Hello everyone,

I just wanted to start by saying that I am so sorry to only just have discovered this amazing resource and the kind, intelligent people who use it, and then ruin my 'wow' moment by having to immediately BEG for your help...

The story is too long to type at this hour, and the clock's ticking away very quickly until I have to have written the document about which I desperately need guidance/examples of similar/a miracle...

So the short version goes like this: UNUM provide group PHI cpver for my employer. I was signed off sick in 2012 and then in july 2013 UNUM ceased my claim owing to lack of medical evidence proving that i continued to suffer from the (permanent) diagnosed condition for which i was signed off sick.

There are only 3 months where GP notes were unavailable as i had moved house and not registerd with a new GP - consequently i was unable to get prescriptions for my long-term medication (a fact that UNUM are using to prove that i no longer suffered from the condition).

My employer supported me in appealing the decision as, sadly, there was a reason for that 3 month gap in GP notes and medication: I was suffering from extreme domestic abuse and had been repeatedly, against my will, put at great risk of contracting HIV. I was virtually under house arrest and that is why i never made it to register with a new GP.

Alongside all the medical evidence both (a few months)before and quite soon after the date that unum ceased to uphold my claim, i also submitted my own account of the events that had led to the no-gp-notes-scenario. which i reckon was pretty brave, and very, very tough to do.

Every single medical professional that i have seen since August 2013 has written a report that not only states that i am clearly still unfit for work currrently, but ALSO that, in thier professional opinion, the account i have given of the missing 3 months is 100% plausible and that they are in no doubt whatsoever about my integrity.

Appeal was submitted in december 2013, rejected in feb 2014, re-appealed in april and finally rejected again in july. There are 2 steps left now.

first, i must write a letter of complaint to UNUM about their decision. Ultimately this will be disregarded immmediately but it is the stepping stone in order to take them to the financial ombudsman service - which is something that both my employer and I feel we simply MUST do.

Finally, here is the problem and the cause of my plea for help:

I literally cannot write this complaint letter. Not because i don;t know what to say or how to write or anything, but because i am exhausted by evrything to do with unum and life and people demanding and expecting me to do things that are easy yet impossible when i am going to pieces as i am now.

PLEASE, i beg of you, if anybody has an example of a similar complaint letter in terms of its function within the entire process of appealing claims that have been terminated, i would be beyond grateful for your help. my brain feels like it's dissolving and i simply cannot write one single stupid word of this letter - and if it's not at least drafted out by midday tomorrow then my only chance to get it right (with my wonderful father's help - who is currently beyond despair at my inability to have sent him a basic draft by 7pm this evening, despite repeated promises that of course i would) will be over. as in, game over.

Please can anybody help me with an example/sample or something that i canjust about craft enough into a basic draft in time for tomorrow midday - cos then at least i'm in with a fighting chance. and, my god, i really need one cos i can't cope with anymore sadness, not now, not again, please.

Sorry, but thank you for taking the time to read this and help if you're at all able to.

Thank you

xx

Welcome to CAG. I wouldn't worry yourself. You can do it. You managed to summarise your situation to post on CAG. Now you just need to do the same thing in a letter.

Why don't you write the letter using the following headings:

Introduction

State what this letter is - i.e. an appeal letter, and mention the reference number.

Factual background

Give a clear chronology of what condition you are suffering from and what happened.

UNUM's initial decision

State why you feel the initial decision was wrong. State what decision you want them to make instead, and what evidence you are providing in support of that. I would try to keep it factual and avoiding criticising UNUM's conduct.

Conclusion

State that you look forward to a response within the proper timeline (state what that is). State that you intend to make a complaint to the FOS and will have to consider litigation if you do not get an appropriate answer.

Thank you so much for your reply - you're right, I CAN do it, it's just the anxiety kicks in so badly (UNUM take note ha ha!) that i fall to pieces.

I now feel revitalised and so grateful for your response as it filled that gaping void of 'support' that UNUM promised and instead replaced it with 'Hell'.

Thank you again fpor your kindness, i'll let you know how i get on.

Fingers crossed!

How did you get on with the complaint - I am at this stage with Unum now. Then its to the FSO.