Visakhapatnam: New India Assurance told to pay insurance claim

Visakhapatnam: Stating that an insurance firm can't escape from responsibility of compensating giving excuses, the Visakhapatnam District Consumer Forum-I president Bulusu C.V. Bhaskharam and member K.V.R. Maheswari directed the officials of New India Assurance Company to pay Rs 2,25,000 with interest @ 9 per cent per annum from the date of repudiation, i.e. July 14, 2015, till the date of realisation of the amount by complainant Satish Naramsetty, a resident of Simhachalam in the city, along with compensation of Rs 20,000 and costs of Rs 5,000 within two months from the date of order.

According to the case re-cord, complainant Satish Naramsetty was a registered owner of a trailer (AP 31TU 2079) and eking out his livelihood by renting it out. The vehicle has a valid insurance policy from New India Assurance Company.

The vehicle was hired by M/s Virgin Rock private limited to transport granite blocks from Gummapa-du village to Visakhapa-tnam port. On April 30, 2015, the trailer hit a parked vehicle. As the vehicle had a valid insurance policy at the time of the accident, the complainant lodged a claim.

The surveyor of the insurance company settled the claim at Rs 2,25,000. The company, however, failed to make the payment although the complainant made several visits to their office. The officials claimed that the trailer was carrying excess weight of granite than the permissible limit and rejected the cla-im. The insurance company did not file any papers to prove their claim.

The forum decided that to deny the claim of the complainant, the insurance company failed to honour the surveyor report of its own company and hence directed the officials of the insurance company to pay the amount to the complainant.