Kerala High Court: Denying Health Insurance Claims Violates Right to Life

The Kerala High Court has ruled that rejecting a health insurance claim for medical treatment constitutes a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life. Justice P.M. Manoj delivered the judgment in response to a writ petition. The court stated that if an individual is eligible for insurance and undergoes surgery or treatment as advised by a doctor, the insurance company cannot deny the claim. Such denial, the court emphasized, infringes upon the fundamental right to life. The court clarified that insurance companies cannot reject claims for treatment expenses in such situations, as doing so would deprive the patient of necessary medical care.