This
page will be updated when new info is available. Last update was
Aug 2007
WARNING!
ADVICE: Do Not Buy Policies From
Standard Insurance Of Portland, Oregon
Policyholders Allege Fraud And Deceit
| Many policyholders of
Standard Insurance Company of Portland, Oregon have written
complaints about the alleged hoodlum/guerilla tactics used in order
to get out of paying legitimate claims. Excerpts of these letters
on file follow. Names are withheld to protect the claimants who
have written the letters. Here is a synopsis of the allegations
thus far: Letters on this page are old but for the last year and a half there has been an increase of mail regarding Standard's practices and an increased desperation on the part of the victims as they have nowhere to turn. I do not print the more recent letters because they would be mere repetition of what is here and I don't want any vindictiveness by Standard towards those who file a complaint with Insurance News. Hundreds and possibily thousands of lives are being ruined by Standard's "method of business". |
 Claimant alleges that
Standard during a two year period several times used the tactic of
cutting off disability payments to coerce them into signing away
all privacy rights of the individual. Medical and non-medical
records were sought by Standard so as to get out of paying the
disability claim and NOT for the reason of determining disability.
Five doctors would not release the claimant for work. This claimant
signed his own authorization form of release of records under the
provision that Standard would inform the claimant which records
they were seeking and where Standard was sending copies of these
records. Standard accepted the authorization form and then seven
months later decided it was too cumbersome for them and completely
cut off all disability payments to this person. Today the claimant
has no income and is still not permitted by any doctor's to return
to work.
Claimant alleges: This Company seems to have a split personality
whereby one hand doesn't know what the other is doing. Since 1994 I
have had a running battle with them. In July 1998 a new mess has
surfaced regarding an intolerable increase in our insurance
premiums. I have found contact with Standard employees to be like
talking to a blank wall. Stone-walling supplemental insurance
customers and their questions appears to be the norm for the Group
Policy Department of Standard Insurance Company.
Another
claimant alleges that Standard forced them to take Social Security
Disability through threating tactics similar to the above and more
personal privacy invasion. This person also refused to sign and now
Standard is insisting they owe an over-payment of $11,000 and want
reimbursement.
Another
alleges they cut off their disability benefits without warning in
November 1997. "The stress and frustration they have caused me is
undescribable!"
Claimant alleges that Standard denies their claim due to
opinions of "house doctors" of Standard Insurance Company whom have
never examined the policyholder. Two doctors who HAVE examined the
policyholder determined that the person is disabled. Standard
refuses to pay the disability.
Claimant alleges: I have short term disability coverage with
Standard through my employer. After submitting my initial claim to
Standard they informed me that they had to do a "pre-existing
condition" investigation because I had been insured less than 24
months. All the information they needed for the subsequent
investigation was already available from the initial claim
information. This is a violation of Oregon Insurance Law. I called
Standard and talked to the claims handler, she did a good job at
passing the buck to her supervisor. They then went over my file
again and claim. The supervisor snottily told me that THEIR Drs.
review all the claims appeals.Right now I am out money in lost
wages. I, fortunately, had money in savings to cover me but I
wonder how other people who don't have these resources survive.I
hate this insurance company. They have repeatedly denied me
increases in my life insurance coverage also.Please add me to your
list of Standard victims. I would love to get them.
|
Another Disabled Person
says: Please include me in the complaint against Standard Insurance
Company. They have denied me for the third time using false
information about my job provided by my employer -- even though I
have given them a mountain of substantiating evidence to the
contrary, Code from the DOT, etc. They used what was favorable to
them so they could deny my claim.They have ignored the evidence
presented in my doctors' reports. I have spoken to patients,
physical therapists and doctors, and I get a unanimous "groan" when
the name of Standard Insurance Company -- "forget it." There must
be a good reason why. I have Fibromyalgia and when it first hit, I
couldn't even get out of bed. Then I had an auto accident on top of
it (on the way to my Fibromyalgia doctor). My wonderful life was
ripped out from under me by these malicious capitalists.
