Manulife Group Benefits Insurance Reviews

My extended medical changed to Manulife this year and it’s been errors, frustration and miscalculations ever since. How does a big company like Manulife not know how to add simple math folks. They even cut us off with no notice! This is serious because we pay out about $600 month to prescription.... many phone conversations trying to figure out why with a person on the other end of the phone I couldn’t understand because of her accent... Philippine maybe? They do not reimburse us at the percentage we’re supposed to be reimbursed at. We lose money every month. Still emailing and phoning.. they ignoring me. This is unacceptable! I think they think people will just get so frustrated and just give up. Rip off!

I worked for my company for 7ish years. Recently moved to full time to receive benefits. After a month or so of being full time, I had some dental repairs. They paid me absolutely nothing, claiming I wasn't eligible because I didn't have coverage at the time of operation, which is categorically untrue. Additionally, there is no way of contacting them to dispute the claim. Stay as far away from these crooks as you can, don't trust them with even pennies for the dollars cause they won't actually care to pay even the minimal amount when it comes down to it.

I've been on STD since February through my employer. Manulife consistently makes me jump through hoops in order to pay me, constantly requesting additional paperwork from all of my health care providers. My case manager is incredibly unreliable, never answers my emails, and never contacts me when they say they will. I've had to phone them numerous times to be updated with information, meanwhile, I'm behind on Bill's, have absolutely no food, and can't refill my medication. Mental health leave of absence is supposed to allow someone time to heal with adequate assistance for their wellbeing. This has been the total opposite in that being on leave is more stressful than working would've been.

Almost every claim with them is initially rejected or delayed for invalid or illogical reasons and involves consistent follow-up time, stress and aggravation. Below are just a few examples. Example 1: I have coverage only for myself; I do not have my spouse or anyone else as a dependent with them. However, for a standard claim for myself, I was told that I need to set up “Co-ordination of Benefits.” The claim I submitted was for myself. Therefore asking for “Co-ordination of Benefits’ does not make sense. Eventually, the claim was paid after several attempts and other incorrect replies. Example 2: For a straight-forward eye-exam (my coverage is 50% every two-years), and this exam was well over two years from my last one, they did not pay up-front saying that they need to “review and adjudicate” the claim before approving the payment. This was only a $59.00 payment, and should not have required any review as it is part of my standard coverage. It should have been paid automatically. The Health Tier I selected & paid for includes eye-exam, therefore this review is unreasonable. Example 3: I submitted a claim online with the dentist’s name, address, phone # etc. clearly entered. The claim was not paid and when I followed up they sent an email stating that “we need the name of the dentist who provided the procedure.” Note: It is impossible to submit an online claim without entering the practitioner’s info; the system would not allow a user to proceed without it. When I pointed out that the info was indeed on the claim, they then said they need the procedure code (which I had also provided). I then provided every bit of coding and detail (on a phone call to them) but still not good enough, I had to re-mail paper-work. At the time of this review, the claim is still pending. Finally, trying to have anything paid from my Health Care Spending Account balance is a nightmare.

We, unfortunately, don't get a choice as insurance is chosen by my husband's company. We could not figure out why my son's dental visit was not fully covered but mine was. My husband called and asked and they said that between ages 8 and 12 they get 8 units a year but can only use one unit at a time. That means you would have to take your child to the dentist every 6.5 weeks to use the 8 units. 1 unit is 15 minutes. So take them every 6.5 weeks for a 15-minute appointment. My husband asked how anyone would be able to know this as there is nothing anywhere on their website, on our account page, or in any booklet anywhere that tells us these important details. She acknowledged that and said we should maybe do a pre-authorization before every appointment. I have 4 kids. How much does it cost them to do a pre-auth every time? Likely more than allowing my son to use his 8 units better. I told our dentist office about this and they were flabbergasted. The representative simply told us to take it up with our HR office but they likely have no idea about this like the rest of us. It feels like they could just make things up as you go. There is zero proof this policy exists except that they said so. They had nothing to show us or send us. I don't trust them at all.

Worst insurance company ever! People don't sign up with them or you will go through the worst service and they will literally steal your money from your bank without your consent! I've signed paperwork of my cancellation with them on June 12th which has been supposedly sent for processing the same day as what their agent has said, and it would take 8 to 10 business days for it to fully go through. They have deducted money out of my bank July 4th without my consent after I have cancelled with them! When I phoned them they tell me I sent in the paperwork of my cancellation on June 30th which isn't true. I showed them the emails of the paperwork sent June 12th with their agent through email and he said he sent in the form the same day on the 12th. They are liars and point fingers at you for being at fault when they have a lack of communication and liars within their company! A different representative I spoke with about this issue to send me back my money in my bank as soon as possible as i didn't expect it withdrawn and it had caused me issues with my budget. I'm on a tight budget as I am off work due to illness and going to surgery within the 10 days. She wouldn't help or get me a supervisor but instead she gives me the worst treatment and hangs up the phone on me! Ive escalated the problem to their head office on July 10th and it's currently July 12th and still haven't received my money or heard back from them. They are thief's, liars, and thugs! Don't sign up with them or you will go through lots of problems no body needs to go through.

