‘Claim investigator cannot declare driving licence fake’

An insurance claim investigator cannot declare unilaterally a driving licence to be fake without any corroborating report from the transport authority, a Delhi district consumer forum has said.

An insurance claim investigator cannot declare unilaterally a driving licence to be fake without any corroborating report from the transport authority, a Delhi district consumer forum has said.

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Maintaining this order , the New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum directed Oriental Insurance Company Ltd to pay R1.95 lakh to its policy holder for the damages caused to his car in an accident.

"It is seen that the investigator's report is not based on any direct report from the Regional Transport Authority and so the insurance firm cannot repudiate (a claim) on (the) uncorroborated whimsical report of the investigator," the forum said.

The forum's order came on a plea by Delhi resident Bhupender Bakshi, who had said his vehicle was insured with the firm on the date of the accident and he had duly informed it of the same.

He said the loss was assessed by the investigator at Rs 1.45 lakh, but later the insurance firm rejected his claim on the ground that his driving licence was fake. Rejecting the contention, the bench presided by CK Chaturvedi pointed out to the firm that a letter from the RTO, Agra showed that the driving licence owned by Bakshi was valid and there was no objection for its renewal.

The bench has now asked the insurance firm to pay Rs 1,45,000 and award damages of Rs 50,000 to the complainant.