Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SS)

Udupi, Aug 9: The district consumer court has ordered an insurance company to pay Rs 10 lac along with interest to a consumer for deficiency of service and adopting delaying tactics.

On December 24, 2018, the late Santhosh Shetty, a resident of Hebri had taken a personal accident insurance policy from Universal Sompo General Insurance Company. Santhosh died on November 1, 2019, while taking bath in a river by drowning. His heirs Pushpa Shetty and Divya Shetty approached the insurance company and submitted an insurance claim on Santhosh Shetty's death. The company rejected the claim on grounds that the applicants had submitted it late.

Santhosh Shetty's heirs filed a complaint with the district dispute settlement authority's court through a lawyer.

After hearing the arguments and examining the records, the court ordered the insurance company to pay Rs 10 lac towards accident insurance claim based on the Insurance Regulatory Authority of India's circular and National Authority's judgment on the matter.

The court also directed the company to pay Rs 25,000 to the petitioner as interest for the time lost between claim rejection date until the judgment date and Rs 10,000 as court expenses within 30 days.

The judgment was pronounced by District Consumer Court chairman Sunil T M Reddy, members Sujatha B Koralli and Prema. Vivekananda Mallya of Karkala argued the case in favour of the petitioners.