Orissa

Rayagada

CC/152/2021

Smt. V. santoshi Niece - Complainant(s)

Versus

The Manager, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Co Ltd., - Opp.Party(s)

Self

10 May 2023

ORDER

DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION RAYAGADA, ODISHA.

Date of Institution: 09.09.2021

     Date of Final Hearing: 23.03.2023

        Date of  Pronouncement: 10.05.2023

CONSUMER COMPLAINT NO. 152 / 2021

 

Smt.  V.Santoshi,   Niece  of   deceased   Potunuru Appa Rao,

 Laxmi  Kalyani Residency, House No.402,

Opposite  Hotel  Jyoti Mahal,    Dist: Rayagada,

State:Odisha, 765  0001 Cell No. 7008460765

(Represented in person)                                                                                                        …Complainant

                                                          Versus

The Manager, Bajaj  Allianz life insurance Co. Ltd.,G.E. Plaza, Airport Road, Yarawada, Pune-Moharashtra, Pin No. 411006                                                                                                                                                    

(Sri  V.Avtar, Advocate   for the O.Ps.)                                                                               …Opposite Parties

 

                Present:          1. Sri Rajendra Kumar Panda, President.

ORDER          U/S- 39  R/W 64 OF THE C.P.ACT,2019

Sri  Rajendra  Kumar  Panda, President.

Brief facts of the case:-

Case in hand is the allegation of  deficiency in service and unfair trade practice by the O.Ps  for  non payment of  death claim assured amount  towards LIC policy No.0268062083  with accrued interest  which  the complainant sought  redressal.

The Back ground  facts in a nutshell  that the complainant   was   a  niece  of deceased  Potunuru Appa Rao.    The OPs had    issued bond bearing policy No.    0268062083  on Dt.  28.05.2012  in favour of the deceased Potunuru Appa Rao.  The complainant is a nominee in the above policy.  Deceased Potunuru Appa Rao died  on  Dtd.29.04.2013 when the policy   was   in force.  The complainant intimated  the  facts to the OPs and submitted all the necessary papers duly filled-in before the OPs. The complainant approached the O.Ps  from time to time  in person and over phone, but  the O.P  is  paid  deaf ear and not  made payment  the sum assured.  Hence this  complaint petition filed by the complainant  before this commission  praying  directing  the O.Ps to pay the death claim  assured amount with other  benefits and interest besides such other relief .

The O.P  appeared  through  his counsel  but not  choose to file any written version  nor  take any  steps  resultant made exparte.

Heard to the  complainant.  Perused the record, documents filed by the  complainant  and  framed the following issues for determination.

ISSUES:-

1. Whether the  complainant is a consumer under the O.Ps?
2. Whether the complainant has any cause of action to institute  the complaint  against the O.Ps?
3. Whether the  complaint is maintainable?
4. Whether the services of the O.Ps are deficient  towards the complainant?
5. Whether the complainant is entitled to the relief as sought for?
6. To what relief?

ISSUE NO. I   :-

                Undisputedly the   life assured had obtained the Insurance policy bearing No.0268062083  Dated.28.05.2012 by paying the  premium under  Bajaj Allianz secure insurance plan  to the O.P which the  O.Ps promised/agreed to provide  services.  After the death of  policy holder  being the nominee his niece the complainant filed this case for claim.  In view of aforesaid fact the  commission held that the complainant  is a consumer with the ambit of Section  2(7)(ii) of C.P. Act, 2019.    Accordingly issue No.I is  answered.

ISSUE NO. II:-

            The deceased  policy holder  expired on  Dtd.29.04.2013.  The complainant  approached the  O.Ps  to get his claim and the O.Ps had received all the papers   but  the O.Ps    neither  paid the  assured amount  nor  made  any correspondence  except oral assurance till the filing of case. Interestingly  O.Ps also not repudiated the claim of the complainant.    Hence the complainant filed the  complaint on Dtd.09.09.2021 along with delay  condo nation petition   within the  provision of the  C.P. Act.  Moreover,  the   complainant  has a cause of action to file the complaint since  O.Ps have  rendered deficient  services  to her  (complainant) without  redressing  her  genuine/claim.  Accordingly issue No.II  is answered.

Issue No. III:-

            Needless to say, the  Consumer Protection Act, 2019 is a beneficial  & welfare legislation. The policy bond  shows the address of the deceased policy holder is  at   Rayagada and the present   complainant resides in the territorial  jurisdiction of this  Commission. The law is well settled that in  the event of death of the policy holder  his/her legal  representative or nominee can maintain  a claim.  Accordingly  Issue No.III   is  answered.

Issue No.I V & V, VI:-

            These three issues invite common discussion and hence they are being taken up together.   It is apparent from the record  that the agent  (through  whom the  O.Ps  doing their business) of the O.Ps fill-up the proposal  form and submitted  the same before the  O.P. and the deceased policy holder is only  the signatory who signed  in the proposal form by the  direction of the  concerned agent and paid premium to the O.Ps and upon the  payment the O.Ps issued the  bond in favour of the deceased policy holder.  Subsequently  after the death of the policy holder  the  present  complainant being  nominee claimed the  amount, made several  correspondence  but  the O.Ps  till date  neither  paid the  assured amount  nor  made  any correspondence  or repudiated  the claim    of the complainant. 

            This commission by perusing all the evidence  on record opined that there is  unfair trade practice and deficiency  in service on the part of the O.Ps, for which  the complainant  is entitled to the relief claim for. Therefore the  complainant  would be entitled to the insurance claim. Accordingly  issue No. IV,V, VI are answered.

                                                ORDER.

            Based  on the aforesaid discussion, the  Commission  allowed the complaint and directed the O.Ps  to  pay  the  assured amount  of the policy No.0268062083  to the complainant.   Let this order be complied  by the O.Ps  within a reasonable period  from the date of receipt of  this  order. Parties  are left to bear their own cost.

Miscellaneous  order if any  delivered by this  commission  relating to this case  stands vacated. 

Pronounced in the open court of this Commission today on this 10^th. Day of  May, 2023 under the  seal  & signature of  this Commission.

Dictated and corrected  by me.

                                                                        PRESIDENT

 A copy of this order be provided to all the parties at  free of cost as mandated by the Consumer Protection Act,  2019 or they may download same from the confonet.nic.in to treat the same as if copy of order received from this Commission.

The judgment be uploaded forthwith on the website of the Commission for the perusal of the parties.

File be consigned to the record room along with a copy of this Judgment.                                                                                  

                                                                       PRESIDENT

 

PRONOUNCED ON   Dtd.10.05.2023