Kochi Ombudsman Centre
Case No. IO / KCH / GI / 11.003.066 / 2004 – 05
Shri. P. P. Pappachen
Vs
National Insurance Company Ltd.
The complaint under Rule No. 12(1)(b) read with Rule No. 13 of the RPG Rules 1998 arose from repudiation of a claim under Householders insurance policy held by the complainant. The complainant’s TV set went out of order and the same was repaired (picture tube replaced) by the dealer at a cost of Rs. 6820/-. The insurer rejected the claim saying that it was an old TV and the maximum life-span of the picture tube was only 10 years.
Therefore, citing the reason for damage as aging of the TV set, the claim was turned down. In the renewal of the policy in the year 2002, the TV set was insured for Rs. 8000/-. The complainants version was that the picture tube damage was related to the number of hours it was used and not the age of the TV set.
He also contended that a picture tube would work properly for more than 1 lakh hours. Since the insurer had renewed the policy in 2002 with no murmur whatsoever and since the complainant had really spent Rs. 6820/- as per the Dealer’s receipt and the insurer having been unable to prove that the damage to the picture tube was only due to aging of the set, the Insurance Ombudsman allowed the complaint and the insurer was asked to pay Rs. 6820 in full final settlement of the claim.
