The Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission here has found the Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. guilty of deficient service and has ordered it to pay up Rs 1,86,500 to a complainant.

Abdul Saleem of Bangalore had complained against Oriental Insurance to the district consumer forum, alleging deficient service. His vehicle was insured with Oriental when it met with an accident on February 8, 2006. It was damaged and he informed the insurance firm about it. They repudiated his claim on the ground that the driver’s vehicle did not have a valid driving licence to drive a “goods vehicle”. Saleem complained to the district consumer forum which dismissed his complaint.

He went for appeal to the State Commission and the President, Mr Justice Chandrashekaraiah found that the driver had a driving licence to drive light motor vehicles. He also possessed endorsement to drive Goods Vehicle and Maxi Cab. He said that the district consumer forum was not justified in repudiating the claim of Saleem. He ordered Oriental to pay up the amount with interest at six per cent per annum.

The State Commission also dismissed an appeal filed by Oriental in another case where the district consumer forum, Tumkur had ordered it to pay up money to a consumer. Oriental had repudiated the claim, that at the time of the accident, he did not have a valid driving licence to drive a Motor Goods Vehicle. But the driver of the vehicle had got an endorsement to drive a LMV transport vehicle. Oriental Insurance had deposited a sum of Rs 50,000 with the Commission in its appeal.