Insurance firm told to pay Rs 3 lakh as claim amount

Tribune News Service

Ambala, November 9

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed the New India Assurance Company to pay Rs 3,07,776 to a complainant whose insured truck met with an accident and the claim was withheld by the company.

Complainant Rajinder Kumar Pandey had complained that in March 2017 his truck, being driven by his son Gopal Pandey, met with an accident. The complainant informed the company after the accident but his claim was repudiated by the company on the ground that Gopal’s driving licence was invalid and void, as it was issued by the Licensing Authority, Government of Manipur, against the provisions and in contravention of the Motor Vehicle Act.

Upon receiving a notice, the company appeared through its counsel, tendered a written statement raising preliminary objections and claimed that there was no deficiency in service.

On the other hand, the complainant’s counsel argued that the company had illegally repudiated the claim. It was mentioned on the driving licence that the driver was authorised to drive transport vehicle and at the time of the accident he was not minor and the licence in question was a valid one.

The forum said the company had wrongly withheld the claim of the complainant on the ground that the driver was not having a valid license.

DN Arora, president of the forum, said “We have allowed the present complaint against the company with a cost which is assessed at Rs 5,000. The company is directed to pay a sum of Rs 3,07,776 — Rs 2,94,776 (policy amount) + 13,500 (salvage value) — as assessed by the surveyor in his report, along with simple interest at 9 per cent per annum from the date of filing of complaint till actual realisation, after keeping the salvage by the company.”