Insurance firm told to pay for vehicle damage

Uttarakhand consumer panel orders insurer to compensate Dehradun man for 2017 crash after rejecting claim over unproven overloading charge.

“>

The state consumer commission directed a public sector insurance company to compensate a Dehradun resident for damages to his commercial vehicle, which crashed in 2017, killing three passengers. The insurer had denied the claim citing overloading, but no evidence was found to support the allegation.Surat Dass, who owned and insured the vehicle with United India Insurance Co Ltd (UIICL), under the ministry of finance, in July 2016, said it met with an accident on Jan 21, 2017, on the Lakhamanda-Nada road when a retaining wall collapsed, injuring several agricultural workers.Dass informed the insurer, and an FIR was filed. After submitting documents to UIICL, Dass’s claim remained unresolved. He then filed a complaint with the district consumer commission, which ruled in his favour. The insurer was ordered to pay ₹64,000 for vehicle damage, ₹30,000 for mental agony and litigation costs, and 9 per cent annual interest from date of filing the complaint.