[2026:RJ-JD:10754]

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 18680/2024 Branch Manager, Life Insurance Corporation Of India, Branch Pali-1, Mandia Road, Pali, District Pali (Raj.) Through Mr. Subash Chandra Sharma Son Of Late Shri Surendra Sharma Aged 58 Years, Authorized Signatory And Manager (Legal), Presently At Life Insurance Corporation Of India, Divisional Office, Jodhpur.

----Petitioner Versus Smt. Laxmi Jain W/o Late Shri Naresh Kumar Jain, Resident Of

23, Semegiyo Ki Patti, Pali (Raj.).

----Respondent For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Naman Bhansali.

For Respondent(s) : -

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KULDEEP MATHUR

ORDER

Reserved on:- 24/02/2026 Pronounced on:- 07/03/2026

1. By way of filing the present writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner – Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has assailed the validity and correctness of the award dated 20.08.2024 passed by the Permanent Lok Adalat, Pali in Case No. 15/2023 titled “Laxmi Jain vs. Branch Manager, LIC, Branch Pali I”, whereby the Permanent Lok Adalat has directed the petitioner – LIC to pay a sum of Rs.3,65,000/- along with interest @ 6% per annum and Rs.10,000/- towards litigation expenses to the respondent – Laxmi Jain.

2. Having heard learned counsel for the petitioner and upon perusal of the material available on record, this Court finds that the husband of the respondent, Shri Naresh Kumar Jain, had obtained two insurance policies, namely Jeevan Mitra (Triple Cover and Endowment Plan with Accident Benefit No.108024951) and Jeevan Labh (Limited Premium Endowment Plan No.146903563), from the petitioner – LIC after regularly paying the requisite premiums.

3. After the demise of her husband, the respondent submitted claim forms as prescribed by LIC seeking the insurance amount along with accidental death benefits, stating that on 16.02.2021, her husband slipped while riding a motorcycle, sustained severe head injuries, and was taken to a Government Hospital where he was declared dead.

4. Admittedly, LIC disbursed the sum of Rs.2,09,400/- towards insurance amount and bonus under the Jeevan Labh policy and Rs.5,70,532/- towards insurance amount and bonus under the Jeevan Mitra policy. However, the additional accidental death benefits of Rs.2,00,000/- and Rs.1,65,000/- respectively under the aforesaid policies were denied on the ground that the death of the insured was not accidental. According to LIC, neither was any FIR lodged nor was a postmortem conducted to establish that the death resulted from a road accident.

5. In the aforesaid circumstances, the respondent filed a complaint before the Permanent Lok Adalat, Pali seeking a direction to LIC to release the accidental death benefits under the Jeevan Mitra and Jeevan Labh policies.

6. The Permanent Lok Adalat, after hearing the parties and examining the material available on record, concluded that when the insured Naresh Kumar was brought to Bangad Hospital, the cause recorded was head injury due to a motorcycle accident.

Further, eye-witnesses, namely Kamlesh Bhandari and Ketan Jain, filed affidavits affirming that they had witnessed the accident. On the basis of the documentary evidence and affidavits, the Permanent Lok Adalat allowed the claim and directed LIC to release the accidental benefits. The relevant portion of the award dated 20.08.2024 is reproduced below for ready reference:-

“हमने उभय पक्षकारान के तक(cid:15) पर मनन किकया। पत्रावली का अवलोकन किकया। परिरवादि(cid:26)या के मतृ क पतित की मत्ृयु दि(cid:26)नांक 16.12.2021 को शाम 8:15 बजे (cid:26)र्घु ट% ना होना बताया है। पत्रावली पर जो राजकीय बांगड़ चि+किकत्साल्य पाली का बाह्रा रोगी उप+ार पत्र प्रस्ततु किकया गया है। उसके अनसु ार नरेश कुमार को दि(cid:26)नांक 16.12.2021 को शाम के 8:44 बजे अस्पताल ले जाया गया था। जिजसे बा(cid:26) जां+ उसी समय 8:55 बजे मतृ र्घोषि5त कर दि(cid:26)या था। उक्त रोगी उप+ार पत्र पर रोगी के शरीर पर सिसर में +ोट बाईक स्लीप हो जाने के कारण आना अंकिकत किकया हुआ है। इसका अथ% यह हुआ किक मतृ क