Thrivent Financial

My parents purchased long term care insurance 22 years ago with Thrivent Financial at a whopping cost of $100,000 plus another $50,000 in lost interest. My father is deceased and my mother requires 24/7 care. The in home senior care agencies will not care for my mother because she needs care at night/weekends and 12 memory care facilitiies refused to care for my mother even though she had a long term care insurance policy. I found the inability to find care for my easy to please and quiet mother to be incredibly surprising.

Subsequently, my mother moved in with my husband and I so that we could care for her. Thrivent Financial promised to pay for my mother's care under the contract's alternate care benefit. But after 6 months of red tape and 10 months of appeals and efforts to escalate the claim through state governing bodies Thrivent refuses to pay for my mother's care. I received a letter from Thrivent which states, "We do not need a reason to deny payment on this claim". Thrivent Financial, which I deem a crook and a scam, is a non profit christian organization which receives world wide recognition for their business acumen. They are also a Fortune 500 company with an A++ insurance rating. If you look at their website you will find photos of happy clients (Thrivent calls members) enjoying church activities and volunteer pursuits. In addition, you will find articles on how to spend your money wisely and live a secure retirement... of course only if you invest with Thrivent. Nothing could be further from the truth. Interesting but not surprising, I posted this story on their website and Thrivent deleted it.

Can anyone tell me how it is possible that an insurance company is not legally obligated to pay a claim?

Review: This complaint is in reference to a lack of response from this provider to handle a life insurance policy .Thrivent has been unwilling to conduct business with the beneficiary of a life insurance policy . Mr and Mrs [redacted] are the beneficiary of [redacted] death benefit. This insurance money is to be used for the burial of [redacted] .Thrivent has failed to follow up with this particular claim as promise.Desired Settlement: to pay the life insurance benefit promptly.

Business

Response:

This

letter is in response to the complaint received in your office regarding

Thrivent Financial’s handling of the death claim for [redacted]. Mr. [redacted]

passed away on July 31, 2015. Mr.

[redacted]’s parents were listed as a beneficiary for a contract owned by him.

Death claim paperwork, signed on September 9, 2015, was received at Thrivent’s

Operation Center September 10, 2015. Thrivent, however, did not receive a death

certificate with the claim paperwork. On September 18, 2015, an exception was

granted from our normal business practice to process the claim without a death

certificate. Our

review found the delay in completing the death claim was as a result of

business requirements not having all been met. After additional review it was

felt an exception could be granted and the claim was immediately paid to Mr.

[redacted]’s beneficiaries. We

realize this is a difficult time for the [redacted] family as they deal with the

loss of their loved one. If you need additional information, please contact me

at ###-###-####; say “directory” and enter extension [redacted]. You may also contact me via e-mail at [redacted].

Review: Thrivent Financial rejected me for long term insurance. I believe this is unfair & discriminatory for the following reasons:

1. Bad timing for the interview which was late afternoon (am a morning person), interview was 3 days after dental bone graft & shortly before carpal tunnel surgery. My BP was up due to stress of what was going on. I could have rejected the time for the interview but was trying to be accommodating.

2. False advertising in that the agent said the company was started by two Lutherans who were trying to help one another in making money available when needed in old age.

3. Advertising insurance in the church....to me this doesn't seem right.

4. The rejection letter of June 10, 2015 says that I failed due to the memory screening assessment during the interview, and I would guess that was due to not recalling the words on the stack of cards after more questions and testing. I concur that I'm not as sharp as in my younger days, but let's be reasonable!

5. In a phone call to ###-###-#### on August 17, 2015 to Liz, then Julie and finally Lucy, I was told that the only way the Thrivent rejection could be changed would be to see a neuro psychologist for a report. Really?!! I told her that was bogus!Desired Settlement: All I am asking for is a letter saying that I was NOT rejected in the screening process so I can go to a different insurance company.

