Great-West Life Disability Insurance Reviews

I don't know what is up with this company, I filed a short term disability claim but it seems like they do everything in their power to avoid paying you. I had to call maybe 50 times to get somebody to review my file, and even after several months, I haven't received a penny! Please avoid this company, lucky for me it was only a short term disability and I was able to withstand the damage.

I've been on LTD disabled Insurance through work for 20 years - 1st with London Life then GWL bought them...I think my policy may have changed then... I've told GWL with every request they send me, exactly what my monthly CPP income was.. then I got CPP survivor benefit added when the husband died ... and they were notified then, and my disability payments never were reduced. OK... I figured I am allowed to keep CPP survivor benefit.. as I've always told them in everything they requested that I've "this total Includes CPP Survivor benefit" I'm told now... there IS no allowance for inflation. Every extra penny CPP gives me including what my Husband wanted me to have is deducted and I am ONLY allowed to make $800 month for life...HOW CAN ANYONE LIVE ON $800 MONTHLY for life in this era ?? Now GWL wants to do a review of past CPP payments as they say they overpaid me.... even Ontario disability pays $1,130 mo to their clients... However.. it was GWL fault their workers never read or followed up on what I've been sending them for over 7 years... IF there was an issue... someone on their end should have caught it years ago... Now they want $30.000 + paid back as overpayments of 7 years... and I don't even make anything close to what government assistance pays their ODSP clients.. and housing wants 33 % of income... If one can get that... This is their fault by not reading what I've been sending them all these years, and now want to come after me for them not doing their job right... I've had 6 different GWL caseworkers in past 8 years...who always approved my file because of what honesty I've stated... How can they make ME responsible for them dropping the ball??? I don't have the money to repay this amount :-( I guess I need a lawyer...

Honestly, my life was better with my dislocated disc in my back, then dealing with these people who have no care for their clients. I am in disbelief because I was off for 12 weeks and now I was told they are only gonna be paying me for 4 weeks. I am shocked and feel disgusted.

I am on the short term disability from my workplace and they work with the Great-West. I'm already on a 70% reduced coverage and they made me pay for the 150$ form they provide for the doctor to fill in. On top of that, there are 7 days waiting period without pay, if you don't have sick days you're pretty much in trouble. The doctor asked for 4 weeks no work, Great-West reduced it to 2 and a half. Every time you make a claim or a quote, they always refuse it or ask for more information. Everything to make you give up. The staff on the phone won't accept criticism and will argue with me.

I had recently been put on a short term leave from my job due to a pregnancy. I work in a highly dangerous environment with violent clients. Shortly after being put on leave I had a miscarriage. My leave was supposed to be 7 weeks according to my doctor's notes. I had been upfront and shared all information regarding every appointment to GWL and was happy to supply them with any further medical notes they needed. I was told by my GWL caseworker that I no longer qualified for a short term leave because my pregnancy being why I was off in the first place. I explained that I was still having complications and that my doctor insisted I needed to take the full 7 weeks. I was also told I didn’t qualify anymore because I was able to return to my job and complete 60% of my work. Which I found laughable because if I’m anything less than 100% at this job I put everybody at risk. I went back to my doctor and explained what was happening and he said I am the physician and the medical professional here and I believe you need the full 7 weeks. At this time I call my caseworker who tells me I’ve been cut off from my benefits as of last week. She said she had tried calling and leaving me a voice mail but there are no records of either on my phone. So glad I won’t be having to deal with this company again

I’ve been on WSIB for 18 months. GWL is my Ltd carrier. I am being paid 100% WSIB, and GWL has not paid me one cent, however, they are threatening to cut my Ltd off even though they aren’t paying it if I don’t apply for CPP. I’ve called 4 times and have left messages but no one returns your calls. WSIB even wrote them a letter saying basically “ buzz off “, she’s on our payroll. I have spoken with a lawyer and they agreed that GWL should not be insisting I apply as they don’t pay me. This so-called worker of mine also calls at night or in the middle of the day on weekends. What a bunch of jokers. Never ever use this company.

Have been trying for months to cancel my critical illness and disability insurance policies. Originally spoke with a rep in July, who was unable to help me and told me to phone another line. They only take calls M-F 8-4:30(I also work the same hours). So it was weeks before I was able to actually speak with anyone. I spoke with multiple reps in July, who told me different things, left a message to a supervisor, mailed in a letter in August, emailed their client services in October. No one has ever reached out to me, then Dec. 1st rolls around and I get billed again! I'm glad I never had to process a claim with them, but at this rate, I'll probably be stuck with them until I retire. What a joke, this company is a total scam.

I am on short term disability, they treat you like you are nothing they ask to complete a lot of paperworks and then ask for the doctor details... Always by post office!!! Wake up faxes and email exist!!! Weeks and months have passed and still awaiting to be paid. They rejected doctor notes saying to be incomplete. Then they said their specialist rejected the doctor diagnostic... How can you do that without seeying a patients. They just want you to discourage and to let go. Not a chance, when I am going to be better, I am going to bring them to justice and I am going to make sure it goes in the newspaper.

After paying decades of contribution to GWL, I was short term disabled. They requested documents from the doctor, then they needed signed documents from the doctor, then they needed the notes of the doctor. I waited for the payment to be told that I was not more than 60% disabled! On what ground?!
They just don't want to pay...
I have a good doctor and my condition is real. I am going to bring them to justice these thieves and make an example out of them...

I was put on disability by my Dr. Over the course of the first two years, I was made to jump through numerous hoops, have numerous forms filled out by my Dr. (which I had to pay for), had to meet with GWL's third party assessment group (weekly), who push you to return to work, and so forth. I was incredibly ill, couldn't drive and could barely hold an intelligent conversation due to chronic pain reducing my cognitive ability. I found I had to be VERY careful what I said on the phone ... VERY.

Now, finally, all had been well with them (3 years later). I will never be able to return to work. THEN: They encouraged me to apply for CPPD, which I did, and was granted (no issues). I have received a 17 month retroactive backpay from CPPD. GWL says I have to pay this back to them as it is an overpayment and will cover payments made by GWL.

This is INCORRECT in my case. I hold a premium policy which states: if the monthly CPPD payment in combination with the monthly GWL payment does not exceed what my monthly salary would have been, then no deduction will be taken for overpayment.

Therefore, the 17 month retroactive payment is NOT an overpayment and I should not have to pay a penny - when broken out into the 17 months and summed with the monthly payments made by GWL - the monthly amount(s) NEVER exceed what my monthly salary was. So, no overpayment made.

I will seek legal counsel if needed, but the GWL representative is this cold, disconnected, robot like person who has the personality of a rock. I don't feel listened to. And I would advise that all conversation be followed up with an email for tracking purposes!

I had been told, numerous years ago, that insurance companies will say No, No, No, No ... to hopefully get you to just stop asking. Eventually, they will pay, in most cases. But, you have to wait, while you are ill and not working for sometime, in many cases. Which then forces people to go back to work!

So disgusting ... all about THEIR own bottom line .. and never really about You and all the money you paid to be taken care of if something medical should occur in your life. Ugh!