Columbian Mutual Life Insurance Company

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me Regards, [redacted] I have sent them the proof of bank withdrawal and am waiting for the refund

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.The response from the Vice President is not completely accurate There are indeed discrespanies between their timeframe of communication While I do understand that it takes time to investigate a claim that was made within two years, as I already have explained and expressed, I do not have any more medical records or documentation that I forwarded to the insurance company It has been over months since I filed this claim and the timeliness by this insurance company is flawed I will personally follow up with the hospital myself to see why the insurance company has not provided my mother medical records I honestly believe that this insurance company does not want to pay my mother's death claim Regards, [redacted] ***

We mailed [redacted] letter with additional information regarding the data incident Also, we have provided a toll-free number for her to call and speak to the Vice President of Administration to address any additional questions she may have

June 18, 2015COLUMBIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANYHome Office: Chicago, ILAdministrative Service Office:Vestal Parkway East, P.OBox , Binghamton, NY 13902-1381Phone No###-###-#### Fax No###-###-####The Revdex.com, IncBryant Woods SouthAmherst, NY 14228Re: Your File
Number:***Policy:2***Insured:*** ***, deceasedComplainant:*** ***Dear Sir or Madame:Your inquiry dated June 15, addressed to Thomas R*** regarding the above referenced file has been referred to me for a response.According to our records, the above listed policy is a $5,Whole Life policy issued in the state of New Jersey on August 7, *** *** signed the application for insurance on July 30, 2014.*** *** reported the death of *** *** (December 29, 2014) to us on January 6, Since the death of Ida West occurred within two years of the policy issue date, the claim for benefits is considered contestable under the terms and conditions of the policy*** *** was notified of this at that time and the forms and information to file a claim for benefits were mailed to *** *** on January 7, These forms were subsequently received on January 20, and our claim evaluation was initiated.On February 9, 2015, a letter was mailed to *** *** advising her we were awaiting medical records from *** *** *** (the insured's primary physician) as provided on the Beneficiary Statement completed by *** ***Medical records were requested for the time period July through July 2014, the date of the application for insurance*** *** contacted our office on March 23, and at that time she was advised that we had received a response from the doctor's office that they did not have records for the insured for the time period requestedSince no other treating physician/hospitals were provided to us on the Beneficiary Statement and *** *** had been advised the primary care physician's office stated there were no records in the time period requested, the claims examiner mailed a letter to *** *** on March 26, requesting this in formation*** *** states in her complaint that this information was never asked of her in the beginning which is not the case as this same information was asked on the initial Beneficiary Statement. Enclosed is a copy of the letter from *** *** dated March 31, as well as a copy of a bill from *** *** *** for the insured from December which she refers to in her complaintThis was received by Columbian Life on April 6, In her letter to MrF*, *** *** states "I called Columbian Insurance Company two days before the date of your letter to be told that the documents were received and there was nothing noted from my mother's medical history"This too was not accurate as previously stated; we had advised *** *** on March 23, that *** ***'s primary care physician 'S office reported they did not have medical records in the time period requested.*** *** also states in her complaint "I typed out a letter and mailed it to the company asking for 1) the claim to be handled by someone else and 2) updated status"As you can see, *** *** did ask for an updated status and/or resolution and if not provided she would speak to a manager to have another claim examiner handle the claimShe did not request a new claims examiner at that time and as we were just provided with the copy of the bill from *** *** *** there was no new information to provide to her at that time.On May 4, 2015, *** *** talked with the Claims Supervisor who explained what had taken place so far in regards to the claimShe also inquired about other physician's the insured may have seen or possible medications the insured may have been taking and *** *** stated that's all she could find at the time.Although the bill from *** *** *** was for an admission after the date of application for insurance and since no other physician/hospital information was provided, medical records were requested from *** *** ***An update was sent to *** *** on May 5, 2015.While we take pride in handling claims in a timely manner, the length of time it takes to receive medical records from a facility on a contestable claim varies and is often times out of our control*** *** *** advised our medical retrieval service they were unable to locate the requested medical records for the patientWe in turn asked for any medical records from August through the present time in hopes of obtaining a history and physical for *** *** and information regarding any treating physician 'sWe also forwarded a copy of the Statement of Billing as proof *** *** was a patient at *** *** ***On June 12,another follow-up letter was mailed to *** *** advising her we were still waiting for the medical records. In the complaint to the Revdex.com, *** *** states she called Columbian Life again after submitting the letter and found out the claim was handled by someone else who informed her that she was waitingto hear back from the hospitalShe then received another letter indicating the same thing that was discussed over the phoneThe handling of this claim was never transferred to anyone else and it is our practice to send a written update to the beneficiary every days where possibleAll correspondence mailed to *** *** has been from MrF*.Please know, while we are sorry for the loss of *** ***'s mother, we are doing everything we can to obtain the necessary medical information to make our claim determinationInsurers have a responsibility to investigate the validity of life insurance claims filed within the two year contestability periodA review of the relevant medical records is fundamental to the completion of a contestable claim investigationThe ability to determine where the medical records reside and to gain access to those records requires reasonable cooperation of the beneficiary particularly due to the awareness and sensitivity to privacy issuesWhen we are not provided with the necessary information to conduct our review such as in this case, a claim determination will be delayed. Our handling of this claim is at a standstill until relevant medical records are received and reviewed. We assume this information is sufficient; however, should The Revdex.com or *** *** have anyquestions concerning this, please feel free to contact me at ###-###-#### or via email at ***.Sincerely,Anne MK***, ALHCAssistant Vice President, Claimscc: Thomas R***President and Chief Executive Officer

