Firm told to pay widow, kin `20L

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum at Nellore has rendered justice to a woman and her two unmarried daughters by directing an insurance firm to pay `19.90 lakh with interest towards the settlement of a policy obtained by the husband of the woman who succumbed to sunstroke three years back.

The insurance firm, LIC of India had refused to entertain the claim from the woman, Ms Purini Manjula, 42, and her daughters Yamuna, 21 and Annapoorna, 19, of Inamadugu village in Kovur mandal of SPSR Nellore district under the

pretext that accident insurance was not applicable to sunstroke victims.

The firm also attempted to reject the claim under the plea that the policyholder

Mr Purini Manohar had shown his income as `2,60,000 per annum while obtaining the policy but he mentioned the income as

`12,000 to revenue authorities to secure white ration card and Arogya Sree card.

According to the advocate for the women, Mr A. Chandrasekhar Gupta, Manohar was an agriculturist while he was alive and he took insurance policy under New Endowment Plan (with profits) bearing No.

845326340. The insurance company had collected

`18,607 as premium amount. As per the terms of the policy, the date of commencement of the policy was February 10,

2015 and its maturity is on February 10, 2045.

Though LIC officials had assured her that the claim amount would be paid within 20 days, they kept postponing the date.