Indore: After 9 years of fighting a case for her rights against an insurance company, an unemployed widow from Indore with two dependents won with the MP State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordering the insurance company to pay Rs 23,03,000 in lump sum to the complainant within six weeks.
This is the biggest amount of claim settled in the state post lockdown. Justice Shantanu S Kemkar, president of commission and member SS Bansal settled the dispute.
The hearing of the case along with other cases was done via video conferencing, which was initiated by Justice Kemkar from this month.
As shared, 34 cases have been heard since the beginning of video conferencing. Out of this, in 21 cases complainants and advocates have presented their arguments via video conferencing centre in the forum in their respective districts.
Further, 20 of 34 total cases of disputes in the cause list have been settled. Claims of Rs 32, 92, 680 have been cleared by the commission.
Following is the case of the plaintiff, a widow, who received the highest settlement claim till date post lockdown.
The case of the highest settlement
Plaintiff Pratima, wife of late Rajesh Atre, faced a troublesome 10 years since the passing of her husband in 2010. Pratima was 25 then with a 6-year-old daughter Vaibhavi and 4-year-old son Avnish.
Now fast forward 2020, Pratima is 35 with the two kids, was still fighting the case with the insurance company to get her life insurance claim. With lockdown, life was much harder as she was unemployed.
With the convenience of video conferencing, finally, she got her claim as the state commission suggested a settlement of the dispute.
Why was the claim rejected?
As per the complaint of plaintiff, the claim was rejected citing suppression of certain facts by Rajesh Atre regarding his medical information. Atre had passed away due to a sudden cardiac arrest (myocardial infarction).
As per the insurance company, Atre was suffering from Diabetes Mellitus type II and undergoing treatment for Hypertension. Further, under the argument, the company said that they would not have provided the said life insurance plan citing these medical issues.
The final verdict
LK Dubey, learned counsel for the complainants and Deepesh Joshi, learned counsel for the insurance company argued the case.
As per the agreed settlement, the commission ordered the opposite party to pay Rs.23,03,000/- to the complainant within six weeks. In case the amount is not paid within six weeks, same shall carry interest @ 9% p.a. from the date of order till payment, directed Justice Kemkar.
