The Cuddalore District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the United India Insurance Company Limited, Cuddalore to pay a customer ₹1.65 crore for wrongly repudiating a marine insurance policy claim.
Rajamani, a resident of Cuddalore, said in her petition that the company had repudiated her insurance claim after her cargo vessel MSV SRP Rajamani ran aground at Koottayi Beach in Malappuram district in Kerala on November 14, 2021.
The cargo vessel, carrying construction materials had departed from the Kozhikode port towards Minicoy in Lakshadweep in the early hours of November 13, 2021. However, about 130 nautical miles from the Kozhikode port, the vessel’s crew decided to return, in view of inclement weather. During their return there was heavy ingress of sea water into the engine room. Attempts were made to evacuate the sea water using double pumps. However, one of the pumps failed about 50 nautical miles off the Kozhikode port. The remaining pump could not handle the heavy ingress of sea water and a result, the engine came to a grinding halt. Subsequently, the vessel ran aground at Koottayi beach.