I am someone who does not like to complain or do reviews, but I truly feel people should be aware of how terrible Manulife is so I can save others the issues and frustration I have dealt with.

In short; they flat out lie to you (saying my plan does not cover something when it does, and I send them the booklet with it highlighted), make you feel like you are the one at fault, even when essential paperwork is provided will consistently deny claim. Even when my work gets involved will deny claim and lie to my work. I have all paperwork to back up my claim and still deny deny. It's horrible what they are doing to my family, I have paid them for years with very few claims and when I do claim something it's a battle now lasting almost a year (a minor claim I might add) Totally unacceptable. If you are able, please do not go with this company, for the sake of your sanity and family please please pass on Manulife!

Boy oh boy where do I start?! Manulife is SADLY the insurance company my employer goes through, and let me tell you, I would rather suffer than to ever go through anything with these people!
I haven't been very fortunate with my health these past few years, so Ive had to go on 2 short term leaves due to my illness. Again, SADLY I had to go through Manulife in order to basically get paid for the time Im seeking medical treatments. Both times they denied my claim when they had every single proof & medical documentation from specialists explaining my symptoms in detail, the cause of it and the length of time needed to recover. Both times they asked me to sign a form that gives them full authority to gather any medical information needed from my doctor, yet they never contacted them. When asked why, they said "we can, but any medical documents they provide to us, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST". After providing everything they asked for, the "case manager" who claims to have a medical background, decides whether you are actually ILL ENOUGH to be supported through their garbage insurance, or unsupported. Basically at this point they think they are medical professionals, and make the decision based on "evidence" and "proof". So all the money you spend getting these documents for them, all the unbearable pain you are going through with your illness, cost of medication, different doctors & specialists you see, doesn't even matter... because at the end of the day, these case managers will make a decision based on what THEY really think your illness is, not what the doctor says or what sort of treatments you are seeking. The worst part is, they pretend like they REALLY care about the individual by following up regularly which almost feels like harassment. I mean how many times during the week do you have to call or email and say "Just contacting you to follow up and see how you're doing" .. oh please.. you just want this to be over with and send me back to work when you know fully how ill I am. These people have absolutely no compassion, no empathy, no consideration for your well being. If you have the privilege of NOT dealing with this company, please find another place to deal with. They have caused nothing but anxiety & stress for myself and other co workers who had the misfortune of dealing with them. I am now off of work, unsupported, which means ABSOLUTELY no pay until I am fully back to work, (yet they still call/email weekly to follow up and see "how i'm doing" and when i'm going back to work) financially in a hole, and mentally exhausted. Its only a matter of time before more people speak up about this. Something needs to be done!

I hate to call them. Every time we fight over claims and how much is covered. Something like eye care for contact lenses is only every two years. Massage therapy is only for the $70per session. I pay through the roof in premiums and this is all I get. I am seriously considering telling my boss that I'm not going to participate in the plan. Maybe if they offer better to employees they'd stay longer. I'm looking for a better insurance company, and maybe a better company to work for. I'm done with this.

In 2010 I had to leave work due to serious health issues. Manulife provides the group health insurance provided by my employer. The application was correct and accurate. I received benefits for the first 4 years, after which a return to work is deemed unsuitable and they are obliged to provide benefits until the claimant is 65. They required testing at this 4 year mark by their own selected health expert and his report *supported* my claim. Despite this, I received a letter saying my benefits were being terminated as I was (miraculously) fit to return immediately to full time employment at my former job. There was no medical evidence to support this decision, quite the opposite. Further, the policy included a clause that claimants do not have to take employment that pays less than 75% of their former salary; all medical reports indicated that the type of work I could now perform without risk of triggering another episode of serious illness did not pay anywhere near 75% of my former (management) salary. The Manulife employee assigned to my file refused to acknowledge the existence of this clause in the policy. Another Manulife employee involved in the file was caught out saying one thing to me and another thing to my medical care provider in an effort to use semantics to cheat me out of my benefits. In short, he lied through his teeth. It was shocking. I had to hire a lawyer to fight their decision to cancel as it was clear anything I pointed out in my defence was being ignored. The lawyer indicated the run-around she was getting from them as she prepared the file was just short of bad faith bargaining. In the end, the unjustified cancellation was reversed - but not before I had to pay over $5,000 I couldn't afford to the lawyer (who basically made the same arguments I had) and had gone through months of intense stress that in and of itself made me more ill. If I had been unable to afford a lawyer, I would have lost my benefits, plain and simple. The truth played no part in it. I have read that disability insurers routinely cancel valid claimants as some of them will not know how to or have the stamina to fight back, and for those who do, it's much cheaper for the insurance provider to deal with an internal review of the termination decision or a court case than pay out substantial benefits to someone in their 30s or 40s 'til age 65. So is Manulife worse than other disability providers? I don't know. I wouldn't trust any of them after my experience.