Insurance Firm Rebuked: Widows Get Justice

Mumbai: The south Mumbai consumer district redressal forum has pulled up a city-based Oriental insurance company, for denying the claim amount to families of two farmers, citing, ‘technical grounds’.

The forum in its order copy specified that it is a fact that a technical ground can never be the ground to dispose of the claim amount. The forum was hearing the complaints filed by two different widows in different cases of similar incidents.

Nagpur resident Tarabai Durve and Dhulia Resident, Bhatabai Rajput, lost their husbands in road accidents in 2019. Post the accident, both the complainants subsequently sought insurance amount, which the government has ordered should be provided to families of farmers, under the scheme of Maharashtra farmer’s insurance policy. According to the policy, if any farmer dies an accidental death, the family is liable for the compensation amount from the insurance company.

After the death, the papers were sent to the firm, but the company rejected the claim because the deceased did not hold any vehicle licence.

The forum after going through the evidence, and the papers, held that the state government has already deposited the insurance amount on behalf of the farmers with the insurance firm, under this scheme.

The forum, while explaining the aspect of technical grounds, held, “If the complainant does not have the licence of the deceased farmer, and has not given it to the insurance company, it cannot be held as a valid ground to reject the claim.”

The forum, thus holding the insurance firm guilty of not providing proper service to its consumers, asked the firm to pay Rs2lakh along with 6% interest from 2021, as an insurance claim amount. The forum also directed the firm to pay an additional Rs20,000 towards the mental agony and Rs10,000 towards the litigation charges, subsequently in both cases.

Published on: Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 01:37 AM IST