Great-West Life Disability Insurance Reviews

Suffered a major mental breakdown, two stays on a psych ward for suicidal, murderous thoughts...and they denied my claim. Psychiatrist i was seeing got on the phone and yelled at them that i was ill and needed long-term disability (i was in the room and heard the yelling)....long story short, they accepted me.

Yes, there is a reason that any correspondence you receive from them that case workers only use first names and initials when they deal with you.

All about making money and those that need it are rejected garbage.

I've had so many problems with GWL its not even funny. I had a case manager named Tessa who got upset over the phone when I told her about my deteriorating condition. She got upset at me. Then I caught her lying to me. I told GWL that I will no longer be talking to them over the phone and will leave it to emails. I asked for a new case manager and managed to get one.
My 2nd case manager couldnt give 2 F's about my condition. I seen my Dr in August 2016 and all of a sudden in the beginning of Oct I am told by Sara that my Dr said I can go back to work. I had to deal with human rights and won my case.....then all of a sudden I am being 'cut off'? I haven't SEEN my Dr since Aug yet somehow in Oct he said I can go back to work? GWL needs to get workers who actually LISTEN and CARE about their clients. They don't care about you....they just care to not have to pay you anymore

In response to the other reviews, notably the one made by the reviewer on September 6th... I have had the exact same experience with the Winnipeg Office! They have told me they haven't received forms, which I have returned to them and if they didn't receive them, my benefits would cease. I have received nothing but threats on how they would close my file if I can't get information to them by a particular date. The latest was after not receiving my benefits because my file had been transferred to someone else , hence I was not paid and received payment 5 days late after inquiring. Following my inquiry, I asked if I should provide the same update, I had given my old case manager, by calling my new one. I was told there was no need and my message would be passed along to him. I clearly stated that I would be happy to provide further information upon request and was still told that would not be necessary. That same day, GWL drafted a letter and put it in the mail and I received the letter 8 days later since it had been mailed on a long weekend. I was told I had until October 1st to have my doctor provide them with a consolation report... pretty vague. Obviously due to mailing time, I had two weeks to reach my doc or get an appt and have the paper work submitted or else my benefits would cease as of Oct. 1. Why the new case manager would not have picked up the phone to introduce himself and let me know that the letter was being sent an this what would be requested. I asked him why GWL wouldn't contact my doctor like they had in the past and he said, "I guess I could fax her the letter I sent to you." They play head games with you and do everything to break you down... it's completely unethical!!!!

I have been off work now for nearly a year and a half, shorted here, delayed there, given the run around, even told that basically even though they made the mistakes it was still my problem.
Now on LTD and getting more run around. They are deduction a third, of what was already just over half of what I made when I could work, for CPPD.
Sent me the forms well in to the LTD portion of my claim and even with that Service Canada has had my paperwork for 9 weeks and nothing from them or GWL seems to be getting resolved. Both parties know that I am struggling and both parties delays are causing a great hardship.
But I cant blame Service Canada. GWL sent forms to me so they could contact SC regarding my claim for both LTD and CPPD. According to GWL they have not received these forms, yet when I speak to CPPD at Service Canada they have the forms from GWL that I signed so these parties could communicate directly with one another.
My case manager at GWL said the only way to resolve the issue was for her to send me another form to sign and send back to her. This will be the third time this has been done. That was on August 23rd. I received the forms as well as a letter, dated August 23, stating that I must have the form filled out and returned to them by Sept 1. I got the letter from her in my mailbox on the morning of August 31. IT TOOK 8 DAYS TO ARRIVE AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BACK TO HER IN UNDER 24 HOURS!!
Did I mention that I live in the Edmonton area and my case manager is in Winnipeg???!! And did I mention that there is an office in Edmonton that I could pick up these forms from and hand deliver them back to them, or even fill out in person and hand right back to them??!! It doesn't matter at any rate because they don't allow that.

Any and every excuse to short pay, late pay, not pay and make it your fault and your problem.

I am still on LTD and have two different doctors that have to sign off for me to return to work and both of them say I'm not ready, if I'm ever able to return. So I am stuck at the mercy of GWL and their BS ways.
I'm grateful for my partner and that she has been able to help cover some of the shortfall caused by GWL. If it wasn't for her I would be homeless. Even telling GWL this was met with 'Maybe you need to consider your other options..' WHAT OTHER OPTIONS GWL??
I cannot currently work, if I do work while I'm told I can't GWL will deduct from or completely cancel my LTD.

The worst part of it is, they do this every day to many of their clients, and some of them have no supports and end up losing everything, thanks to an insurance company who supposedly has their 'clients' best interest in mind.

WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!!

I was a full time employee until i had severe migraines at work and had to stop. I have been on LTD for 3 years now. They originally denied my claim where I was told it would take 2-4 weeks for an appeal decision, it took over a year and a half of waiting with no money coming in. I went into financial hardship, could not pay my mortgage or bills. Thankfully I had a partner to support me otherwise what if i had no one, I would be out on the streets for their BS when i had all the medical documentation to prove my case. This company couldnt care less about their so called clients. Once I was finally approved, they had to back pay me which helped. I tried to RTW after 2 years and when i was supposed to be doing a gradual RTW, they just dropped me and canceled all my benefits and said my claim was closed. They never gave me any support through the gradual RTW process, the new job supervisor had no idea i was on an LTD to begin with, they never communicated anything and left it all up to me when i had no idea what the process was being my first time going thru this. I struggled and had to go back on LTD which they denied again saying i was fine. Again I have a new case worker who is pushing me to RTW and do long shifts when i cannot. They are careless, they only care about getting rid of you, thats their mission. Most inhumane, careless company i have ever dealt with. HATE THEM WITH A PASSION.

