More Than 10,000 Louisianians Entitled to Reassessment of Claims by Unumprovident

The Louisiana Department of Insurance reported that more than 8,000 Louisiana claimants are receiving a reassessment form this month in a letter from UnumProvident Corp. as part of a multi-state settlement. Completing the form will entitle them to a reassessment of certain long-term disability claims they previously filed with one of three UnumProvident companies.

An additional group of claimants, numbering over 2,000, won’t get a letter but do qualify for a reassessment. Those who do not receive a letter can request the necessary letter and form by making a free phone call to UnumProvident.

The multi-state reassessment settlement involves questionable claim handling practices of individual disability income and group disability insurance claims filed against three companies: Unum Life Insurance Company of America, The Paul Revere Life Insurance Company and Provident Life & Accident Insurance Company.

Louisiana was one of the required two-thirds of participating states that had to sign on to activate the terms of the settlement. The effective date was Dec. 20. The settlement directed UnumProvident to mail a letter to 8,157 Louisiana claimants, offering a reassessment, or second look, at claims denied or closed since Jan.1, 2000. Another 2,370 Louisiana claimants can request a reassessment of claims denied or closed between Jan. 1, 1997 and Dec. 31, 1999. The toll-free number to call to request the reassessment letter and form, or ask questions about the reassessment, is (866) 278-4641.

“Our challenge is to reach the 2,370 claimants who don’t receive the form in the mail,” Commissioner of Insurance Robert Wooley said. “I am calling on the media and members of the community to spread the word so that every one who is entitled to the reassessment receives it. Anybody who may be affected should act now, as the offer is time limited.”

Further information about the UnumProvident settlement, and concerns about the disability income claim handling practices that led to it, may be found on the Louisiana Department of Insurance Web site, www.ldi.state.la.us, under “What’s New.”