Firm to compensate man for deficiently closing theft claim

A consumer forum here has asked an insurance firm to pay compensation to a man for deficiently closing his claim for theft of his vehicle, insured with it.
A bench of New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, presided by C K Chaturvedi, asked the Reliance General Insurance to pay the compensation amount of Rs 30,000 to Delhi resident Sagar Kumar, besides paying him the insured declared value (IDV) of the vehicle.
"The unrebutted evidence clearly shows that complainant (Kumar) has duly complied with all requirements, yet firm has not covered to process his claim, and has also failed to defend its action in Forum.

"We hold firm guilty of deficiency and direct firm to pay the IDV of the vehicle... We also award compensation of Rs 30,000 for deficiency including litigation expenses," the forum said.
Kumar had approached the forum alleging deficiency on the firm's part as he claimed that it arbitrarily closed the theft claim of his vehicle insured with it.
According to Kumar, his vehicle was stolen on December 25, 2008, from the house of the driver in Ghaziabad and an FIR was lodged in this regard.
However, on enquiry he found that the firm had closed the claim, he claimed.
The order was passed after the firm did not reply to the notice served to it and, thereafter, was proceeded exparte.