Disability Insurer Profiles: MassMutual

We have written about Unum, arguably the most notorious disability insurance company, in great detail.  However, we realize that many physicians and dentists may not know very much about other disability insurance companies, including those whose policies they own.  In the next few posts, we’ll profile some of the most common doctors’ disability insurers.

Company: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, a.k.a. MassMutual.

Location: Springfield, Massachusetts.

Associated Entities: Mass Mutual Financial Group (parent  company), C.M. Life Insurance Company, MML Bay State Life Insurance Company.

Assets: Over $195 billion in 2013.

Notable Policy Features:  As part of its product offerings, MassMutual sells own-occupation disability insurance policies to physicians and dentists.  One notable aspect of some MassMutual policies we’ve seen recently is an especially restrictive definition of “Total Disability,” which we sometimes refer to as a “no work” own-occupation definition.  Under the “no work” own-occupation definition, an insured is Totally Disabled if he or she is unable to perform the material and substantial duties of his or her own occupation and not working in any occupation.  Unlike traditional own-occupation policies that allow a physician or dentist to collect total disability benefits and return to work in a different occupation, this one will not pay total disability benefits if the policyholder is doing any type of gainful work.

Claims Management Approach: MassMutual is a highly successful insurer.  In June 2014, it was ranked number 96 in the Fortune 500.  However, Fortune reports that MassMutual is currently experiencing a dramatic reduction in profits.  If MassMutual follows the current trends in the disability insurance industry, we believe it will increase scrutiny on disability insurance claims in order to try to regain its former profit levels.

In our experience, one of the ways MassMutual aggressively approaches disability claims is to hire a medical consultant to evaluate claimants’ medical records.  The consultant then tries to insert himself or herself between the claimant and the treating physician, writing or calling the treating physician and suggesting treatment methods that, in the consultant’s opinion, will get the claimant back to work as soon as possible.

 

These profiles are based on our opinions and experience. Additional source(s): MassMutual’s 2013 Annual Report; Fortune 500 2014; Bloomberg.com

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