Insurance cos wary of ayurveda treatment claims

Patients going in for Ayurvedic or other alternative treatments may find it more difficult to get health insurance, as insurers have restricted the scope of covers for these methods.

New India Assurance and Oriental Insurance Companies, two leading health insurers in the country have restricted the cover, recognising only claims made from Government hospitals.

Currently, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani are accepted as alternative methods, though Acupuncture and Acupressure are seen as being unproven and experimental.

New India Assurance, which is soon to launch its new health insurance policy, has also imposed a ceiling of 25 per cent on the total amount insured if alternative systems of medicine are used. Most private players do not insure any alternative treatments.