Consumer forum asks Bharti Axa General Insurance Company to pay Rs 8.5 lakh for stolen car

Indore: A district consumer disputes redressal forum ordered an insurance company on Thursday to pay insurance claim of Rs 8.5 lakh for a stolen car and also pay the complainant for mental harassment and also pay for the expenses incurred in filing the case.

A petition was filed by Ankit Nagar son of Ramesh Nagar of Ganesh Nagar against Bharti Axa General Insurance Company Ltd Company. The case was heard under the bench of Om Prakash Sharma, president, district consumer disputes redressal forum - No 2 and Sumitra Hathiwala, member, district consumer disputes redressal forum - No 2.

In the petition complainant said that he had taken Smart Motor Private Car Package Policy from Bharti Axa General Insurance Company Ltd Company for period of one year from December 23, 2016 to December 22, 2017. The insurance is of Hyundia Fludic Verna car worth Rs 8,50,000.

Briefing about the theft incident of his car, complainant said in petition that on December 10, 2017, he went to attend a marriage function at Jhilmil Garden near Indore-Dewas road where he parked his vehicle in the parking area. After attending the function the complainant found that the car was missing from the place. Further on December 16, 2017, a FIR of car theft was lodged in Industrial Police Station of Dewas. Later, police found a car in Rajasthan which they claimed to be that of the complainant. On checking the chases number, engine number it was found that the car did not belong to the complainant, so he refused taking the car. Later, police and the company men pressurised the complainant to take the car but he refused.

When the insurance company refused to pay the insurance sum, the complainant approached the company's customer care cell but no action was taken after which he filed a petition in consumer forum. The forum ordered that the insurance company would have to pay the insurance money of the vehicle - Rs 8,50,000 - along with compensation of Rs 10,000 for mental harassment and Rs 2,000 as complainant's expenses. Also the company was asked to pay 9 percent of interest per annum on the insurance amount from December 26, 2018.

Source: The Free Press Journal