My Aditya Birla Health Insurance Claim Was Rejected After My Father’s COVID Hospitalization — Here's What Happened
Health insurance is supposed to give you peace of mind during medical emergencies. But my experience with Aditya Birla Health Insurance has taught me a hard truth — even when you follow all the rules, your claim can still be unfairly rejected, leaving you emotionally and financially drained.
Here’s my story, and I hope it helps others avoid the same fate.
Why I Bought Health Insurance for My Parents
In 2020, I decided to take a health insurance policy from Aditya Birla Health Insurance for both my father and mother. Like many middle-class Indian families, I wanted to ensure that if a medical emergency ever came up, we wouldn’t have to worry about huge hospital bills.
Before the policy was issued, Aditya Birla arranged a full medical check-up for my parents, including blood tests and other diagnostics, conducted by their approved diagnostic center. Based on those reports, the policy was approved and issued. At the time, there was no prior diagnosis or known issue of hypertension in my father’s case.
The COVID Emergency and Hospitalization
Fast forward to April 2021, when the devastating second wave of COVID-19 was sweeping across India.
My father tested positive and his condition began deteriorating. He had to be admitted to AARYAA Multispeciality Hospital on April 22, 2021, and remained there till May 3, 2021 — a total of 12 days of hospitalization.
Before admitting him, I made sure to inform Aditya Birla through their online portal, following their standard procedure for pre-admission intimation. Since I already had the policy in place, I didn’t worry too much. My focus was on saving my father’s life.
The Shocking Claim Rejection
Once my father was discharged, the hospital bills totaled around ₹3 lakhs. I submitted all documents and hospital bills to Aditya Birla Health Insurance for reimbursement.
To my complete shock, the claim was rejected.
The reason given?
“Non-disclosure of a pre-existing condition: Hypertension.”
This came as a surprise because:
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My father was never diagnosed with hypertension before the policy was taken.
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Aditya Birla themselves had conducted medical tests before issuing the policy.
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If hypertension was detected back then, why wasn’t it recorded or flagged?
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Why is it assumed that an elderly person would know and report such a condition when even medical tests didn’t confirm it?
My Attempts to Reach Out
After the rejection, I did not sit quietly.
I:
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Sent multiple emails to Aditya Birla’s customer support team.
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Called PolicyBazaar, the platform through which I had purchased the policy, requesting help.
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Explained that medical tests were done, and nothing was disclosed to us regarding any condition.
But none of my efforts led to any resolution. The claim remained rejected.
Adding insult to injury, Aditya Birla kept sending me renewal reminders even after rejecting the claim during the most critical time of need.
The Unfairness of the System
There are a few things I learned — the hard way:
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Insurance companies often put the burden of proof on senior citizens to know their exact medical condition — even when they do their own tests.
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Hypertension is often silent and goes unnoticed, especially in older people from middle-class families who don’t go for routine checkups unless seriously ill.
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If a company missed recording a health condition during their medical screening, why blame the customer later?
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They use “non-disclosure” as a technical loophole to avoid big claims — especially during times like COVID when hospitals were flooded.
What I Wish I Had Done
If I could go back in time, I would:
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Insist on getting a copy of every test result conducted during the insurance medical check-up.
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Record every communication, including screenshots of the intimation before hospitalization.
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Escalate the claim to IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) or the Insurance Ombudsman.
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Avoid platforms that just sell policies and disappear when real help is needed.
A Word of Advice to Others
To anyone reading this, if you have taken health insurance for your parents or senior family members, please take these steps:
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Document everything. Keep written proof of pre-hospitalization intimation, medical reports, and emails.
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Understand what counts as “pre-existing.” Even silent conditions like blood pressure or sugar can be used against you.
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Review medical screening reports carefully when the policy is issued.
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Raise a complaint with IRDAI if your claim is unjustly denied.
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Don't blindly trust big insurance brands or glossy portals — customer support vanishes when things get serious.
Final Thoughts
Insurance is supposed to help in the most difficult times. But in my case, Aditya Birla Health Insurance failed us. My family faced both financial pressure and emotional stress while recovering from COVID.
All I asked for was fairness — not favors.
I hope sharing my story helps others stay informed and demand accountability. If this blog has helped you, please share it with friends and family so they don’t fall into the same trap.
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