The Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission ordered the Bharti Axa Life Insurance Co Ltd to pay Rs 1 lakh in compensation for producing a fake medical certificate with the intention to avoid paying insurance claim. The insurance company was also ordered to pay Rs 10 lakh death claim.
Nineteen-year-old Anil Desai, a resident of Bijadevi village of Nandurbar in Maharashtra, purchased a Rs 10 lakh life insurance policy from Bharti Axa in November 2015. He fell ill in August 2016 and consulted Shifa Clinic. Dr MA Shaikh diagnosed him with ‘right hypochondric’ pain and fever. Anil died on September 1.
When his mother, Savitriben, claimed the insurance amount, she was denied on the ground that Anil had a pre-existing disease. The company also alleged that the fact was kept hidden while obtaining the insurance policy. The insurance company also produced a certificate by Dr Shaikh stating that Anil was suffering from the disease for the last three to four years.
The doctor, when called for an examination, said that the certificate was not issued by him. The commission concluded that the company tried to refuse payment by producing a fake and bogus document. The commission ordered the company to pay Rs 10 lakh insurance amount to the deceased’s mother with eight percent interest along with Rs 1 lakh compensation for causing harassment and Rs 10,000 towards legal expenditure.
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