Business

Response:

Your requests for documentation from Thrivent Financial regarding your eligibility for long-term careinsurance have been escalated to me and Thrivent's legal department.Thrivent Financial cannot provide a statement, written or otherwise, indicating that you are eligible forlong-term care insurance. Under our underwriting guidelines you are not eligible for insurance atThrivent Financial and we cannot provide an opinion on your eligibility for any other carrier's insurance.Further, we cannot represent to another carrier that we would offer you coverage when that is not thecase. However, I would again encourage you to apply with another long term care insurance carrier ifyou believe you are insurable.To protect all of Thrivent Financial's members (insureds) and ensure the ability to pay their properclaims when made, Thrivent has underwriting guidelines and assessments to help determine who canand cannot be offered insurance. The cognitive screen you were administered is one of thoseassessments and is standard practice in the long-term care insurance industry. The specific assessmentthat Thrivent Financial utilizes is used by multiple carriers and has been administered over one milliontimes.As we shared previously, if you disagree with the results of the cognitive screen, you can have aneuropsychological exam performed at your own expense and submit the results of that exam forconsideration. Without results from a neuropsychological exam, further requests for a reconsiderationof our position will not be productive.In your letter you threaten to share truthful, yet negative comments about Thrivent Financial. I wouldstrongly encourage you to consult with an attorney before you pursue a defamation campaign againstThrivent Financial. Please be advised that Thrivent Financial will protect its good name to the full extentof the law, including seeking reimbursement for any legal fees incurred.

Business

Response:

Tell us why here...Our letter of 9/25/15 was in response to Ms. [redacted]'s letter of 9/14/15. As noted in that response, unless additional medical information is received, we are unable to review the underwriting decision any further.

Consumer

Response:

Terrible customer service. I am POA for my mother. I called her agent "Steve, such a nice guy" a month ago. I gave him all of the POA info, changed her address, gave him my contact info, and asked for a summary of her policies. He said that would arrive within a week. Still waiting.
I contacted the company last week and was told as POA I cannot have online access to her accounts. As POA, I should have the same access to her accounts that she would have. Finally I got through to someone and asked that they close out her checking and saving accounts, which were under $100 each, because she's accruing a $12 quarterly fee for being below limits. I also changed her bank info to her new bank, changed her address AGAIN, and asked that her RDI be taken from her US Bank checking account. I was told this would take 2 days. A week later, nothing has been done.
I called yesterday and was transferred around and put on hold for 45 minutes before being told that there was possible "identity theft" because someone called them last week, and an associate thought it might not be me/my mom. I told them that was me, her POA, and that nothing had been done with her account that was supposed to be done. Sorry, no information can be given out over the phone. Or online. They were rude and treated me like a criminal. I asked how am I to manage my mother's financial affairs if I have no access to the information? Sorry, no can do. Not their problem. How can I prove I am her POA? They know I'm her POA, they just can't give any information out. Not to me, not to her (FYI it is her money, not theirs).
I have been in contact with MULTIPLE companies and banks putting all of my mom's affairs in order. I have access to all of her accounts online. Other companies and banks speak to me over the phone. They are polite. I have never been treated like this, and by a "Christian" company. Apparently they plan to hang onto her accounts which have $1 each in them, and continue to collect $12 quarterly in "below minimum" fees for my mom for all of eternity. They refuse to do anything for her/me.
Oh, nobody ever contacted me as POA about possible "identity theft". They never told me that they weren't closing out her accounts or taking out her RDI as I asked them to do. They haven't sent anything in the mail that they were supposed to send. I will never invest a dime with Thrivent. Worst. Financial. Company. EVER.

I was very pleased with the sign up process for life insurance and a traditional IRA. However I choose the dates when my payment would be made for the life insurance and funding the IRA they never pulled money out on the correct day. For example I asked them to draw everything on the 25th of each month but it would be the 6th or even the 13th of the next month until the funds were withdrawn this was occurring for about 4 months. I called the customer service and I am usually polite when I call other people but I was meet with rudeness and excuses. All I asked from them was to out the money out close to the 25th and not a week and a half later. By the end of the phone call I told them to stop the services and I will be finding someone else besides Thrivent to work with. I realize I could have asked them to move the date so it would sort of come out when I wanted but the rudeness from customer service through me off guard.

Review: This company contacted me first 18 months ago with a request for payment for a loan on an insurance policy. I did not take out an insurance policy with this company nor have I ever requested a loan. I have spoken with them and learned that this is for an account developed 45 years ago, when I was a child. It is allegedly for a $5,000 insurance policy which one of my parents opened. The loan amount is now $7,214.

I believe it wrong to offer life insurance for a period which has already passed. I believe it is wrong to hold a loan account for 36 years without contacting me. Since I am now ** years old, I became an adult ** years ago. This company had an obligation to contact me when I became an adult to allow me to cancel this policy and discontinue this loan. I believe this company is not acting in good faith. I have requested copies of the request for loan and the signed request for insurance, but the company has not provided those.Desired Settlement: I request a refund of all policy premiums paid to this company for the entire 45 year period of this insurance policy. Since I did not know of this policy, it never had any value. Insuring somebody for a past period without notifying them is wrong and absolutely of no value.

