The Chandigarh Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum II has held that a shopkeeper who takes an insurance policy for his shop is a consumer. Hence his claim cannot be denied on the grounds that the policy is for a ‘commercial organisation’..

In his complaint in the Forum, the shopkeeper stated that he took an insurance policy from the company in March 2009, against an annual premium of Rs 3,035. The policy was valid for one year. On the night of August 31, 2009, a theft took place in the shop, in which Rs 2.57 lakh in cash was stolen by thieves.

Consumer forum directed The Oriental Insurance Company to pay Rs 1.04 lakh to the owner of Pindi Fashion Mall in Sector 19. The Forum has also directed the company to pay Rs 20,000 as compensation for harassment, and Rs 7000 as cost of litigation.

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