Insurer Fails to Prove Deceased Man’s Driving Licence Was Fake, Widow Awarded Rs 15 compensation -for-late-air-force-officer" class="nd-inline-link">Lakh Compensation In a significant ruling, a consumer court has directed the National Insurance Company to pay Rs 15 lakh to
the widow of Trilok Nath, a vehicle owner-cum-driver who died in a road accident in January 2021. The court found that the insurer failed to prove its claim that the deceased’s driving licence was fake.
Trilok Nath had purchased a comprehensive insurance policy from the National Insurance Company for the period of November 24, 2020, to November 23, 2021. The policy included a Compulsory Personal Accident (CPA) cover of Rs 15 lakh, for which he paid a premium of Rs 275.
On January 30, 2021, during the policy’s validity, Nath died in a fatal accident involving his insured vehicle. An FIR was registered the same day at Bharmour Police Station in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.
Following the accident, Nath’s legal heirs, including his widow, submitted a claim to the insurance company along with all requisite documents, including the vehicle’s registration certificate, death certificate, FIR, and a copy of Nath’s driving licence.
However, the insurer did not settle the claim for over three years, prompting the complainants to file a plea alleging a deficiency in service. The insurance company contested the claim, arguing that Nath’s driving licence was invalid.
It cited a police investigation that added a charge under Section 181 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, for driving without a valid licence.
NewsDarpan
Read the full story