Compensation for jewellery stolen from parked car

The Delhi State Consumer Commission has asked New India Assurance Company to pay Rs 40 lakh as compensation to Chandrika Thatai, whose diamond jewellery was stolen from her parked car, reports Harish V Nair.

The Delhi State Consumer Commission has asked New India Assurance Company on Wednesday to pay Rs 40 lakh as compensation to Chandrika Thatai, whose diamond jewellery was stolen from her parked car.

HT Image

But although a surveyor has assessed that the loss incurred by Thatai, a resident of DLF city in Gurgaon, at Rs 40 lakh, the had company refused to pay her, arguing that she “had not taken reasonable precaution in locking the car”.

Justice J.D. Kapoor, president of the commission, said, “The onus is heavily on the insurance company to prove that the car was not locked properly, as no person would leave such valuables in the car without taking proper care to lock it.”

He also said when a complaint is lodged about a criminal offence, it is the responsibility of only the police to carry out the investigation.