Unum surveillance is commonly used by Unum and other insurance companies. However, it often fails to prove anything. We recently handled a case in which Unum surveillance only proved they took video of the wrong person.
If you have filed a claim for disability benefits, your insurance company can conduct surveillance on you. Insurance companies use this tool to determine whether you are being truthful about your claims.
Sometimes, the investigation can be as simple as an online social media search. Other times, insurance companies will hire an investigator to follow you over multiple days. The goal is the same – to determine whether you are telling the truth about your disability.
It is important to be aware of this possibility. We all post or share the happiest moments of our lives on social media. But, showing only the good times can hurt your disability claim. Also, attempting tasks that are dangerous or harmful to your health could be captured on camera and used against you.
In the end, it is important that you are honest with your doctors. This will ensure your medical records reflect your true capacity.
You have a right to view any surveillance video the insurance company has created. It is important to view the video. In a recent case, this became key to getting our client’s benefits back. Unum denied this because a surveillance video showed him stretching, bending over, and touching his toes.
Our client’s claim was based on a back injury that prevented that type of movement. One problem for Unum – it wasn’t our client. The investigator had filmed the wrong person.
Our client viewed Unum’s surveillance after we requested it from the insurance company. He knew it was not him. We submitted a statement to the insurance company explaining the mix up. Happily, our client’s benefits were reinstated.
You have a right to view the information your insurance company is using against you. Make sure you take advantage of that opportunity and carefully inspect the records in your file. It would be a shame to be denied benefits because your neighbor is a star athlete. An attorney specializing in disability benefit disputes can help you spot these issues and respond accordingly.
Because each client’s case is unique and has different facts, results similar to those in other clients’ cases are not guaranteed.
