CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – UnumProvident Corp., the nation’s largest disability insurer, is eliminating 100 jobs while trying to reduce debt and battle lawsuits filed by policyholders and investors.

Tom White, a company spokesman, declined to name departments where the jobs are being eliminated. He said affected employees are in Chattanooga; Portland, Maine, and Worcester, Mass.

White said some employees would be offered other jobs in the company.

White said UnumProvident’s business continues to grow.

The company earlier this year lowered its earnings expectations for 2002 in response to issues raised by the Securities and Exchange Commission and recently sold $1 billion in new securities to reduce debt and boost capital in some subsidiaries.

The company continues to face hundreds of lawsuits from policyholders who charge their claims were routinely denied, and Tennessee is investigating its claims handling.

UnumProvident claims about 30 percent of the nation’s disability insurance business and has about 13,000 employees, including about 3,600 in Portland and 3,000 in Chattanooga.