Life insurance: Ombudsman orders payment in 10 days

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Ombudsman has ordered relief to the widow of a Mangla Dam Project driver who died of rabies in 2013 after being bitten by a dog, rejecting State Life Insurance Corporation’s (SLIC) medical report.

Munaza Balqees had lodged a complaint against SLIC alleging that her husband died four days after purchasing a Rs300,000 insurance policy in 2013, but her claim was delayed due to incorrect medical advice given to the corporation. She stated that despite repeated visits to the SLIC office, no effort was made to redress her grievance.

Federal Ombudsman Secretariat (FOS) Senior Adviser Jaweed Akhter investigated the complaint and decided the matter within 10 days under the Speedy Complaints Resolution scheme.

SLIC had not made payment of the death claim on the premise that the man was infected with rabies before purchasing the policy and had concealed the fact from the insurer. The corporation had been demanding complete vaccination and hospitalisation records to settle the case.

SLIC further stated that total payment to the nominee, if the claim was accepted, would be more than approximately Rs1.3 million.

After hearing the agency and examining records, FOS observed that the conclusion of the doctor was not supported by medical chronology.

Akhter concluded the case, giving findings for implementation. These included reconsidering the death claim in light of medical chronology considering the date of insurance, duration between the date of the dog bite and appearance of rabies symptoms after one year and to take disciplinary action against the delinquent officials involved in the maladministration of the complaint.

He also directed that compliance should be reported within 30 days of the receipt of these findings or that any reasons for failing to do so be intimated to the secretariat.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2016.