Insurance claims settled for CDS Rawat, other martyrs in a jiffy

Mumbai: Who says public sector insurance companies don't settle claims early! They do it at a lightning if need arises and here is a good example. In the case of sad demise of General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff, and his colleagues who were martyred in a helicopter crash in Coonoor in Tamil Nadu recently, public sector general insurance companies settled all the insurance claims at a lightning speed.

Thirteen out of 14 people on board the MI-17V5 helicopter, including General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat were killed after it crashed on December 8. Group Captain Varun Singh is the lone survivor of the crash.

State-run non-life insurer, United India Insurance (UII) has settled group personal accident (GPA) claim of decorated soldiers including that of General Bipin Rawat who died in the tragic helicopter crash in Wellington.

The job was undertaken by the company's officers-duo, HR Gangwal (DGM) and Harmeet Chahel (RM). The insurer has settled GPA claims of decorated soldiers. They were covered under our State Bank of India's GPA policy for account holders and all these claims worth Rs40/30 lakh each were settled in record time of 30 minutes on receipt of documents, a feat never heard of, according to company officials.

The SBI Defence Salary Package (DSP) account is meant for the Indian defence personnel of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, Assam Rifles, Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and a group accident policy issued by the UII for this package has provisions to pay an insurance claim of Rs30 lakh in case of death or total disability and Rs10 lakh for partial disability of an account holder.

Talking to Bizz Buzz, Satyajit Tripathy, Chairman and Managing Director of UII said, "PSU insurance companies rise to the occasion always. Not only in this tragic case involving topmost service officials including CDS Bipin Rawat, during times when natural calamities affected policyholders, companies have worked tirelessly for settlement of claims." In this instance the claims were settled in record time by PSU GI companies.

During Covid, companies have given exceptional service to the public in settling health claims, he added.

Apart from Rawat, the other cases that have been settled by UII include that of Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh (IAF), Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan (IAF), JWO Rana Pratap Dass (IAF), JWO Pradeep Arrakal (IAF), Naik Jitendra Kumar (Indian Army), Naik

Gursewak Singh and Havaldar Satpal Singh (Indian Army). In a similar fashion, country's largest non-life insurer, New India Assurance (NIA) has settled personal accident (PA) claim of Shaheed Brigadier LS Lidder, amounting to Rs 30 lakh, within one hour after the submission of minimum papers on December 10. Interestingly, the amount settled has already been credited into the beneficiary's bank account. Brig LS Lidder, one of the martyrs of the Coonoor crash, was having his salary account with Axis Bank. The bank has a tie-up with New India Assurance to provide group personal accident insurance cover for the account holders.

New India CMD Atul Sahai, said: "As the nation mourns the martyrs of the helicopter crash, the call of duty to support the men in uniform has been exemplified by New India's Mumbai local branch office-2 (LCBO-2)."

Sahai further said, "NIA's office swung into action immediately on receipt of claim intimation from the bank at 2 PM on December 10. The personal accident claim of Rs 30 lac was paid within one hour." According to Sahai, "We consider this as a token of our contribution to nation and mark of respect to our brave hearts."

'There is a soldier in every United India and we really believe in 'U' before 'I' in service. Salute to martyrs and salute to United Indians,' quipped an official of UII.