I request this company forgive any loan amount alleged to be my responsibility. Since I did not request this loan and since the company never contacted me for 44 years from the date of this policy, I feel it is wrong to hold me responsible for this loan.

Business

Response:

As I mentioned in my email note, I experienced transmission problems when Iattempted to fax this document to you on July 23, 2015.Enclosed is Thrivent Financial's response to the complaint submitted to your officeby [redacted]; your complaint number [redacted].When the complaint was submitted to Thrivent, it was directed to Jacinda Schneiter.Your contact here for complaints should be listed as [redacted]. Her email addressis[redacted].Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information. I can bereached by mail at the address listed in the letterhead, by fax at ###-###-####, byemail at [redacted] or by telephone at ###-###-####.

Review: I purchased an insurance contract on my Grandson [redacted] when he was an infant designating myself as primary beneficiary and my son [redacted]'s father as secondary beneficiary;. At age 21 he passed away. I contacted them to begin the claim process. Due to an incompetent agent 16 years ago a change of beneficiary was completed without my understanding eliminating me as at the primary beneficiary. Thrivent refused to speak to me citing privacy issues. Privacy never came up over the many years when they sent invoices, statements, director elections, junk mail or solicitations. I have written to their board of directors regarding my issues with them and received in return a "kiss off" letter from [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like a phone call from a Board Member so that I can be sure confirming they received my complaint letter, that it was not intercepted by someone else in an attempt to cover their anatomy and a satisfactory explanation for such poor service and what they intend to do to rectify all the issues in my letter of complaint.

Business

Response:

Dear Mr. [redacted]:

The following is in regard to your letter of December 17, 2013, concerning consumer [redacted]

and our insured [redacted], your file number [redacted].

Our Board of Directors receives information on all complaints that are filed, but our Member Relations

area is charged with researching and responding to the complaints as we have access to all member

information and are familiar with our company business processes. In this case the appropriate

management personnel involved with this business process have seen and reviewed this complaint.

I have enclosed the following items for your review and for your complaint file:

1. A letter dated 5/30/13 from Ms. [redacted]'s attorney.

2. Thrivent's response letter to the attorney dated 6/6/13.

3. A letter from dated 7/24/13 from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.

4. Thrivent's response letter to the insurance department dated 8/1/13.

5. A letter dated 12/5/13 from Ms. [redacted] to Thrivent's Board of Directors.

6. Thrivent's response letter to Ms. [redacted] dated 12/11 / 13.

7. A copy of the beneficiary designation completed on 9/22/97 which names [redacted] and [redacted] as the beneficiary to [redacted]'s contract 72 15184.

8. The 9/25/13 fax received from [redacted] with the required information to pay the death

claim to [redacted].

9. The benefit statement dated 9/27/13 which was enclosed with payment of the death

proceeds to [redacted].

Our letter of August 1, 2013, to the insu rance department provides an explanation of the iss ues

related to Ms. [redacted]'s concerns. Since Ms. [redacted] was not the beneficiary, nor the contract owner,

nor the legal representative of the estate, information could not be released to her.

Mr. [redacted], if after your review of this information you have additional questions, please let us

know.

Sincerely,

~~

Review: I have a checking account with Thrivent Federal Credit Union and cancelled a check via phone. I was informed the cancellation was good for two weeks and a form would be sent to complete and return to keep the cancellation in place. That form was mailed but never received. I called when the check posted to inquire why the form was never received and also why the check was allowed to process. First I was told that they could fax me said form and if received ASAP they would reverse it. Then they called back and I was told there was nothing that could be done to reverse the transaction, which was a result of their error in not providing the requested materials. I asked them to again reverse the transaction, and if absolutely unable, to refund the service charge. I was told they would inquire, but it was unlikely. The customer service rep repeatedly asserted this was my fault for not returning the form and was rude when challenged on this premise.Desired Settlement: I wish for Thrivent to reverse the transaction as originally paid for and authorized on a recorded customer service phone call. In the absence of the ability to do that, they need to refund the charge since the service was never actually performed

Business

Response:

Dear Mr. [redacted]:

