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2021 Supreme(Online)(Bom) 1168

MAHARASHTRA STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, MUMBAI
D. R. Shirasao (Presiding Judicial Member)
Complainant – Appellant
Versus
Opponent No. 1 – Respondent
Complaint No. CC/16/235



Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Unspecified
For the Respondents: Unspecified

Insurer's repudiation of claim based on non-disclosure of prior claims was illegal, as warranties were not binding and material facts were not concealed.

Headnote:(A) Marine Insurance - Breach of warranty - Claim repudiated by insurer based on alleged non-disclosure of prior claims on sister vessels - Insured contended warranties were added later and were not binding - Claim for damages validated by surveyor - Court held repudiation illegal as no material facts concealed. (Para 12)

(B) Consumer protection - Jurisdiction issue raised due to claim exceeding Rs. one crore - Court found jurisdiction as transferred by National Commission - Consumer complaint tenable in State Commission (Para 10)

Facts of the case:
The complainant, owner of tanker vessel MT CRYSTAL, sought insurance claim for damages after vessel's engine failure leading to towing charges. Insurer denied claim citing breach of warranty due to undisclosed prior claims on sister vessel, although no accidents had occurred.

Findings of Court:
The court deemed the insurer's repudiation of the claim unsustainable, affirming the quantum of damage as assessed by the surveyor. The policy was declared valid pending payment of premium.

Issues: The primary issues involved the legitimacy of warranties attaching to the policy and the insurer's right to repudiate the claim based on alleged non-disclosure.

Ratio Decidendi: The court opined that the warranties were included with the policy, and there was no suppression of material facts by the complainant. The repudiation based on warranty was thus deemed illegal.

Result: The consumer complaint was partly allowed with specific directions for payment of the assessed claim and reinstatement of the insurance policy.

Table of Content
1. insurance claim based on vessel damage. (Para 1 , 2)
2. defenses raised regarding warranty and jurisdiction. (Para 3 , 6)
3. legal basis for judgment on warranty and jurisdiction. (Para 4 , 10 , 11)
4. order details and directions for claim payment. (Para 5 , 8 , 9)
5. court's findings on illegality of claim repudiation. (Para 12)

1. Complainant has filed this complaint for getting insurance claim from opponent alongwith other reliefs

2. Brief facts of the case are as under:
Opponent No. 1 through its Agent, opponent No. 2 had taken the tanker vessel owned by complainant named - MT CRYSTAL for all risks under Marine Hull Insurance policy. Complainant was required to pay total premium of Rs.6,72,528 to opponents and the same was payable in quarterly instalment of Rs.1,68,132. Accordingly on 6.11.2006 complainant had paid first instalment of amount of premium by cheque to opponent and thereafter insurance policy had come into effect on 9.11.2006. In that respect the proposal form was given by complainant to opponent No. 1 on 23.11.2006. While giving proposal form general particulars were required to be submitted by complainant. As per this column, information regarding accidents to the vessels owned by complainant during last three years was required to be mentioned. However, as no accident had taken place with any of the vessels of complainant, complainant submitted that, 'the column is not applicable to complainant' and left other columns blank. Relied to that information opponent No. 2 being broker in providing insurance policies to complainant was fully aware of this fact and no objection has been raised by opponents in respect of that information supplied by complainant. On submission of proposal form opponent No. 2 had sent policy bearing No. 1101062511000011 to the complainant in respect of that vessel. The period of policy was from 8.11.2006 to 7.11.2007. The total sum assured was Rs.14,78,75,000. After getting this insurance policy also opponent No. 1. The final instalment was paid in the month of August, 2007 as per schedule of payment given by opponent No. 1 to complainant. On 5.9.2007 when the vessel of complainant was enroute to Kandla at about 190 NM off the coast of Okha the bearing of the main engine of the vessel was damaged and because of which the lube oil pressure had been dropped. In order to reduce any further damage to the engine complainant had decided to tow the vessel to the nearest port to get the engine repaired. Complainant informed this fact to opponent No. 2 by email on 6.9.2007. AI Mubarak Overseas was appointed to tow the vessel and they had claimed towing charges of USD 2,52,343.75 for the same. On 21.9.2007 opponent No. 1 requested to send the details of the claim preferred on other vessels of the complainant during last five years. However, as no claims were preferred for last five years before taking insurance policy no such details were sent to opponent No. 1. However, opponent No. 1 vide their e - mail dated 26.9.2007 informed complainant that they had raised two claims in respect of MT Twinkle, a sister vessel of complainant and submitted that thereby complainant has committed breach of warranty No. 8 which is attached to the policy and thereby shown their inability to give the claim to complainant. It is the contention of complainant that warranties which are attached with the insurance policy were not supplied to the complainant alongwith insurance policy and warranties were inserted subsequently unilaterally by opponent No. 1 and hence, these warranties are not binding on complainant. It is also the contention of complainant that no accident had taken place in respect of sister vessel of complainant and no claim was made by complainant in respect of those vessels five years of taking the policies from the opponent No. 1. It is their submission that whatever claims complainant had taken in respect of those vessels cannot be considered as claims for accident. Finally by giving


























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