BackInsurance claim cannot be denied on presumption of pre-existing disease: NCDRC
NCDRC said the onus to prove the pre-existing disease lies on the insurance companyThe commission said diabetes was a lifestyle disease and the whole insurance claim cannot be rejected only based on this ground
PremiumThe NCDRC, the apex consumer commission, has held that an insurance claim cannot be denied on mere presumption that a person might be suffering from a pre-existing disease.
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) said even if the insured person was suffering from a disease and did not know about it nor was taking any treatment for the same, the claim cannot be denied by an insurance company.
The observations by the commission came while rejecting the revision plea filed by Reliance Life Insurance Co. Ltd against the Maharashtra state commission's order dismissing its appeal challenging a district forum's direction to pay ₹1,12,500 to the husband of one of its policy holders who died of diabetic ketoacidosis.
The district forum had also awarded ₹5,000 towards physical and mental trauma, and ₹3,000 as litigation cost to the husband who had filed the complaint against the insurance company.
The NCDRC, while dismissing the revision plea, said the onus to prove the pre-existing disease lies on the insurance company.
The commission also said in its view, diabetes was a lifestyle disease in India and the whole insurance claim cannot be rejected only based on this ground.
Rekha Halder died of diabetic ketoacidosis on June 24, 2011.
She was insured under a policy plan of Reliance Life Insurance Co Ltd since July 12, 2010. However, the insurance company repudiated the claim on the ground of non-disclosure of material information.
On the complaint of Halder's husband, the district forum of Jalgaon, Maharahstra, had passed an order directing the company to pay him over ₹1.12 lakh.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
