Mr. Justice G.G. Loney, President—In this complaint the insured has alleged that his policy claim for the loss caused to his shop due to fire has not been settled properly by the opposite parties. The admitted facts are that the complainant, a shopkeeper at Ambejogai insured his shop for Rs. 10,00,000/- for a period upto 10.4.90. During the subsistence of the insurance policy dated 31.12.89, the complainant’s shop was gutted due to fire on account of the short circuit. The complainant alleged that goods worth Rs. 1,04,626.20 ps. and furniture and fixtures worth Rs. 10,000/- were destroyed during the fire. The complainant alleged that he lodged the claim with the opposite party immediately and Mr. Milind Sangwikar was appointed as Surveyor. The Surveyor submitted his report but the opposite parties did not finalize his claim for a period of 17 months. The complainant alleged that he wrote several letters to the opposite parties and lastly on 21.9.90 served a legal notice claiming early settlement of his claim. According to complainant, his legal notice was not replied and no action was taken on his complaint but unilaterally the opposite parties repudiated the claim of the comp