Another
says: Dear Sirs, I am permanently dissabled due to an on the job
injury, that occured 1/15/98. At that time, I had full coverage
insurance through Standard Insurance Company, which includes
dissability. To date, all they have done is send me letter after
letter. Something MUST be done about this! I desperately need the
payments that are due me, and it doesn't seem that I will be
recieving anything from this Company! Please send me information
about joining the 'class action lawsuit', that I had about, via the
Internet. Thank you for your time.
Claimant alleges that "after eight months of hassle and two
rejections, I am currently receiving Standard LTD benefits. Please
add me to the list of the Class Action Suit against Standard. I've
got a complete file and good notes."
Claimant alleges that Standard on and off during their claim has
cut them off for without warning nor reason even though their
doctors still say they are disabled. "I have lost my home because
of them and my personal life is a mess. My life has been totally
turned upside down and I am out on the street because of this
Company."
Claimant alleges: I have been denied benefits several times on
the same claim even though doctors will not allow me to return to
work.I have kept a file, and have also contacted the State of
Washington Health Care Authority, and Insurance Commissioner and
the Governor's office repeatedly to no avail. I keep copies of my
correspondence, and would be willing to testify.
And yet
another: My wife was clinically diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis
in 1994. After having several severe attacks which put her in the
hospital each time, she returned to work as an LPN. About 2 years
ago she suffered an attack which has since rendered her unable to
to much of anything. Standard Insurance cut her benefits about 6
months ago. I sent them a letter of appeal and they reopened her
case and began paying her benefits again. A few days ago they sent
a letter stating that her case was now closed, that they would no
longer pay benefits, that there was no medical evidence that she
could no longer continue her material duties and on and on. One day
later a check for $1,000.00 came in from Standard "To aid her in
this transisional period". We have not cashed this check and have
no intention to. They are well aware that M.S. can take years to
medically diagnose. The worst of it is that they have an MRI that
positively shows scarring of the white matter of the brain and two
of our doctors stating that there is strong clinical suspicion of
MS.
|
| Above is just a small sampling of email received! |
| It Has Come To
My Attention That Some Claimant's Of Standard Insurance Are
Printing This Page And Sending It To Their Congressmen And
Senators. You have our permission to do so. You may also send a
copy to Senator Orrin G. Hatch who within the last few years
keynoted a meeting with Standard and other insurance company
lawyers and management on: "How To Repel The Coming Lawsuits and Class Actions Suits Against Insurance Companies Using The ERISA Laws." Currently all email is sent to a list of legal professionals or governmental servants who are very interested in collecting information on Standard's practices. I do not want to give false hope as many cases just do not get solved. BUT your email complaint WILL be read by the government or a legal professional who want to help! In any event, if you have had experience with Standard Insurance of Portland, Oregon and you care then please tell us: |
BREAKING NEWS
From a Standard victim we just received this
email:
"I just received the following from Oregon State:
Thanks again for bringing this to our attention and for working to get more complaints filed, that's the key to a big solution.
Carol Simila
Consumer Advocate Liaison
Oregon Insurance Division"
"I just received the following from Oregon State:
Thanks again for bringing this to our attention and for working to get more complaints filed, that's the key to a big solution.
Carol Simila
Consumer Advocate Liaison
Oregon Insurance Division"
Suggestion On How YOU Can Help
From the same source:
Following are email address for the appropriate contacts at Oregon State Dept. of Insurance. So far, these people have been very responsive to me, and quite helpful. They told me to ask everyone on this website to send their email complaints to them because the more complaints they get about one company, the more likely the State will be to take action. Even if people have given up and are no longer getting disability benefits from Standard, they should still complain. Their benefits could be reinstated, with back pay.
My benefits were reinstated after being terminated for several years. But they are trying some of these same tactics now.
