#own damage claim

The West Bengal State Consumer Commission ruled that carrying one extra passenger in a goods vehicle does not automatically void an own-damage claim unless the insurer proves a causal link to the accident. It allowed a 75% non-standard settlement and remanded for quantification, holding that policy breaches must be material to the loss.

The Karnataka High Court has ruled that Motor Accidents Claims Tribunals cannot adjudicate claims by vehicle owners seeking compensation for damage to their own insured vehicles from insurers. Such disputes are contractual in nature and must be resolved in civil or consumer forums, clarifying the boundary between statutory tort claims and insurance policy enforcement.