Exhibit 23

               CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements
(Form S-8 No. 33-47551, Form S-8 No. 33-88108, Form S-8 No. 333-40219, Form S-8
No. 33-62231, Form S-8 No. 333-81669 and Form S-8 No. 333-81969) of Provident
Companies, Inc. pertaining to the Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company
MoneyMaker, A Long-Term 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan, the Provident Life and
Accident Insurance Company Stock Purchase Plan of 1994, the Provident Life and
Accident Insurance Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan of 1995, the Provident
Life and Accident Insurance Company Management Incentive Compensation Plan of
1994, The Paul Revere Savings Plan, Provident Companies, Inc. Stock Plan of
1999, Provident Companies, Inc, Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan of 1998,
Employee Stock Option Plan of 1998, Amended and Restated Annual Management
Incentive Compensation Plan of 1994, the UnumProvident Corporation 1987
Executive Stock Option Plan, UnumProvident Corporation 1990 Long-Term Stock
Incentive Plan, UnumProvident Corporation Plan 1996 Long-Term Stock Incentive
Plan and UnumProvident Corporation 1998 Goals Stock Option Plan, and in the
Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-17849) of Provident Companies, Inc. for
the registration of 9,523,810 shares of its common stock, and in the shelf
Registration Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-43808) of UnumProvident Corporation of
our report dated February 6, 2002, except for Note 15, for which the date is
March 21, 2002 with respect to the consolidated financial statements and
schedules of UnumProvident Corporation and subsidiaries, included in its Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001.

/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Chattanooga, Tennessee
March 28, 2002