Unum just lost a class action lawsuit for terminating and denying disability benefits to claimants. This is good for us.
Also, I just sent queries to 7 different law firms that specialize in class action lawsuits involving insurance.
Maybe we'll get a favorable response.
Oregon State Wants Complaints From Oregon Resident ONLY!
Oregon State Insurance Dept email addresses:
Joel Ario (Insurance Administrator)
Carolyn A. Hancock (Consumer Advocacy Unit)
Carol R. Simila (Consumer Advocate Liason)
Mitchel D. Curzon (Chief Enforcement Officer)
Be sure to type your claim # in the subject line and say "Complaint about Standard Insurance".
If you don't, your email might be considered spam and be deleted without being read.
Postal address:
Oregon Insurance Division
350 Winter St., NE, Room 440
Salem, OR 07309-0405
You can address it to the attention of any of the people named in the emails above.
Claimants should also write (email or regular post) to the Insurance Commissioner in each of their states. Send a copy to every name they can find. Do a Google search for "Insurance Commissioner for State of XX" ("XX" being the state). Send to every name on the website because you do not know who will listen. In the subject line, say "Complaint about Standard Insurance".
Everyone should send letters to their reps in Washington, which you have done. But it never hurts to repeat this. People should write letters to their newspapers, to Time Magazine, to large newspapers like the New York Times, L.A. Times, 20/20, 60 Minutes, etc. If 30 people sent letters to Oregon State and their own state commissioners this week, or 30 letters went to 60 Minutes this week, you can bet we'd get noticed!
There are many complaints in CA, OR, and WA, and complaints in other states, the bulk of Standard's business is on the West Coast.
You might also check this website out, as Standard Insurance is listed Bad Faith Insurance Claims
Following are email address for the appropriate contacts at Oregon State Dept. of Insurance. So far, these people have been very responsive to me, and quite helpful. They told me to ask everyone on this website to send their email complaints to them because the more complaints they get about one company, the more likely the State will be to take action. Even if people have given up and are no longer getting disability benefits from Standard, they should still complain. Their benefits could be reinstated, with back pay.
My benefits were reinstated after being terminated for several years. But they are trying some of these same tactics now.
Unum just lost a class action lawsuit for terminating and denying disability benefits to claimants. This is good for us.
Also, I just sent queries to 7 different law firms that specialize in class action lawsuits involving insurance.
Maybe we'll get a favorable response.
Oregon State Wants Complaints From Oregon Resident ONLY!
Oregon State Insurance Dept email addresses:
Joel Ario (Insurance Administrator)
Carolyn A. Hancock (Consumer Advocacy Unit)
Carol R. Simila (Consumer Advocate Liason)
Mitchel D. Curzon (Chief Enforcement Officer)
Be sure to type your claim # in the subject line and say "Complaint about Standard Insurance".
If you don't, your email might be considered spam and be deleted without being read.
Postal address:
Oregon Insurance Division
350 Winter St., NE, Room 440
Salem, OR 07309-0405
You can address it to the attention of any of the people named in the emails above.
Claimants should also write (email or regular post) to the Insurance Commissioner in each of their states. Send a copy to every name they can find. Do a Google search for "Insurance Commissioner for State of XX" ("XX" being the state). Send to every name on the website because you do not know who will listen. In the subject line, say "Complaint about Standard Insurance".
Everyone should send letters to their reps in Washington, which you have done. But it never hurts to repeat this. People should write letters to their newspapers, to Time Magazine, to large newspapers like the New York Times, L.A. Times, 20/20, 60 Minutes, etc. If 30 people sent letters to Oregon State and their own state commissioners this week, or 30 letters went to 60 Minutes this week, you can bet we'd get noticed!
There are many complaints in CA, OR, and WA, and complaints in other states, the bulk of Standard's business is on the West Coast.
You might also check this website out, as Standard Insurance is listed Bad Faith Insurance Claims