THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) has directed the National Insurance Company Ltd to pay insurance claim to the parents of a deceased fisherman youth. The company had repudiated their claim citing the youth’s temporary job as a temple priest.
The commission’s order came on an appeal petition filed by the National Insurance Company Ltd against the order issued by the Kollam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
It upheld the district commission’s order asking the company to pay Rs 5 lakh as insurance claim amount, Rs 2,500 as funeral expenses, Rs 25,000 as compensation and Rs 5,000 as costs to the couple.
The complainants are Dinanjayan and Vasantha, a couple hailing from Cheriyazheekal. Their son Vishnu died in a road accident on June 3, 2017. He was a fisherman who also worked as a temporary priest at a local temple. He was a member of the Vellanathuruth - Pandarathuruth Matsya Thozhilali Vikasana Kshema Sahakarana Sangham Ltd.
On March 27, 2017, he remitted Rs 178 towards membership fees and premium for insurance under Group Personal Accident Insurance Scheme facilitated by the Matsyafed.
The insurance company repudiated the claim of Vishnu’s parents on the ground that the deceased was not covered under the policy as it was meant for bonafide fishermen.
It further stated that the deceased served as a temple priest for the past two years and was not a member of the Fisherman Welfare Fund Board. According to Vishnu’s parents, he performed the duty of a temple priest temporarily.
It was a service without remuneration for three days a week as a substitute for the regular priest.
The SCDRC order issued by judicial member Ajith Kumar D and member K R Radhakrishnan stated that a fisherman’s job cannot be considered as a permanent job.
“The job of a fisherman is not like a permanent job where he may not be allowed to work elsewhere when he is otherwise free. There is nothing in evidence to prove that the deceased was not a fisherman. If at all he was working as a priest during his spare time, the insurance company is not absolved from its liability,” the commission said.