Consumer forum asks Oriental Insurance to pay Rs 5.2L compensation to police constable’s widow
By Dheeshma Published on 18 Feb 2020 6:38 AM GMT
Hyderabad: A district consumer forum at Mahabubnagar has directed the Oriental Insurance Company Limited to pay a compensation of Rs 20,000 besides a policy claim amount of Rs 5 lakh to the widow of a police constable.
Late P.Raghunath, husband of the complainant P Sathyamma had taken a Janatha Personal Accident insurance policy from Oriental Insurance for a sum assured of Rs 5 lakh. P Raghunath however died in an accident while discharging his duty.
His wife Sathyamma approached the Oriental Insurance for claim. However, according to the complainant, though she approached the insurance company multiple times , they did not settle the claim and kept on dragging their feet.
Oriental insurance however denied the charges. “On the date of the incident P Raghunath went for chasing the absconder . While discharging his duties at night hours he died of falling on the earth and not due to an accident,” the company said
The company noted that there were no visible external injuries on the body of the deceased and he died due to Cardio Respiratory failure.
“As the person did not get bodily injuries or external injuries, the policy is not covered under our conditions and hence we are not liable to pay any claim amount to the widow of the deceased,” the official statement of Oriental Insurance said.
After hearing the arguments of both parties the consumer forum said the complainant is entitled for relief besides some reasonable compensation and costs.
“The main contention of the opposite party is that the husband of the complainant did not sustain any external injuries over his body. The said condition is applicable when sum insured is Rs one lakh below, whereas the policy in question is more than Rs one Lakh. The opposite party moreover failed to adduce any oral or documentary evidence to prove its contention,” the forum said
The forum said directed Oriental Insurance to pay the claim amount of Rs.5, 00,000 besides an amount of Rs.20, 000 towards compensation and Rs.1, 000 towards costs of the complaint to the complainant.
