Great-West Life Disability Insurance Reviews

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!

Paid my dues for over 7 years for employee benefits. There rep came to our company and assured us and I quote "Don't worry, if anything happens we'll take care of you! No problems."

Over this 7 year period they recieved over 16, 800.00 dollars on my behalf.

In 2016 I was in a bad car accident and ended up with severe post concussion syndrome. They did everything they could to deny me and left me in the dust.

So I lost my 26 dollar an hour job because of my condition and couldn't drive a truck anymore. Now I survive on a meager provincial disability stipend as I can't work yet.

Don't do business with these people, they are your typical greedy self-centered corporation. They lie and don't deliver what they promise.

I hope you spent my 16K on something nice for yourselves...

Do not talk to these crooks on the phone! Do everything through email so you have records. Read all the fine print of your contract and keep perfect records that you are complying. I had complaints about the medical treatment I was getting, they put me in touch with their "specialist" and he said everything was ok, then a month later my case was closed for doing what he told me. Can also never get a response, had multiple breaks in pay because they were sick, or on holidays, or switched case managers. I don't honestly know how they sleep at night.

I've been on LTD for just over a year, with a gradual return to work program now. However, it is not going well, and it is very obvious to everyone except GWL that I cannot return to work. I'm working 4 hr x 4 days now, and completely exhausted by the end. I have made a bed in the back seat of my car so I can recover part way through the 4 hours and at the end of the 4 hours...at least recover enough to be able to drive home and then go to bed. A specialist and my GP have requested that I be off 2-3 more months but GWL's medical board in Toronto (who have never seen me!!!!) has denied the request and now I have to continue with the GRTW program with 6hrs x 5 days or they will cut me off. I can't do 4hrs x 4 days let alone bumping it up. I'm talking to a lawyer tomorrow because I simply cannot do this, but I don't know what else to do...and don't have the energy to fight. Very disappointed with GWL. We'll have to see what happens when I repeatedly collapse at work and have to call ambulances...especially since at times I work in the building alone...should be interesting to see the ramifications of the ambulance attendants breaking the building doors down to get to me.

I am on short term disability . This company is horrible to deal with when you are trying to get answers from them. They charge you a overpayment on your very first cheque and when you ask what this is for you never get a answer back. They never return your calls. They will send letters saying they have sent forms to your doctor and they have not received the form back from the doctor. When I call my doctor they said we never got the form and we asked them to send it to them so that they can fill it out but they never do send it. I had to send them a copy of their statement that shows the overpayment that they took off of my first cheque because apparently on there statement it doesn't show that. I send it twice both times I got a reply saying thank you for your email we have received it. But when you talk to someone there they say they didnt get it.. so I get someone higher than me to send it themselves they finally get it but still waiting weeks later for the reason why for the overpayment taken off my first cheques and what it is for. I have other co workers going through the same issues and hundreds of dollars owed to them.

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 have rhuematoid arthritis, have been on LTD almost a month. The claims adjuster I have has the personality of a door knob. She calls and bugs me every 4 to 6 weeks. Even though I have anemia and elevated inflammation levels she still asks me why I cant go back to work? Maybe its because I can't stay awake and have deformed joints etc etc. She scolds me as if I am a child. I feel harassed and not sure what to do. The amount I get is a complete joke each month, too bad my employer chose this joke of a company.

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 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.