Please see attached response to complaint ID ***. Attachment:May 5, 2015*** Complaint HandlerThe Revdex.comSent Via EmailRe: *** ***Dear ***:This is written in response to the inquiry you sent on May 4, on behalf of Columbian policyholder ***
***.First and foremost, Columbian is very concerned with this event and the impact on its customersOur policyholders entrust us with their personal information so that we may provide a serviceThis is a responsibility we take very seriously. As *** *** stated, a flash drive containing personal information of a small block of Columbian policyholders was lost in the mailThe package which held the flash drive was delivered damaged,as if it may possibly have been stuck in mailing machineryAlthough we cannot say with certainty, it does not appear the flash drive was intentionally stolen. Although her policy was issued with *** *** ** ***, Columbian and Unity merged in and as a result, Columbian know has all responsibility for the Unity business. We recognize this is a very alarming event, creating anxiety amongst our policyholdersHowever, we are not aware of any access or misuse ofthe information contained on the flash driveThe company will not be refunding premiums on and policiesThe premiums paid on this policy have provided insurance coverage for over yearsAlthough we would not recommend this, *** *** can surrender her policy for its cash surrender value if she no longer wants to be associated with ColumbianWe would encourage her to secure other coverage before she proceeds with a cancellation of this policy. The Company feels that it has taken the appropriate and customary action in providing one year of credit monitoring and identity restoration service.We do apologize for this unfortunate eventSecurity is a high priority for Columbian and practices related to privacy and security are under constant reviewWhile it may not provide any comfort, I did want to let you know that although the flash drive did not meet the definition of encrypted, it was not in an easily readable form and would be difficult to access. If there are additional questions, please feel free to contact me at ###-###-####.Sincerely,Chief Risk OfficerCOLUMBIAN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANYHOME OFFICE: BINGHAMTONNY 13902-1381COLUMBIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANYHOME OFFICE: CHICA

Response to ID ***May 7, 2015***The Revdex.comDear ***,This is in response to your inquiry received May 6, on behalf of *** *** ***'s inquiry was in response to a letter we sent to her regarding an incident of a lost flash drive, which contained personal
information.*** *** had a policy with us that was originally issued in with *** *** ***, who subsequently merged with Unity Mutual and then merged with Columbian Mutual in 2011. Her policy has since been surrendered for its cash value but her data remained in our systems due to our record retention requirements.I called *** *** this morning and explained the situation and responded to her questions. There has been no indication that anyone has found and accessed the lost flash drive.I believe I have responded to all of her concerns but would be happy to provide any additional information which may be needed.Sincerely,*** ***Chief Risk Officer

