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.
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.
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?
Yes — Proof matters. Assumptions aren’t enough.
No — Lifestyle choices like smoking should weigh heavily in claim decisions.
Partially — Each case should be judged individually with medical evidence.
Not sure — It’s a complex issue.
Join the conversation!