Sun Life Group Benefits Insurance Reviews

The company I was working for closed the business and all employees made redundant. This was in August 2018. Despite the claim being made in July 2018, the first contact to advise that no payment would be made was the end of February 2019! Denial of claim, then numerous calls and it took three calls to the call centre (offshore of course), and 10 days to get a call to advise no payment. Awful service! I was advised that as of mid-July 2018, due to administrative issues, all claims had been suspended. Why so long and so many calls/faxes/online claims to get the answer? 7 months is astoundingly poor service!

Sun Life has unfortunately been the benefits and insurance provider for both my current and past employer. I have not had worse consistent customer service from any organization in my life, than Sun Life. Congrats - this is quite an honour. In summary... - Their website was designed in 1995 with hidden areas, cross-links, broken links. - Their phone system was developed shortly thereafter...disconnects, connects to the wrong dept., need to enter in your login and password multiple times, only to have to provide it to an agent, when they eventually answer - Escalating calls to a "manager" is a painful experience...don't expect someone to hear you or listen - Their benefits and financial services depts. don't talk to each other, can't help each other, which is a problem given they have a one-window access into both. - Sending a message on their system is like sending snail mail to Santa - expect no response, and if one comes, it's by next holiday season. - Benefits routinely incorrectly assessed. At least once per year for the last several years, I need to bring a manager in to fix the problem. I'm assuming that they are the lowest cost provider, which is why employers select them, however, the dismal experiences over so many years should scream to employers who care about their employers and their associated benefits to look somewhere else. Sun Life feels like a dinosaur who will eventually, at some point, go extinct.

AVOID THIS COMPANY. I’ve been paying into my benefits, you’d think the least they can do is take a phone call from me and give me some information on my claim. I’ve been in the process of filing a disability claim for almost a month now and all I’m trying to do is check the status (when I should be receiving money as I’ve been off of work now for over a month due to high-risk pregnancy) and every time I call, someone tells me they can’t access my information because my file is handled in another office and I’m tired of being transferred over there to a voicemail. The same number that I’ve called twice before and was able to speak to someone who was able to access my file is the same number I’m calling again and it’s taking me all over Ontario and no one can access my information. Does Vancouver not have a customer service centre with people who actually pick up the phone like Waterloo or Toronto or Halifax or Montreal does?? Every time I’m transferred to Vancouver, I’m forwarded to a voicemail. This is so ridiculous I’ve never experienced this before, this is the WORST customer service and everyone I speak to is telling me something different. I don’t even know why my file is being handled in Vancouver when I live in Toronto. They even have an online option where you can “track your claim” and every time I go to look, it shows me that I supposedly haven’t filed a claim in the last 90 days. When I finish sorting this out, I'm CANCELLING and switching somewhere better, this is a disgusting service. Been off of work for so long and I’m due in 3 weeks and I can’t even enjoy a peace of mind like these insurance companies claim to give you whenever you need your.... behind.... covered. 0 STARS. I’m leaving this review anywhere I can so people can avoid this stress.

I am only with Sun Life as it is my husband who has their benefits through work. But I would never choose them if I had a choice. I had a claim I submitted with them, checked that it was indeed something covered by our benefits before going to the service. I submit the claim with my backup and get told it was denied - so I call in and first I get this extremely rude employee screaming at me on the phone and telling me over and over that it was denied because they are my husdand's insurance and not mine to use (though I am on the policy and know that I am under him on the insurance), he wouldn’t even listen to me, so I hung up and called back - spoke to another lady who put me through to her manager, who told me she couldn’t see why my claim was denied but that I needed to get the person who completed my service to call in with their information (though they had their registration number and all nesscary information.) I did so and had the person call in - waited forever to hear anything back about this and in an email, they say that they will reimburse me for this claim - great! But of course not, the reimbursement still hasn’t come yet and that was over a month ago, I called in to see what was going on and was told they won’t speak to me about anything. My husband needs to call and though my service came to $245 (and we were covered up until $300 per service), they are only reimbursing $100. So I’m just fed up at this point and say save your money. If you don’t have to go with Sun Life, don’t.

When you call you're asked for a bunch of numbers you probably don't have. Employees act frustrated to have to look you up by name etc. Finding your info online is impossible and when you call they have difficulty telling you what kind of coverage you even have. I was transferred 3 times to be told they didn't know if I had any disability coverage on the group insurance option I selected. You might say I should know this but employers often ask you to complete your selections within a week of starting your new job. A brochure or at least clear coverage information should be available to you to review at any time. I'm disappointed in this company and think they should be more user-friendly.

My employer uses Sun Life, so I'm stuck with them. I've even considered other jobs just so I do not have to deal with them. If I could give zero stars I would. Their interface is convoluted and their customer service is atrocious! No one wants to take any accountability and pass you around until you've literally spoken with a dozen unhelpful individuals only to have you give up in sheer horror and disgust. My partner has blue cross and I thought being treated like subhuman was the norm until I spoke with them once. Wow! What a difference!

I have been dealing with this insurance company through my own company and I have to say that their company culture is highly problematic. I went on long-term disability and I had issues regarding both drugs and disability.

Now, while complaints and issues happen with all insurances, the problem with Sun Life Financial is the way they do things. Not only do they seem to attract incompetent people ( 3/3 never returned calls/ e-mails over the course of weeks), they won't let you change whoever is assigned to your case, effectively stonewalling you in case things go bad.

For example, I was refused to be insured for a drug because it had the wrong code (never mind the fact that it was a refill of a drug that had been insured the other time). When I escalated this situation to the supervisor, I was told they would find the right code with the pharmacy. 6 weeks, 5 calls later, that supervisor, Mrs. X, is absolutely unreachable. Worst, whenever I called to ask to get in touch with Mrs. X's colleague or boss through the customer service, I was told it would be done before being transferred to Mrs. X's voicemail.

In the end, Mrs.X seemed to not appreciate my behavior of searching for a resolution as she called back and said there was nothing to do.

I've written enough for a review, but I have a similar experience with the disability department, letting me know that it's a company wide problem, not just a single person problem.

Word of advice: Avoid like the plague.

Don't bother calling them if you have a group benefits question. They are not helpful and they are always screwing up.

Filed a short term disability claim in January and my case was approved for two weeks and then all of a sudden it was on suspension. I tore a tendon in my rotator cuff all the way and another halfway. I was not able to work and will need surgery. Well, it's April now and my case is still under review. It is criminal what they are doing. They are more than happy to take in your payments but when it is time to pay out it's delay delay delay hoping you will give up. When I call my case analyst, she is always out of the office and I have to talk to one of her flunkies, who have no answers other than their prepared statements. If you have a choice of insurance companies, do not use this one. Since the company I worked for had this as the only choice, I had no other choice. If there was ever a company that needed a class action, this is it.

Sun Life became the worst Insurance Company ever. Each Claim is a subject for investigation. Investigators are rude. Demanding to provide personal information protected by Personal Health Information Protection Act 2004. They harass and intimidate Service Providers (Massage Therapists, Chiropractors, etc) , demand Clinical Notes , record conversation without written Consent, provide third parties ( contractors) with the confidential and sensitive information.
Attention employers : if You would like to provide your employees with real extended health benefits they need and pay for - stay away from Sun Life Financials.