June 2, The Revdex.com,
Inc. Bryant Woods South Amherst, NY Re: Your File Number: *** Policy: *** Insured: *** *** *** Complainant: *** *** Dear Sir or Madame: Your inquiry dated May 26, addressed to *** *** regarding the above referenced file has been referred to me for a response According to our records, on March 12, 2014, Columbian Life mailed two checks in the amount of $and $2,to *** *** at the address she provided on the Beneficiary StatementThese checks represented a return of the premiums paid on the above listed policy *** *** contacted Columbian Life on April 16, to advise us she had received the check in the amount of $but had not received the check in the amount of $2,or our rescission letter. At this point we requested a stop payment on the check and it was at this time we were advised by our Accounting Department the check had been cashed. On April 17, 2014, we sent *** *** a copy of the cashed check she had reported as not having been received along with a copy of our rescission letter *** *** contacted our office again on August 19, and provided us with a new address. She stated she had not received our letter or copy of the cashed check. Another letter with the copy of the cashed check and rescission letter was sent to her new address. *** *** called on three more occasions, September 22, 2014, October 13, and February 5, stating she still had not received the information. It was mailed to her again on each of these occasions. During one of our telephone conversations with *** ***, we inquired if there was someone else who could assist her with her mail and she stated she lived with her husband. In addition, in our conversation with *** *** on September 22, 2014, she reported to us that she could not have cashed the check as she had been in a coma from March through the beginning of April 2014. On March 4, 2015, we were able to send the information via facsimile to *** *** and on March 9, she confirmed it was not her signature on the check and that it had not been deposited in her account. She requested the name of the bank or institution where it had been cashed and we provided ** *** ***. Columbian Life spoke with *** *** again on March 24, and advised her we would be sending her a Forgery Affidavit to complete and return to us. *** *** stated she would provide us with proof she was in the hospital at the time the check was cashed. The affidavit was mailed to *** *** on March 27, and has not yet been returned. When Columbian Life received the complaint from The Revdex.com, we reached out once again to *** ***. On May 29, 2015, we spoke to *** *** and stated we were following up on the forgery affidavit we sent to her in March. *** *** reported she did receive the affidavit but still needed to complete it and get it notarized. We inquired again, as we had in the past, if there was someone who could assist her. *** *** advised her husband lived with her and could assist her. We also inquired again if her husband remembered receiving the check. *** *** stated her husband and granddaughter received the check for $but not the check for $2,254.80. *** *** advised us she would complete the forgery affidavit and return it to us the following week While *** *** stated Columbian Life “does not want to help her get the money”, this is certainly not the case. However, we are not able to move forward with her forgery claim until such time we receive the notarized affidavitIn the event we do not receive the completed form by the beginning of next week, we will contact *** *** again to see what her intentions are in regards to this matter We assume this information is sufficient; however, should The Revdex.com or *** *** have any questions concerning this, please feel free to contact me at ###-###-#### or via email at *** Sincerely, *** ** *** *** Assistant Vice President, Claims cc: *** *** President and Chief Executive Officer

We received this notice and reviewed our filesBelow is a summary of our findings
*** *** applied for a Whole Life policy through Columbian Life Insurance Company and the application elected Full Benefit coverage with $10,as the face valueThe application was signed September 17,
and it included a completed and signed Electronic Funds AuthorizationFurthermore, during the course of the application for coverage Columbian Life conducted a recorded health history telephone interview via a third party
In *** ***’s notice, it states the “company’s representative used abusive tactics towards the elderly to sell insurance”Columbian Life has reviewed this concern and has found no evidence to support this allegation*** *** signed and dated the application, completed the recorded telephone interview, and had days from the date of receiving the policy to review the coverage to determine if it was fully acceptable and request reimbursement for any premiums paid
It was not until March 20, when *** *** and her daughter contacted Columbian Life’s Customer Service department to Surrender the policy as *** *** could no longer afford the premium payments and continue with the coverageAdditionally, Columbian Life reviewed Agent Michael Bettencourt’s records and found no prior complaints
As it stands, Columbian Life has found no pertinent facts which warrant a refund of premiumColumbian Life provided the life insurance coverage *** *** applied for and had a claim for benefits been filed, it would have been honored according to the contract specifications

Please see the attached response regarding Veronica Walker ID# *** , file is password protected

The complainant states "According to the Company, they will not pay out until all beneficiaries are available to receive paymentIn addition, contrary to escheatment policy they will not make any effort to locate the beneficiaries"If the complainant was advised by CML that this was our
procedure, we certainly apologize for the incorrect information, however, it is not our practice to wait until all beneficiaries are available to receive paymentPayment is made at the time CML receives each beneficiary's claim requirementsThis was explained to the daughter on March 3, Also, it is CML's practice to try to locate beneficiariesIn this instance, CML had been in contact with one of the beneficiaries who stated she would try to locate her siblingsHad she not been successful, CML would then attempt to locate the other beneficiaries.We assume this information is sufficient; however, should the Revdex.com or Mr*** have any other questions concerning this; please feel free to contact me at *** extension ***.Sincerely, Anne ** ***, ALHC Assistant Vice President, Claims

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*** ***

We called *** ***s residence and provided some information to her son. A letter explaining this matter in greater detail is being forwarded to *** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*** ***