Review: I'm [redacted], son and power of attorney of [redacted] and [redacted] and we are having difficulty in paying my parents long term care fourth quarter premium. The company will not accept fourth quarter long term care insurance premium, due to a dispute over the third quarter premium. Since we believe third quarter premium has been satisfied, we have sent a check for fourth quarter premium. Company says they will not apply our payment to the fourth quarter until third quarter has been paid to THEIR satisfaction. They have told us if we did not apply the check for the fourth quarter premium to the third quarter that the check will be returned on 9/19/13. We feel we are being HEAVILY pressured to repay the third quarter premium with threats of policy cancellation, when we are trying to pay the fourth quarter premium and keep the policy in good standing. POLICY LAPSES ON 9/28/13. I am writing this complaint on 9/22/13. Since we believe they will be returning our premium check this week, we will be submitting a second fourth quarter premium payment.Desired Settlement: Thrivent accept payment for the fourth quarter and future payments to keep policy from lapsing.

Business

Response:

October 1,2013

Revdex.com of Wisconsin

10019 W Greenfield Ave

Milwaukee WI 53214

RE: [redacted] (insured ); [redacted], Power of Attorney (POA)

Dear Mr. [redacted]:

This letter is being scnt in response to the above-referenced inquiry received from your office on

9/25/13.

[redacted], POA for his mother [redacted] stated Thrivent Financial has refused to accept payment

of the 4'" quarter premium on long-term care (LTC) contract [redacted]. He was advised that we were

unable to accept it l as the 3rd quarter premium has not yet been paid due to a dispute between

Thrivent Financial and the insured. Following is a chronological history that provides additional

information:

6/19/13 - Eligibility for claim benefits was approved. A letter was sent to the insured on this date which

also provided information about the premium waiver benefit (copy enclosed). As you will see, per the

terms of the contract, the premiums will be waived after 90 consecutive days of qualifying care has

been provided.

8/19/13 - A letter was sent to the insured which advised that an over payment of claims benefits was

made (copy enclosed). As the insured was not confined to a qualifying care facility for 90 consecutive

days, the premium waiver benefit did not apply. The letter further stated that a premium notice

would be sent soon for the premium due as of 6/14/13.

8/28/13 - Another letter was sent to the insured which advised that a premium was due to cover the

period of 6/14/13 to 12/14/13 (copy enclosed). This totaled 5769.92.

9/1 1/13 - A letter was received from [redacted] with a personal check for 5384.96 (copy enclosed ) .

She included specific instructions that the premium was to be applied to the 4th quarter, and under no

circumstances was it to be applied to the 3rd quarter.

9/17/13 - The home office contacted [redacted] , POA , via telephone and explained that we were

unable to honor the request to "skip" the 3rd quarter premium and apply the funds to the 4th quarter.

If, after completion of the review of the dispute it was determined the 3rd quarter premium was not

required, the funds could then be refunded. Mr. [redacted] advised he would contact our payment services

department by 9/18/13 with a response. He was also made aware that if he did not respond by

9/19/13, we would have to return the check and the contract would lapse due to insufficient premiums.

9/17/13 - A letter was sent to Ms. [redacted] which provided the options available to her with regard to the

check for 5384.96. Please refer to the enclosed copy.

9/20/13 - No additional communication was received from the insured or the POA so the payment of

$384.96 was returned with a letter of explanation (copy enclosed). The letter and check were sent via

certified mail and we received confirmation in our home office (on 9/30/13) that [redacted] signed

for it on 9/25/13.

The contract is now lapsed due to non-payment of the required premium.

In addition to copies of the various pieces of correspondence referenced above, I have enclosed a copy

of the LTC contract. Please refer to Section 4. WAIVER OF PREMIUM BENERY which confirms the

requirement of a 90 consecutive day confinement in order to meet the premium waiver requirement. It

also includes the following disclosure: "On any premium due date, if premiums are no longer waived, you

must pay them to keep this contract in force." Since Ms. [redacted] did not satisfy the 90 day requirement for

premium waiver, it was necessary that she pay the past due premium. By not doing so, the contract

has lapsed. Please also refer to Section 7 .3 REINSTATEMENT which indicates the steps that need to

be taken to apply for reinstatement of the coverage.

Please note that we are unable to override the terms of the contract to accommodate the request made

by the insured and her POA.

If you have questions, I may be reached at ###-###-####, extension #######.

Sincerely,

Thrivent as a company is horrible. I've been trying to process a claim with this company for months and all they do is lie and make false promises. They have had all the completed paperwork for over a month and all they say is "you're payment will be in your account tomorrow". They have deducted fees from my account but no payment. After reading other reviews on other sites, I don't know why anyone would use Thrivent. Do yourself a favor and run away from this company! Far, FAR AWAY!