United India Insurance Company Limited v. Santosh Kumar
Motor accident compensation – 'Act only policy' does not cover occupant risk
Case brief
What is this about?
Chhattisgarh High Court, Bilaspur — MAC Nos. 1578 & 1579 of 2015 (insurer's appeals) and MAC Nos. 1577 & 1592 of 2017 (claimants' enhancement appeals), common CAV judgment pronounced 18.07.2025 by Radhakishan Agrawal, J. Death of two occupants (Jagendrapal and Murariram) in overturning of a private Maruti Car 800 driven rashly by the driver. Key points: 'Act only policy'/'Liability Only Policy' with premium only for third-party and employee risk cannot cover occupant risk — insurer exonerated notwithstanding its failure to prove breach of policy conditions, following National Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Balakrishnan (2013) 1 SCC 731; notional income substituted with minimum wages (Rs.3,900/- and Rs.4,136/- per month for unskilled labour, 2011); enhancement per Sarla Verma (2009) 6 SCC 121 — multiplier 17, 1/4th deduction; Pranay Sethi (2017) 16 SCC — 40% future prospects and conventional heads; Magma General Insurance v. Nanu Ram (2018) 18 SCC 130 — spousal, parental and filial consortium Rs.40,000/- each. Enhanced compensation Rs.5,63,380/- and Rs.6,48,934/- with 7.5% interest; joint and several liability of driver, registered owner, dealer and subsequent purchaser; deposit within 2 months. Keywords: Section 166 MV Act; Act only policy; occupant in a car; comprehensive/package policy; exoneration of insurer; minimum wages; loss of future prospects; multiplier; consortium; MAC appeal Chhattisgarh.