Denials of Disability Claims have Increased Since 2009. Is Assurity Life to Blame?
Denials of Disability Claims have Increased Since 2009. Is Assurity Life to Blame?In 2017 alone, 4000 cases were filed across the United States because an insurance company denied someone’s disability claim. Insurance companies like Assurity Life have caused this increase in lawsuits because they are quick to deny a long term disability claim for the flimsiest of reasons.
Assurity Life is a very large insurance company. They handle thousands of claims like yours every day. Disability insurers should help their claimants, but remember: before all else, they are an insurance company looking out for their shareholders and their profits. If you are unable to work because you are disabled, Assurity Life should pay your benefits. Instead, insurance companies like Assurity Life send denial letters. Think about it: if they deny 10 claims and only half those people file an appeal, the insurance company comes out ahead.
Bottom Line: It is cheaper for Assurity Life to deny benefits than it is to pay claimants like you what you deserve.
Why? In large part because the law that governs these claims, ERISA, provides NO PENALTIES for a wrongful denial of disability or life insurance. If the insurance company loses, all they have to pay you is what they should have paid you in the first place. No damages. No pain and suffering. Why wouldn’t they take any chance they get to deny a claim?
Have You Received a Letter from Assurity Life Denying Your Disability Claim?
Have you received a letter from Assurity Life denying your disability claim? Well, know that you are not alone. And also know that this is not the end of the road for your claim. You have options and Ben Glass Law is here to help.
What Should You Do if Your Disability Claim Was Denied?
What should you do now? If Assurity Life has denied either your short-term or long-term disability claim, call a lawyer. This is extra important if your claim governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). If your employer purchased the disability insurance policy from Assurity Life for you, then most likely your claim is an ERISA claim.
Under ERISA, by law, Assurity Life must follow certain rules. However, ERISA is very difficult to navigate. Assurity Life will want you to believe that you can appeal its decision on your own, without an attorney. While this is true, it is not smart. You should talk to an attorney who has experience with ERISA before appealing any short-term or long-term disability denial by Assurity Life. BenGlassLaw will review your denial letter and send you a report for free.
Usually an appeal of Assurity Life’s denial of your ERISA disability claim starts like this:
- You have 180 days from the date you received Assurity Life’s denial letter to file your appeal. This is called an administrative appeal. This means that someone at Assurity Life will review your appeal and make a decision;
- Assurity Life will have 45 days to answer your appeal;
- Assurity Life is allowed one 45-day extension.
What Happens if Assurity Denies My Appeal?
If Assurity Life decides that they were correct in denying your benefits, then you have one last option. You can file a lawsuit in federal court.
You will want an attorney for this lawsuit as it can be extremely difficult to overturn Assurity Life’s decision in court. The attorneys at Ben Glass Law know how to handle these lawsuits. We will work to overturn Assurity Life’s decision and make sure we meet all the important deadlines. Assurity Life will try to show that they were right in denying your benefits, but a federal judge will make the final decision. With our help, you will get the consideration you deserve.
