Generally the people you contact are helpful and courteous, but those who work in the background are NOT at all. QUESTION EVERYTHING!

Over three years ago, I went on LTD. Five weeks after applying, I was awarded SSDI; at six months, I was awarded both UNUM LTD benefits and employer disability pension. UNUM LTD was thru employer, so it, along with SSDI would be deducted. I was assured by both sides that they “were in communication” and since UNUM received the necessary wage info to process the claim, I believed. Since then, there have been at least four “reviews” not due to my initiating contact (tax withholding questions, mostly). Nothing happened due to any of these. One of these “reviews” – a year ago (“review” #3, I think) – I gave them all income and work history data as they requested. Again, nothing changed.Eleven months after that particular and detailed “review”, I am notified of a multi-thousand (50K+) “overpayment” because of the disability pension (now “regular” pension) I have received from the beginning! Their position states they did not receive disability pension data from my employer until requested in August 2013 AND that same information, provided to UNUM a year ago ALSO did not get passed on to the proper department until that same time. They are referring to both instances as simple “errors” – even after appeal (I claimed it was their failure to perform, rather than an “error”). Unfortunately, my employer does not have proof the data was transferred (it would have been via email), though it is s.o.p. AND they are in contact with UNUM Claims on a monthly basis While I have not yet pursued the viability of a civil suit, I can at least present SOME “lessons learned”: generally, the people you contact are helpful and courteous (I’ve had 7 so far), but those who do the work in the background are NOT at all thorough or timely, nor do they think past the moment. Most certainly their “reviews” are superficial, at best. Maybe for plausible deniability? Second – QUESTION EVERYTHING!