By Diljot Singh
A district consumer forum on June 19 directed an insurance company to pay a local resident his claimed amount of Rs 12,53,335 and a legal cost of Rs50,000 for repudiating an insurance claim. The New India Assurance Company had refused the claim amount on grounds that the driver of the insured vehicle, involved in accident, had a fake driving licence.
According to the case, Sarabjit Singh had got his vehicle insured with the company, which was valid from February 28, 2013 to February 27, 2014. In an accident near Ranchi in March 24, 2013, the vehicle got completely smashed. Following this, Singh had immediately informed the insurance company officials.
According to Singh, the company had carried out a spot-survey of the vehicle, and following the advice of their examiner, he had the vehicle transported to Mohali by spending more than Rs 50,000 as carriage charge. After this, Singh had submitted relevant documents along with an estimated claim of Rs 12,53,335 and his driving licence to the insurance company. However, the insurance company had refused the claim stating the licence of the driver was fake.
In the forum, Singh successfully proved that his licence was not fake and that he had applied for renewal of licence. Deciding the case in favour of Singh, the court observed, "Barely non-deposit of licence fee cannot make the driving licence of the driver invalid. The driver has made the proper fee against receipt. Therefore, this ground of fake licence for repudiating the claim of the complainant does not hold."
The court directed the company to pay Rs 12,53,335, the insured cost of the vehicle at 9% interest from the date of refutation of the letter. Besides this, it also ordered the company to pay Rs 50,000 towards the cost of lawsuit and as compensation for psychological harassment.
The court judgment had come on June 19.
Source The Times of India
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