Can Smoking History Alone Justify Health Insurance Claim Denial?

General
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In a major consumer rights win, a consumer court has ruled that a health insurer must pay ₹9.4 lakh for a lung cancer treatment claim — even though the policyholder had a 40-year smoking history. Full story on MBT.

:judge: The court emphasized that smoking alone is not a valid reason to deny a claim unless there is concrete medical evidence proving it caused the illness. It also noted that nicotine is not classified as an intoxicant, and the exclusion clause couldn’t be applied without proper medical backing.

:magnifying_glass_tilted_left: Key Points to Consider:

  • Should insurers be allowed to deny claims based on lifestyle habits without specific medical proof?
  • Does this verdict empower patients, or could it push insurers to raise premiums for everyone?
Do you support the court’s decision in this case?
  • :one: Yes — Proof matters. Assumptions aren’t enough.
  • :two: No — Lifestyle choices like smoking should weigh heavily in claim decisions.
  • :three: Partially — Each case should be judged individually with medical evidence.
  • :four: Not sure — It’s a complex issue.
0 voters

:thread: Join the conversation!

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I believe lifestyle factors like smoking do carry risk, but blanket denials aren’t fair. Decisions should be based on medical proof, not assumptions. This way, we protect both patients’ rights and the insurer’s logic.

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In my knowledge, not disclosing the smoking history shows intent to mislead. But then smoking alone cannot justify health insurance claim denial.

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I think insurer can’t be allowed to deny such claim just based on lifestyle of that individual.

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Yes I agree with you

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I think proof matters … assumption aren’t enough.

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According to me proof matters, assumption alone cannot prove much.

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Yes i support this decision as no assumptions cannot suggest cause of cancer.
Insurance company should add this to their plan before selling and clear it to the individual.

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Lifestyle habits alone shouldn’t justify claim denial without solid medical proof.

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Case want to be judged and the person want to get sone insurance claim, not fully.

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Such a great question!

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Lifestyle habits like smoking should be taken into consideration but it won’t alone justify the cause.