Insurance company reprimanded: Widows get justice

Mumbai: The South Mumbai Consumer District Compensation Forum has pulled up a city-based Oriental insurance company for denying the claim amount to families of two farmers citing ‘technical reasons’.

The forum has indicated in its order copy that it is a fact that a technical ground can never be the basis for disposing of the claim amount. The forum heard complaints filed by two different widows in separate cases of similar incidents.

Nagpur resident Tarabai Durve and Dhulia resident Bhatabai Rajput lost their spouses in road accidents in 2019. After the accident, both the complainants subsequently asked for an insurance amount, which should be provided to farmers’ families under the Maharashtra scheme . farm insurance policy. Under the policy, if a farmer dies due to an accident, the family is liable for the insurance company’s compensation amount.

After the death, the papers were sent to the company, but the company denied the claim because the deceased did not have a driving license.

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

Explaining the aspect of technical grounds, the forum held: “If the complainant does not have the license of the deceased farmer and has not given it to the insurance company, it cannot be considered as a valid reason to reject the claim . ”

The forum, which found the insurance company guilty of not providing proper service to its consumers, asked the company to pay Rs2lakh along with 6% interest from 2021 as insurance claim amount. The forum also directed the company to pay another Rs20,000 towards the mental anguish and Rs10,000 towards the legal costs in both cases.

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