My insurance company seems to be engaging in delay tactics. They keep asking for the same information over and over, they say they are still processing my records, and they still have not made a decision on my claim. Now they tell me they still require additional information. Why are they doing this, and are they allowed to do this?
As for whether they are allowed to engage in delay tactics, the answer is yes. ERISA rules and regulations allow for insurance companies to invoke automatic extensions of time in which to make a decision. All the insurance company has to say is that they don’t yet have all the information they need.
How Do Delays Benefit the Insurance Company?
First, insurance companies do not like to pay out on claims. It hurts their financial bottom line. The more premium money they keep, the better the insurance companies look to their investors. Second, it is a tactic to “starve you out.” They know you are without the disability insurance income, and they know some claimants return to work—any kind of work—to pay the bills. They also know that many workers who become disabled are too sick and tired to put up a fight and that many claimants will simply give up. Don’t give up. Don’t give them the satisfaction.