I have been a LPN for a little over 11 years and have currently been off on disability since July 2015. This is due to mental health reasons that symptoms would indicate Caregiver burnout due to watching people I care for die regularly without debriefing, bullying at work, being a single mom with literally no help and being the victim of an abusive relationship. Considering that all of these situations directly relate to being a good nurse and mother, My metal health suffered severely after being bullied and abused mentally by co workers and spouse. Having trust in yourself as a nurse is crucial to be working with clients during the dying process. If a nurse does not trust herself the client and their family will not trust the nurse. This in turn can lead to many problems for the clients and their family's continuity of life as the client transitions into the dying process and finally death. Speaking from my own experience I finally realized I had caregiver burnout because I was forgetting crucial nursing assessment details and followups in turn putting my clients at risk. It is my duty as a nurse to refuse if I do not feel mentally capable of doing my job and ensuring client safely in doing so. My current employer is supportive as well in regards to my mental health and ability to do my job. So I took myself off work and went to my doctor to get his professional opinion. I have had the same doctor for over 12 years and he knows my professional behavior with in regards to the way I conduct my work and life, and he concluded that I was not in sane mind to be doing my job properly and safely ensuring client care. I am currently fighting with great west life as they want to shove me back to work against my doctors advice. My doctor has given GWL all that they have asked for however according to my case manager it is not enough to indicate I can not work. I have enough trouble taking care of my 6 year old atm due to my emotions all over the place and tweaking medications for my brain chemistry regularly to try and stabilize my moods, in order to function to the best of my ability again. I would not be alive today if it were not for having to get up out of bed to take care of my daughter. After all some people can only handle the death of people for so long without snapping and being consumed by death and negativity. Anyway long story short its my duty as a nurse to recognize if I am being safe, and with the support and back up of my doctor this should be suffice for great west life but no, they need more, who knows what but more and more and more every time. My overall rating of GWL is a negative infinity but that was not an option. I take an oath as a nurse to do NO HARM. By not refusing to work as a nurse, I would put patients at risk due to my current mental health and would be violating my oath as a nurse, however according to GWL this doesn't matter. After all who cares if someone dies a bit sooner then they already are faced with right?? Disgusting. I take my work very seriously and am disgusted by GWL inability to recognize a nurses ability to recognize her own mental health even with doctor and employers support. Horrible company!!

This is the worst of the worst. Was put on short term disability for heart issue, doctor would not renew my licence and I drive truck for a living. Had to wait 7 1/2 weeks for first pay cheque, and was about 1/4 of what I made. The Evil witch that looked after my claim could not give a care of my condition, she told me that I was running out of short term disability and if I applied for long term disability I probably would not get it, because not being able to drive is not covered, and I live 50 miles from work.
I had several claims with this company, because the company I work for goes with GWL, and every time just very negative. One time had dentist work done and was in the dentist chair, and dentist was doing work on my teeth, they tried submitting claim to see if I would be covered, and GWL wanted to talk to me to ask me a bunch of personal questions to verify it was me, I felt like 2 inches tall. The only people I would recommend this company to is my enemy's.

So I had a short term disability claim. I will be honest I had waited quite a while before I submitted it for personal reasons. This however does not justify the following.

1st, I submitted my claim as a short term claim. I was told it would take approx one week for it to get processed and to a claim manager. 19 days later I noticed the women I was dealing with kept typing "long term claim" and it took an additional week to convince her otherwise.

So a manager calls me to apologize for the error and tells me my claim will now be rushed. Great right?

A week later I still hear nothing so I call in and email some more.

They deny my claim because "I had waited longer then the 10 limit to submit my claim" No where on any paper work did I read there was a 10 window.

So back to the grind, luckily I write contracts for a living. I am good at what I do. So after describing to her in very small words just how wrong she was I was told her manager would double check her work. At this point I demanded her managers FULL name and email. They will fight you on this but it is important to know in case you end up taking legal action.

Eventually she realized I was right and would not give up my fight. (I am Irish I will spend any money to not be taken advantage of)

My claim is now approved. She informs me accounting will take 2-3 days to deposit my funds.

2 weeks I wait. So back to the phone. I am repeatedly told to just give it another day or two. Turns out they mailed me a check, to an address I rarely use.

The whole process is a nightmare. They will automatically deny your claim to save money and pad their bonus account. You will have to dig in and fight. Be polite, and angry. Do not give up your fight. Make them know you have every intention of winning. Or even better, choose ANY other insurance company. This was not my first issue with GWL but it certainly will be my last.

Good luck.

We bought GWL competitor disability insurance for my husband 12 years ago, it was the biggest waste of money we have ever made. A year ago at age 56 he had a severe pain caused by a cervical disc herniation and found out that he had severe deterioration of several discs in his neck and upper back that would not allow him to work as he can't lift, climb a ladder or scaffolding or extend his neck. We were shocked when we were told this is not covered, is this not the reason you buy disability insurance in the first place. Do not buy this insurance it is a huge waste of money, this policy should not be sold to anyone. I guess this is why insurance companies are so rich. DO NOT BUY GWL INSURANCE