- (1.) THIS appeal under Section 15 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 , is directed against the order dated 7.8.2004, in Complaint No. 36/2004, by District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Raipur (hereinafter called the District Forum for short) whereby the complainant/appellant has been awarded Rs. 5,00,000/ - besides Rs. 500/ - as cost of the complaint, under Janta Personal Accident Insurance Policy, issued by the respondent/insurer.
(2.) THE only grievance of the complainant/appellant is that interest has not been awarded by the District Forum.
(3.) IN the above context, learned Counsel for appellant submitted that though the complainant preferred claim, after the death of her husband on 5.5.2003 and furnished necessary documents to the respondent/insurer, yet her claim was not settled till 3.2.2004 i.e., the date of filing her complaint. As against this, learned Counsel for the respondent/insurer submitted that the complainant/appellant did not furnish necessary documents for the settlement of her claim despite letters sent to her in the above context. Learned Counsel for respondent/insurer in the above context, drew our attention to their letters dated 18.11.2003 and 11.9.2003, by which the original documents including policy document were demanded. Learned Counsel for complainant/appellant submitted that the complainant had submitted all the documents as has been mentioned by her in her letters dated 23.10.2003 and 11.12.2003 as also other letters. It has been submitted by the learned Counsel for appellant that interest on the amount should have been awarded from 11.9.2003, when the original policy document was submitted by her. We have considered the submissions as above. It appears that relevant documents were furnished immediately after 11.9.2003 as appears from respondent s letter, marked as Annexure -A -8. The other documents demanded did not appear to be the material and were not required for settlement of the complainant s claim. In the circumstances, the claim ought to have been settled within a reasonable period of 2 months, i.e., by 8.11.2003. That having not been done, the complainant/appellant is entitled to interest on the awarded amount from 9.11.2003.;