Chandigarh, Oct. 9 -- The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DF-1) has directed Star Health and Allied Insurance Company to pay Rs.4 lakh under a health insurance policy, and awarded Rs.20,000 in compensation for mental harassment and litigation costs, after rejecting the insurer's contention that the complainant's ailment was alcohol-related.

The complainant, Inderjit Singh of Sector 49, represented by advocate Harpreet Saini, took a health insurance policy in 2014 and had never filed a claim before. On January 17, 2020, he suffered stomach pain and consulted Jain Clinic, Sector 21 D, where Dr Davinder Jain advised an ultrasound. The ultrasound revealed a small stone in his gall bladder, requiring removal.

Singh was admit...