your Sun Life Disability Claim
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can handle an administrative appeal on your own and then hire a lawyer when you lose and have to file a lawsuit. Contact qualified legal representation as soon as you receive notice that your claim for disability benefits has been denied. If you are unable to work due to a disability, you need a law firm with extensive experience appealing disability denials on your side. Marc Whitehead & Associates is a team of dedicated legal professionals committed to protecting your rights.
Contact the Houston disability benefits lawyers at Marc Whitehead and Associates without delay. We’ve helped clients all over the US obtain the benefits they deserve, overturning hundreds of disability claim denials for our clients in cases against Sun Life and other insurance companies. Call us toll free at 866-860-9551 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our disability appeal attorneys. We will honestly evaluate your case, answer any questions you might have about the process and discuss how we can help with your disability claim. The sooner we get to work on your appeal the better your chances of successfully overturning an insurance company’s decision to deny your disability benefits claim.
Call or text 800-562-9830 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form