LIC asked to pay Rs 1.06 lakh for harassing claimant

Insurer had rejected the claim on the ground that the insured had been suffering from TB for over 4 yrs and had not disclosed the same while taking the policy

Life Insurance Corporation has been pulled up by a consumer forum here for "knowingly harassing" the widow of a policy holder by denying her claim and directed to pay her Rs 1.06 lakh.

The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum noted that as per the conditions of the policy issued to the complainant's husband no medical report was required, but LIC had denied the claim on the ground that he had not disclosed that he had been suffering from TB for over four years.

"We have gone through the contents of complaint and noticed that non-medical policy for sum assured of Rs 50,000 was issued to the complainant by opposite party (LIC) over which there is no medical report is required as per norms of LIC policy.

"Despite the above facts, opposite party deliberately/ arbitrarily denied the claim without supporting evidence which is a clear case of deficiency/unfair trade practice that opposite party knowingly harassed consumers without any reason except to suck the blood just like a blood hounder as if money goes from LIC officials' pocket," a bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said.

The forum directed LIC to pay Delhi resident Hasmukhi Devi the assured amount of Rs 50,000 under the policy along with Rs 35,000 as compensation and Rs 21,000 as cost of litigation.

According to Devi, her husband Ram Avtar, who was insured under a LIC policy since December 12, 2003 for a sum of Rs 50,000 had died on April 11, 2005, during the period of the insurance cover. She had filed the claim for assured amount after that and the same was rejected by LIC.

LIC had rejected the claim on the ground that her husband had been suffering from TB for over four years and had not disclosed the same while availing the policy.