Hello Friends,
Last weekend (Feb 25/26) I watched a movie called “Rainmaker” directed by Francis Ford Coppola, rated as one of the best directors and has movies like Godfather to his credit. The movie is based on a book written by John Grisham, Lawyer and acclaimed writer of legal thrillers.
Matt Damon, plays the role of an Attorney, very enthusiastic and fresh out of college. He signs up the case of a poor family with their son, about 20 years old, suffering from Leukemia, which can be treated through bone marrow transplant. But their Insurance Company rejects the claim multiple times (saying treatment is very high and chances of survival is low) and Matt files a lawsuit against the Insurance Company. The insurance company is ruthless and as a protocol rejects every claim, atleast the first time, without going into merits of the case (their operational manual say “reject” the claim). The diseased victim dies during the trial, as the time frame to start the surgery got delayed. The parents of the victim pledge the entire money to social cause, if they get the verdict in their favour, as their son is dead and don’t intend to use that money for themselves.
Finally, the Jury gives the verdict in favour of the victim and his poor family and asks the Insurance Company to pay a huge amount as punitive damages, resulting in the Insurance Company going bankrupt.
Before you start thinking that why PenguWIN has shifted lanes from writing about “Financial Topics” to “Movie Reviews”, let me assure that this is a personal finance blog and I am not a movie buff to demonstrate my competency in Reviewing Movies!
On the 2nd March (Last Thursday), I read an article on consumer protection by Jehangir in Business Standard. When I read the article, I was really shocked. It relates to a life insurance claim of a person for a Sum Assured of 2 Lakhs, who was hospitalised in Amritsar and died. The Insurance Company repudiated the claim made by the victim’s wife on grounds that the victim was suffering from chronic liver disease for 18 months and the same was not revealed when the insurance policy was taken. I don’t want to name the Insurer, which is what is frightening more so for the claim amount (I have attached the paper cutting in the link).
https://penguwin.com/insurance-rejection-v02/
The Insurance Company lost the case in Gurdaspur district forum but went ahead to appeal in Punjab State Commission. The Insurer relied on Medical Certificates obtained from 3 doctors that claimed the victim was an alcoholic and had suffered cirrhosis of the liver (an abnormal liver condition in which there is irreversible scarring of the liver, resulting in failure).
The state commission upheld the Insurer’s stand and set aside the district forums award. The victim’s wife approached the National Commission and contended that her husband was a school teacher, used to go for regular health check-ups and the reason for death was an accident which had nothing to do with alcoholic Cirrhosis of Liver and produced the relevant records. This is where you will see another twist..
The national commission, on reviewing the medical certificates that the insurer produced from 3 doctors, found several loopholes – 1 is not even a allopathic doctor and the handwritten certificate did not have the date and reference. Similar observations were made on the other 2 certificates and the medical record of the hospital showed that it was uncertain whether the liver problem was associated with alcoholism. The National Commission indicted the insurer for their fraudulent practices and decided the verdict in favour of the victim.
Apparently, a claim cannot be declined on assumptions or on basis of medical certificates which are vague. The name of the Insurer and the way they had conducted themselves to decline a small sum of 2 Lakhs is definitely worrisome.
Does the lawsuit ring a bell with a similar one which caught the attention of the entire the country?
<Blog # PenguWIN 1050 – Business Ethics of Insurers>
Yes ,it is true that these insurance companies are ruthless. It’s even worse on fire or flood claims. The surveyors are instructed to somehow refuse a claim however genuine it maybe. That’s why many companies choose not to take any cover. Instead they create a corpus fund for such exigencies. I don’t know the allowability of such expenses by the tax authorities. But it is a fact worth pondering . After all it is your money.