New Delhi, 23 March 2021: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the insurance claim of the legal heir of the person who died due to suffocation from excessive drinking. The Supreme Court said that the insurance company’s liability in the case is wholly or directly to pay compensation in case of injury caused by accident.

Justice MM Shantanagoudar and Justice Vineet Saran bench upheld the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission’s order. The court held that the death was not caused by accident, and there is no statutory obligation to pay compensation in such a case under the insurance policy.

“Given the facts and circumstances of the case, we do not see any reason for interference in the order of the National Commission dated 24 April 2009,” the bench observed.

In Shimla district, this watchman died in the middle of October 07-08 in 1997, and the post-mortem report stated that the man died due to excessive drinking