HYDERABAD: As per a recent ruling of the Hyderabad District Consumer Forum, the loss or robbery of a mobile phone is not entitled to be covered under the insurance claim if the instrument is not with its owner at the time of the incident, if specified so in the insurance deed.
In the case in question, a phone worth Rs 10,000 be-longing to a resident of Balapur, which was in-sured with New India Assurance Company, was stolen. The theft took place in February 2015, when the complainant had handed over his phone to his brother, while he was at a salon. Upon realising that the phone had been stolen, the complainant blocked the SIM card, to avoid misuse while his brother filed a complaint with the Kanchanbagh police station.
The complainant was forced to approach the consumer forum when the insurance company refused to honour the claim. He said that the phone had been insured at the time of purchase.
At the hearing, representatives of New India Assurance pointed out that, as per the insurance deed, the phone was only covered when being used by the insurance holder, his or her spouse, children, or parents. In the case of the complainant, the phone was being used by his brother, as was clearly mentioned in the police complaint.
The consumer forum observed, “It is a case of loss from the hands of the complainant’s brother, who is not authorised to use the phone under the conditions of the policy.” The complainant’s claim for refund of the cost of the phone along with Rs 1 lakh as compensation was dismissed by the forum.”
