NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES
REDRESSAL COMMISSION, NEW DELHI
Hon’ble Mr. Justice V. Balakrishna Eradi, President;
Mr. Y. Krishan & Mr. Justice B.S. Yadav, Members
COMPUTER AIDED LEARNING SYSTEMS LTD.—Complainant
versus
ORIENTAL INSURANCE CO. LTD. & ORS.—Opp. Parties
Original Petition No. 193 of 1993—Decided on 10.10.1994
Counsel for the Parties :
For the Complainant :Mrs. Kitti Kumaramangalam, Advocate.
For the Opp. Parties :Mr. S.M. Suri, Advocate.
Headnote:Consumer Protection Act, 1986 - Sections 2 & 14 - Deficiency in service - Claim under insurance policy cover fire & burglary risk of a factory - Claim repudiated after due consideration - Letter repudiating claim showing allegations of collusion with an insider & employee of Complainant in commission of burglary, furnishing of incorrect & wrong information & fabricated documents - Not feasible to examine the truth or otherwise of allegations in time bound proceedings under the Act - Can not be said to be a case of deficiency in service.
(paras 3 & 4)
Result: Complaint dismissed. With liberty to Complainant to approach civil court.
IMPORTANT POINT
When insurance claim is repudiated after due consideration of claim complaint before consumer forum is not maintainable as it can not be said to be a case of deficiency in service.
Mr. Y. Krishan, Member—The complainant is manufacturing and marketing Computer & Peripherals. Its manufacturing place is located in Noida. The complainant got its factory and the assets thereat insured through the opposite party-M/s. Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. with effect from 19th August, 1991 to 18th August, 1992. The insurance policy covered all risks, in particular fire and burglary, for Rs. 56.25 lakhs for the Noida unit.
2. According to the complainant, there was a burglary in its factory at night between 8th and 9th of September, 1991. He estimated the loss of goods at Rs. 16.99 lakhs. The complainant lodged an FIR on the 9th September, 1991 with the police and the claim for Rs. 16.99 lakhs with the insurance company for the loss due to burglary. The opposite party-insurance company after examination of the loss through the Surveyor including a Chartered Accountant and also by an investigation through a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police of C.B.I. repudiated the claim altogether by its letter of 3th September, 1993. The opposite party-insurance company alleged that there was concealment of material information by the appellant complainant and that the latter had furnished incorrect and wrong information and manipulated and fabricated documents. In the letter of repudiation, the opposite party-insurance company alleged that the burglars came to the factory in a car and were allowed in by a peon of the appellant complainant acting in collusion with the burglars. A perusal of the letter of repudiation by the opposite party insurance company clearly shows that it had examined the matter at length and applied its mind to the claim of the complainant. The repudiation is bonafide and after due consideration of all the relevant facts. In the circumstances, it cannot be alleged and maintained that there has been any deficiency of service by the opposite party-insurance company under the Consumer Protection Act.
3. The letter of repudiation contains allegations of the burglary having been committed in collusion with an insider and an employee of the complainant insured, concealment of material information, allegations of the appellant insured having furnished incorrect and wrong information and manipulated or fabricated documents etc. It is obvious that it is not possible for this Commission to undertake the examination of these allegations and contentions by taking evidence to determine the correctness or otherwise of these allegations.
4. In view of what has been stated above and keeping in view the fact that the opposite party insurance company has repudiated the claim after duly considering the claim of the complainant insured, the complainant has not been able to establish any deficiency in service on the part of the opposite party-insurance company under the Consumer Protection Act. It is also not feasible to examine the truth or otherwise of the allegations against the insured made by the insurance company in time bound proceedings under the Act. In the result, the complaint is dismissed on the limited grounds indicated above without prejudice to the complainant’s right to seek redress in Civil Court if it is so advised. There is no order as to costs.
Complaint dismissed.
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