Jaipur, June 2025.
In a significant legal victory, Counsel Mr Vizzy
Agarwal on Behalf of Shriram General Insurance Company Limited (SGIC)
successfully defended itself against a fraudulent motor insurance claim at the
Rajasthan State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC), Jaipur. The
Commission, on June 17, 2025, dismissed Mukesh Kumar’s claim of ₹28,58,926 as Motor insurance Own damage total
loss claim amount.
The case exposed, the complainant, Mukesh Kumar, insured his Toyota Fortuner (RJ 18 UA 8222) with Shriram General Insurance and in August 2017, the vehicle met with an accident in Bhilwara district, Rajasthan, following which the complainant demanded a settlement on a total loss basis.
However, investigations by Shriram General Insurance
uncovered serious discrepancies. The vehicle had earlier been declared a total
loss in February 2016 when owned by a previous owner. The complainant purchased
the vehicle as salvage but failed to disclose this crucial fact while seeking
fresh insurance with SGI, thereby breaching the principle of utmost good faith
central to insurance contracts.
However, through its thorough investigation, the insurance company identified major anomalies:
· The vehicle involved in the claim
had a complex insurance and ownership history, with evidence indicating
multiple prior policies and an earlier accident where it was declared a total
loss.
· The claimant attempted to register
the vehicle under new policies despite prior settlements that classified it as
extensively damaged.
· Independent surveyors,
investigators, and company-appointed surveyors confirmed that the damage cited
in the present claim was exaggerated and not aligned with the actual accident
history
Commenting on the decision of the Commission, Mr Ashwani Dhanawat, Executive Director, Shriram General Insurance Company, said, “We believe in protecting the interests of genuine policyholders. This outcome is a testament to our ongoing efforts to safeguard policyholders and ensure the long-term stability of the insurance system. It also testifies to our robust claim settlement process that identifies and flags off fraudulent claims. The judgement vindicates our focus on following a robust claims management framework — one that rigorously identifies and prevents fraud, while supporting genuine claims.”.
The
Consumer Commission held that the complainant had suppressed material facts,
fabricated evidence, and failed to cooperate in the claims process, which
justified SGI’s decision to deny the claim. The judgment emphasized that
transparency and full disclosure are essential in insurance contracts and
recognized SGI’s adherence to regulatory guidelines, including the proper
appointment of multiple surveyors when the initial assessment was incomplete.
The
Commission dismissed the complaint in its entirety, awarding no compensation or
claim amount to the complainant.