The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-I (North District), Delhi, has directed United India Insurance Company Ltd. to pay ₹38,000 towards the insured value of a stolen motorcycle, despite a 59-day delay in notifying the insurer about the theft.
The case involved Rohit Choursiya, whose motorcycle was insured from March 8, 2016 to March 7, 2017. The vehicle was stolen outside his residence on October 24, 2016. Although an FIR was lodged with the police, the insurer was informed only on December 23, 2016. United India Insurance rejected the claim, citing the delay and relying on an earlier consumer commission ruling.
The Delhi Commission referred to Supreme Court decisions in Om Prakash v. Reliance General Insurance (2017) and Gurshinder Singh v. Shriram General Insurance (2020), which established that delayed intimation alone cannot justify repudiation of a genuine theft claim when the FIR has been lodged promptly.
The Commission also noted that the available surveyor report supported the genuineness of the claim, including verification of the FIR and vehicle keys.
United India Insurance was directed to pay ₹38,000 with 6% annual interest, along with ₹5,000 as compensation and litigation expenses. Failure to comply within four weeks would attract 9% annual interest thereafter.
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