Forum tells Oriental Insurance Company to settle farmer widow’s claim

NASHIK: The Nashik District Consumer Redressal Forum has asked an insurance company to settle the claim of a deceased farmer for Rs 2 lakh with interest and compensation for deficiency in service.

The farmer’s widow, Phulwanti Ramdas Pawar, had applied to the Oriental Insurance Company for the claim under the state government’s farmers’ accidental death insurance scheme, which was rejected on the grounds that the viscera report was not submitted. Phulwanti approached the three-member forum, headed by its president Milind Sonawane seeking justice, on January 1, 2019.

The farmer died after falling into a well on November 30, 2017, following which his widow applied for the settlement of the claim from insurance company. A case of accidental death was registered with Vani Police Station. The medical fraternity stated the reason for the death due to drowning after conducting the post mortem on the farmer’s body.

On March 14, 2018, documents such as the police report, post mortem report and the 7/12 extract of land records were presented to the insurance company within the stipulated time. However, on July 3, the insurance company rejected the claim on the grounds that the FIR and viscera report were missing. The forum had issued notices to insurance company as well as the taluka agriculture officer. In the written reply, the company said the complainant had failed to provide the FIR and viscera report.

The forum observed that the complainant had presented all the reports, including the post mortem and police panchanama. It said the cause of death had also been identified. The forum observed that there was no such clause as to present the viscera report and concluded that there was deficiency in service on the part of the insurance company.

Besides settling the claim of Rs 2 lakh with 10% interest rate from July 3, 2018, the forum ordered the insurance company to pay Rs 7,000 compensation to the complainant for mental harassment and Rs 3,000 for extra costs incurred by her.

Source: The Times of India