ROYAL SUNDARAM ALLIANCE ORDER TO PAY CLAIMANT INR53,000

New Delhi District Consumer Forum has ordered locally based joint venture Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance to pay a claimant INR53,000 ($1,325) in medical bills and compensation after initially rejecting a claim on the basis of non-disclosure of a pre-existing ailment. Manish Dhawan had his claim denied on the basis of “conjecture”, according to Forum president K K Chopra. “The insurance company did not feel the necessity of conducting various tests before the policy. Then why did the company accept the premium and issue the policy?” Royal Sundaram Alliance were reported to have denied the cover on the grounds that he had gall bladder stones before taking out the policy, then later claimed for the cost of an operation to remove those stones. The Forum said that it did not take much time for gall bladder stones to form. The insurer was ordered to pay INR33,627 medical costs and INR20,000 for the “mental agony” caused as a result of the claim being denied.