*** *** ACS DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION September 25, Revdex.com, IncBryant Woods South Amherst, NY Attn: *** Complaint Handler Re: ID #*** *** ***, policy ***
*** ***, policy *** Dear *** I am writing in response to the complaint you received on September 16th from *** ***I am enclosing a copy of the letter I sent to *** *** to explain the Children’s Insurance Rider attached to her policies. At her request, we will remove the rider on policy *** as of the date her son *** reached age and was no longer insured. As of today, this would result in a refund in the amount of $116.25. The remainder of the premium she pays for that policy covers life insurance for ***. The other policy is owned by ***n and insures her daughter *** This policy also contains a Children’s Insurance Rider which insures Diamond’s son, *** ***. This rider will insure any other children born to or adopted by *** while the policy and rider remain in forceIf she decides to terminate both policies, she would receive the cash surrender value. She has been provided with forms to make this requestVery truly yours, *** *** Director of Administration

*** *** ACSDIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION October 9, 2015Revdex.com, IncBryant Woods South Amherst, NY 14228Attn: *** Complaint HandlerRe: ID #*** ***, policy *** *** ***, policy ***Dear ***I am writing in response to the additional concern presented by *** ***.There are only two policies involved, not four as she mentioned in her statement. The requests to cancel both policies were received. The cash surrenders have been processed and the checks were mailed on October 5, 2015.If additional information is required, please contact our office.Very truly yours,*** ***Director of Administrationcc: *** ***
*** ***
*** ***

Complaint #*** I am responding late because of illnessI am not satisfy with the response from ColumbianPursuant to their letter to me the "flash drive" was lost in the mailNow it has miraculously appearedWhy did they put any of my information on a flash drive? And why was it sent mail it unsecured? Sincerely, *** ***

COLUMBIAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANYJuly 10, 2015Administrative Service Office:Vestal Parkway EastP.OBox , Binghamton, NY 13902-1381Phone No###-###-#### Fax No###-###-####*** ***
*** *** ***
*** *** ***
*** ** ***Re: *** *** ***Policy: 2***Dear *** ***:Please accept our condolences on your loss.We have completed our review on the above referenced policy and we thank your for your patience during this difficult timeListed below is an outline of the settlement proceedsYour check as listed in "Total Payment" is enclosedBenefit SummaryNatural Death $5,000.00Interest on Benefits Payment 13.56 Premium Refund 0.00Total Benefit before deductions 5,013.56 Less:Unpaid Premium 0.00Unpaid Policy Loan 0.00Total Payment 5,013.56We take pride in providing prompt service to our beneficiariesIf you have any questions about this payment, please contact me at the address above or the agent referenced below.Sincerely,Leslie B***Supervisor of ClaimsExt: ***cc: AGENCY: NO*** AGENCY NAME Diversified Health Mktrs IncAGENT:NOA*** AGENT NAME Gregory M***

This letter is in reply to a recent complaint received from your office and *** *** regarding the cancelationrequest for her husband's term life insurance policy.According to our records, this policy was issued with an effective date of December 5, At time of issue acomplete policy
contract was mailed to Mr***In this contract we state that he as a day right to examine fora full refund if he decides he does not want the coverageOn February 5, we received a call from Mr***to cancel his coverageThis is outside of the day right to examine period so no refund of premium would bepaidWe advised him of the requirements needed to cancel, however, his billing was not stopped as it shouldhave beenHe called again on March 5, and we stopped his billing so nothing further would draw from hisaccount, but the March premium had drafted.In the complaint, Mrs*** stated that her husband "called our agent and canceled our policy the second monthinto our policy"We do not have a record of this and in most cases, we do not allow the agent to cancel for theclient, we need the client to contact us directlyI contacted the servicing agent *** *** and asked him ifMr*** did contact him to cancelMrLambert indicated that he does recall speaking with Mr*** but does notrecall a request to cancelHe also stated that he always advises his clients to call us directly to cancel as he willnot cancel a policy for themA copy of his response is attached.As noted above, we have stopped the billing on this policyIf Mr*** returns a notarized request to cancel, wecan process this and refund him the payment that drew on March 5, If we do not receive the notarizedstatement, the policy will remain in benefit until it goes through the natural lapse processHe will maintain fullcoverage until that occurs.Please let me know if you have any additional questions or if you need any additional information about thispolicy.Sincerely,Cheryl ***Customer Service Supervisor*** ***

On June 3, 2015 we mailed a letter to [redacted] that outlines the identity/credit protection offered beyond the one year of free credit reports.

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Regards, [redacted]
I have sent them the proof of bank withdrawal and am waiting for the refund.