Bhubaneswar, Dec. 5 -- In a significant ruling, the district consumer commission on Friday clarified that an insurance company has no authority to decide how a patient should be treated.

The judgment came while addressing a complaint filed against Star Health and Allied Insurance for denying a Covid-related reimbursement claim. The insurer has been ordered to pay nearly Rs 50,000 with 6% annual interest, along with Rs 2,000 towards litigation expenses, within 30 days.

Claim Turned Down for 'Home Isolation'

The dispute arose when a COVID-19 claim was rejected on the grounds that the patient was asymptomatic and could have been managed under home isolation. Dadri resident Nitu Nagar approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Com...