1.On 4th March, 2017, I flew from Bangalore to Hyderabad by Indigo flight 6E 638. I was carrying a laptop and a trolley baggage. Before boarding, I was told that I cannot carry a laptop and a suitcase and only one bag is permitted inside the cabin. Either I should keep the laptop in the suitcase in which case it can be allowed or I should check in the suitcase. I checked in the suitcase.
2.When I got down I along with two others found that our baggage did not come and when we complained, the staff found that the baggage had gone to Jaipur. We were told that the bags will be delivered only by 1130 am next day morning and we left the airport at 8 pm after registering a complaint. Next day at about 1130 am the bag was delivered to me.
3.I had taken travel insurance with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company. On 5th March, I telephoned the insurance company and I was told that they will send a LOR(letter of requirements). They sent it on 7th and I sent the documents and the application by speed post. The policy claim was dealt with under the caption Claim No: CLT002708 under Policy No: 4110/D-000179/338739/00/000 towards Checked-In Baggage Delay Claim of B S V MURTHY.
4.I received a mail from the company that I had not sent the documents as required by them on 22nd March, 2017.
5.On the same day I sent a reply giving the table of movement of the speed post sent by me and the fact that the documents were delivered to them on 15th March, 2017.
The table downloaded from the postal department website and sent to the company is reproduced below:
15/03/2017 17:12:00 Manuu S.O Item delivered [To: ICICI LOMBARD ]
15/03/2017 13:30:30 Manuu S.O Item Received
15/03/2017 13:30:30 Manuu S.O Bag Opened
15/03/2017 13:19:09 Manuu S.O Bag Received
15/03/2017 12:07:03 NSH HYDERABAD Bag Despatched to Manuu S.O
15/03/2017 11:53:39 NSH HYDERABAD Item Bagged for Manuu S.O
15/03/2017 08:29:42 NSH HYDERABAD Item Received
15/03/2017 08:29:39 NSH HYDERABAD Bag Opened
15/03/2017 08:13:35 NSH HYDERABAD Bag Received
15/03/2017 05:06:45 Shamshabad AP TMO Bag Despatched to NSH HYDERABAD
15/03/2017 05:06:29 Shamshabad AP TMO Bag Received
14/03/2017 03:21:22 NSH BENGALURU Bag Despatched to NSH HYDERABAD
14/03/2017 00:21:27 NSH BENGALURU Item Bagged for NSH HYDERABAD
13/03/2017 23:22:36 NSH BENGALURU Item Received
13/03/2017 23:22:36 NSH BENGALURU Bag Opened
13/03/2017 21:20:05 NSH BENGALURU Bag Received
13/03/2017 14:58:37 Tilaknagar S.O(Bengaluru) Bag Despatched to NSH BENGALURU
13/03/2017 14:56:29 Tilaknagar S.O(Bengaluru) Item Bagged for NSH Sub Foreign PO Bengaluru
13/03/2017 11:30:53 Tilaknagar S.O(Bengaluru) Item Booked
6.I got another mail on 24th March, 2017 from the insurance company informing that they have not received the original boarding pass, declaration letter, and delivery slip.
7.I gave a detailed reply on 24th March which is reproduced below:
“Sir,
Query Letter Claim No: CLT002708 under Policy No: 4110/D-000179/338739/00/000 towards Checked-In Baggage Delay Claim of B S V MURTHY.
I had enclosed original boarding pass issued to me. You can see the small chit attached to the boarding pass which is the receipt for check in baggage since the baggage was collected at the time of boarding. There can be only one original. The canceled cheque enclosed has my name on it. It is a joint account with my wife and both of us operate the account. The declaration is not required since I was the person who had insured and the claim is not a death claim and I am still alive. Therefore I can only make the claim. As regards the receipt relating to baggage loss, I had enclosed the property loss report issued by the Airlines. There is nothing else I can provide. The claim is not for baggage loss but its delivery beyond six hours. Unfortunately, the receiver of the baggage next day i.e. me, gave a receipt and unfortunately I did not keep a duplicate copy of the receipt. I never thought that my statement that I received the baggage next day at 11 AM will not be believed. However, this is verifiable with the Airlines if you have doubts.
I feel very sorry that I made the mistake of taking insurance from your company. I compounded it by making the claim as per the terms of the policy. I will not do this in future. First you said you have not received the claim. But contrary to your hope, I had kept the speed post receipt and I could prove that claim has been delivered. Alas, I did not keep a copy of all papers relating to the claim which I admit is a mistake. But kindly put it as a condition in the policy that claimants should keep copies of all the documents if they want their claim to be processed properly. To eliminate the problem of loss of original, (Which you say you have not received), you may put it as a condition that a copy duly notarised should be kept. For 2000 rupees, if this much effort has to be put in, God knows what will happen if I die and my family has to make the claim. With the documentation I have provided if you can give the money, please give. If not you can reject the claim. If it is rejected you can be rest assured that I will never insure again with your company and you would have lost a customer permanently.(I know you do not care. But it does not matter to me. It gives me satisfaction to say what I am going to do and do it.) If anyone asks me I will definitely put in a word about your wonderful approach. Be also assured that for whatever it is worth I will be approaching the Ombudsman if the claim is rejected so that the kind of effort and time I have spent, you should also spend to save Rs.2000/- even if I don’t get the money.”
8.On 10th April, 2017, I once again I received a mail informing that they have not received the documents and I should send the same. How can I give them the original boarding pass twice is beyond my understanding. The company has received the claim form and the cancelled cheque since they are not asking for the same. How they did not get the boarding pass is a mystery. No declaration was required since I am the insured and I am the claimant. When I am not denying the fact of receipt of baggage, why should I produce proof of receipt of baggage is also beyond my understanding.
9.On 14th April, 2017, I sent a mail to them which is nothing but paragraphs from 1 to 8 of this letter. I was hoping that the company at least now would either reject the claim or honor it so that no more correspondence takes place. A reply mail was also received from one Sri Sharma, Customer Service Manager, informing that documents have been reviewed and they will update the status of the claim soon. I felt that since documents have been reviewed, at least claim will not be rejected on the ground that I had not submitted the documents. Even then I sent a mail on the same day pointing that even now it is not indicated whether all the documents sent by me have been received or not.
10.On 24th April 2017, I got another mail informing to send the very same documents again without referring to any correspondence by mail so far.
The personal experience given above is shared so that all air passengers know the problems that they may face if they make any claim on their insurance policy with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company.