Insurance Nightmares

If there is any group I dislike as much as doctors it is insurance companies.

Medical
So we decided to get private insurance for the family, I received through work. With everyone my wife has to deal with I take on the process of setting it up for them.

I found an agent who offered a nice rate for ok coverage. I filled out the online application. We were accepted and received cards.

So you might be asking "why are you complaining if everything went so well..." and I would have to answer, "because we actually never got any coverage." You might wonder how that is possible, I'll explain.

My wife went to get some medication and had to pay a deductible before insurance would kick in. Next time she went to get some medication it was rejected by the insurance. I called to see what happened, and was told that the policy was canceled due to non-payment. This was odd as we had an auto payment in place. Apparently there was a screw up with the account number. I double checked the application (I made a copy of it) and saw it was 100% correct. When I followed up I was told we could be reinstated if we followed a procedure and sent a certified payment for all owed monies plus next month's and that did not guarantee reinstatement. I was pretty miffed but I didn't want a laps of coverage, so I agreed. I sent the form, certified payment, a letter and a voided check (so the billing issue could be resolved) via certified mail. I saw via UPS website that it arrived and was signed for.

One week passes.....no word, so I call back to follow up and ensure all is well.

I'm told that they rejected my reinstatement.

I can year you saying, "How could this be"... I asked the same thing. They say they could not reinstate because the policy was never truly active. They will not listen to anything else as there is no policy from their perspective. When I asked what happened to my check they say they sent back by certified mail, but I have not yet received it. I ask for a tracking #, they say they can't provide one. I ask if we can use previous application to start over as there have been no changes, they said no.

Dental
I sign the family up for dental insurance with all data correct (that is a signal of inviting trouble). We receive paperwork for Mrs Cefora.

I call to correct this, they won't make the change it unless the policy holder calls. "I can provide any information that the policy holder could provide", they said no. I was about to conference call my wife but they said they could not be assured I was calling the policy holder, even though I am currently calling from the residence now they could not put the change through unless she called from the home directly....

So clearly I broke into her home and used her phone to call the dental insurance to change her name without her permission, what an ingenious plot on my part....foiled by the kindly insurance customer service representative. I feel like I should be saying "and I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids!" (Scooby Doo reference)