Sun Life reinstated a life insurance policy cancelled by a man suffering from Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
A broker and Sun Life are in the spotlight after the company reinstated a life insurance policy cancelled by a man suffering from Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
Sun Life’s move to reinstate the policy didn't come until they were contacted by Go Public, a CBC investigative news segment.
Debbie Radloff-Gabriel had been fighting Sun Life for four years, after her husband inexplicably cancelled his life insurance.
Bruce Gabriel, a lawyer and former insurance agent, was grappling with the disease in 2010, when with his wife away at work, he called his insurance agent to cancel his two life insurance policies.
Over the previous 17 years he had paid more than $17,000 in premiums, but cashed in for less than $2,000 on policies that would have paid out $140,000 upon his death.
"It was totally out of character, and it was a terrible shock for me and for us as a family," Radloff-Gabriel said to Go Public.
Gabriel was left slowly dying from his disease, without insurance and was unable to get new policies because of his condition.
"I feel like we were stolen from," Gabriel said to Go Public, while obviously struggling to express his views.
"We were vulnerable … and we had no recourse," Radloff-Gabriel said to Go Public. "It robs us of that sense of security. We are already dealing with so many losses and challenges day to day."
Doctors went to bat for Gabriel writing to Sun Life on his behalf.
"When Mr. Gabriel cancelled his policies … his mind was impaired by a dementing process, which had accelerated quickly," wrote Dr. Brian McDonald, a specialist in psychiatry, in a 2011 letter to Sun Life.
"He was not competent to make such a momentous decision, with such financial consequences, for his family at that time."
"Given the extent of his impairment … I can say with confidence that Mr. Gabriel must have had symptoms of dementia at the time that his insurance policies were cancelled," wrote another geriatric psychiatry specialist in 2012.
As Gabriel wasn't fully tested until three months after the policy cancellation Sun Life decided the doctors' letters weren't enough proof.
"These do not provide any new evidence that your husband was incompetent and therefore, incapable of making the decision he made," Sun Life wrote to Radloff-Gabriel in 2012.
After she appealed to two ombudsmen more rejections came in subsequent letters. However, when Go Public got involved, Sun Life changed its position.
"We are making an exception on compassionate grounds in this unique case," said spokeswoman Carmela Antolino.
"We are prepared to reinstate Mr. Gabriel's two life insurance policies.… Our thoughts are with the Gabriel family as they deal with this condition."
Sun Life’s move to reinstate the policy didn't come until they were contacted by Go Public, a CBC investigative news segment.
Debbie Radloff-Gabriel had been fighting Sun Life for four years, after her husband inexplicably cancelled his life insurance.
Bruce Gabriel, a lawyer and former insurance agent, was grappling with the disease in 2010, when with his wife away at work, he called his insurance agent to cancel his two life insurance policies.
Over the previous 17 years he had paid more than $17,000 in premiums, but cashed in for less than $2,000 on policies that would have paid out $140,000 upon his death.
"It was totally out of character, and it was a terrible shock for me and for us as a family," Radloff-Gabriel said to Go Public.
Gabriel was left slowly dying from his disease, without insurance and was unable to get new policies because of his condition.
"I feel like we were stolen from," Gabriel said to Go Public, while obviously struggling to express his views.
"We were vulnerable … and we had no recourse," Radloff-Gabriel said to Go Public. "It robs us of that sense of security. We are already dealing with so many losses and challenges day to day."
Doctors went to bat for Gabriel writing to Sun Life on his behalf.
"When Mr. Gabriel cancelled his policies … his mind was impaired by a dementing process, which had accelerated quickly," wrote Dr. Brian McDonald, a specialist in psychiatry, in a 2011 letter to Sun Life.
"He was not competent to make such a momentous decision, with such financial consequences, for his family at that time."
"Given the extent of his impairment … I can say with confidence that Mr. Gabriel must have had symptoms of dementia at the time that his insurance policies were cancelled," wrote another geriatric psychiatry specialist in 2012.
As Gabriel wasn't fully tested until three months after the policy cancellation Sun Life decided the doctors' letters weren't enough proof.
"These do not provide any new evidence that your husband was incompetent and therefore, incapable of making the decision he made," Sun Life wrote to Radloff-Gabriel in 2012.
After she appealed to two ombudsmen more rejections came in subsequent letters. However, when Go Public got involved, Sun Life changed its position.
"We are making an exception on compassionate grounds in this unique case," said spokeswoman Carmela Antolino.
"We are prepared to reinstate Mr. Gabriel's two life insurance policies.… Our thoughts are with the Gabriel family as they deal with this condition."
