Great-West Life Disability Insurance Reviews

Want payment delayed for no reason? Want doctors faxes or medical claims rejected despite being covered denied without explanation? Want your spouse inexplicably removed for no reason? How about no payments for 6-7 weeks during your rehabilitation back to work?
Lawyer up if you want to deal with this negligence and document everything, I wish I did.
31 months I've dealt with this insanity and never again, just mistake after mistake and nobody cares at all.

I feel like they scam people I’ve paid into this company for years through my work. I never had to use them until just recently. I had to have surgery and was going to be off work for 1 month to 6 weeks. All the papers were filled out by both myself and the surgeon. It has been a month and I have not seen any money from them... In fact, they are asking for all the forms to be filled out again by me and my surgeon. My surgeon has faxed them three times now..now no one is responding to my calls and messages that I have left. I had to pay my bills and rent with my credit card. I’m running out of money and I feel helpless. I’m not sure what to do anymore. This company needs to be Investigated.

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...

It is absurd that they determine the type of mental health professional I am allowed to see. This needs to be changed. Psychotherapists should be covered on any plan that has social workers or psychologists.

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.

Dealing with GWL on a disability claim for my wife has been completely abhorrent. As others have noted, if they can find ANY reason to deny the claim, they will. We have in writing from them that while her doctors may consider her unable to work, they don't agree (without justification given) so go back to work. Despite our request to be seen by a doctor of their choosing, they declined and stuck with their decision on appeal. If your employer defaults to their decision, as he does, then you are stuck with the employer demanding that she return to work despite doctors instructions she can't. The sad irony in this is she is paying for this 'coverage'. The sad footnote is every health care provider we have dealt with, has had nothing good to say about patient experiences with GWL.

I've been off work for 5 months, my EI ran out in April, it is now the end of May. They told me complete lies about waiting for my employer to respond about my income to find out they didn't actually reach out until May 23rd. I've called a few times a week and they kept giving me the same excuse while talking down to me as if I'm bothering them to do their job. Now the person who handled my claim is away and will call me next week. I've been told next week for 4 weeks. This is completely unprofessional, you can't seem to get through to anyone in charge. I'm a single mother, having health issues, no other income. This is insurance I pay for and they treat me like I'm working for them. I have not been able to speak to one person who has been polite or understanding during this whole process. This is completely unprofessional...

Great West Life needs to have a class action suit filed against them. They fully know that you will never get through on their one fax number for all claims for all of Canada. They prey on the insured a game of non-customer service. You need to record and file a complaint to the different insurance regulators government and non-government. They need to be exposed for the harm they are doing to their customers. They are ruining lives. They fail to be honest and show a willing nature to frustrate and delay and deny claims. They fail to collect all information on claims and blame the client. We need to get together to take collective action against them. I faxed them a dozen times and got busy signals today every time. They fully know this is the best way to frustrate and eliminate your timely claims. This cancer must be removed and penalize and removed from the insurance business. Will give some direction in how to deal with this company that has taken advantage of hundreds of people. They prey on your lack of knowledge on what to do. They have been at this for years and have schooled themselves in how to handle the Art Of The Claim To their advantage

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.