Case: New India Assurance Co Vs. C.M. Jaya

so done, it amounts to re-writing the statute or the contract of insurance which is not permissible. 14. In the light of what is stated above, we do not find any conflict on the question raised in the order of reference between the decisions of two benches of three learned Judges in Shanti Bai and Amrit Lal Sood aforementioned and, on the other hand, there is consistency on the point that in case of an insurance policy not taking any higher liability by accepting a higher premium, the liability of the insurance company is neither unlimited nor higher than the statutory liability fixed under Section 95(2) of the Act. In Amrit Lal Soods case, the decision in Shanti Bai is not noticed. However, both these decisions refer to the case of Jugal Kishore and no contrary view is expressed. 15. In New India Assurance Co. Ltd. vs. Ram Lal & Ors. [1988 (Supp.) SCC 506] looking to the insurance policy that the appellant had undertaken to indemnify the insured to the extent of Rs. 50,000/- only, it was held that the High Court was in error in holding that the appellant was liable to pay the entire amount of compensation which was more than Rs. 50,000/- and that the liability of the appellant was limited to Rs. 50,000/-. 16. In a recent judgment in National Insurance Co. Ltd. vs. Nathilal & Ors. [1999 1 SCC 552 ], this Court, following the case of Jugal Kishore aforementioned, held that in view of the fact that no extra premium was paid towards unlimited liability was could be seen from the policy produced, the liability of the insurance company was limited to Rs. 15,000/-. The Court set aside the award of the Tribunal and affirmed by the High Court. 17. In the premise, we hold that the view expressed by the bench of three learned Judges in the case of Shanti Bai is correct and answer the question set out in the order of reference in the beginning as under:-In the case of insurance company not taking any higher liability by accepting a higher premium for payment of compensation to a third party, the insurer would be liable to the extent limited under Section 95(2) of the Act and would not be liable to pay the entire amount.18. In these appeals presently before us, the judgment and order of Delhi High Court are under challenge. The deceased was riding the pillion seat of a two-wheeler when it met with a truck insured by the appellant. On the claimants approaching the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, it awarded a sum of Rs. 1,03,360/- as compensation and held that the liability of the appellant was limited to Rs. 50,000/- and the balance amount was recoverable from the driver and owner of the truck jointly and severally. The truck owner (the respondent no. 4) preferred an appeal to the High Court. The High Court held that the liability of the appellant was unlimited as the vehicle was comprehensively insured. The High Court also allowed cross-objections preferred by the Claimants/Respondents Nos. 1 to 3 solely against the appellant under Order XLI Rule 22 CPC for the full pecuniary liability to be placed upon the insurer while enhancing the amount of compensation from Rs. 1,03,360/- to Rs. 3,60,000/- with interest @ 15% per annum from the date of application. Hence, these two appeals are brought by the appellant, aggrieved by the judgment and order of the High Court. The submissions were made before us by the learned counsel for the parties in support of the respective contentions citing the decisions aforementioned as to the extent of liability of the appellant to pay the amount of compensation to Respondents 1 to 3. 19. It is not in dispute from the admitted copy of the insurance policy produced before the Court that the liability of the appellant is limited to Rs. 50,000/- in regard to the claim in question. The relevant clause in the policy relating to limits of liability reads:- It is also not the case that any additional or higher premium was paid to cover unlimited or higher liability than the statutory liability fixed as found in the term of the policy extracted above. In the light of the law stated above, it necessarily follows that the liability of the appellant is limited to Rs. 50,000/-, as was rightly held by the Tribunal. The High Court committed an error in taking the contrary view that the liability of the appellant was unlimited merely on the ground that the insured had taken a comprehensive policy. In Shanti Bais case, this court has clearly expressed the opinion that a comprehensive policy issued on the basis of the estimated value of the vehicle does not automatically result in covering the liability with regard to third party risk for an amount higher than the statutory limit in the absence of specific agreement and payment of separate premium to cover third party risk for an amount higher than the statutory limit. This position is accepted in Amrit Lal Soods case as well though no reference is made to this case. As already stated above, in Amrit Lal Soods case, the Court found an express term in the policy for covering wider risk and to meet the higher liability unlike in the case of Shanti Bai. Therefore, the High Court was not right in holding that the liability of the appellant insurance-company was unlimited merely on the ground that the vehicle in question, i.e., the truck, was covered by a comprehensive insurance policy. 20. In the circumstances, we hold that the liability of the appellant insurance-company is limited to Rs. 50,000/-, as held by the Tribunal. In the view we have taken, it is unnecessary to go into the question relating to either maintainability of cross-objections before the High Court against the appellant alone or as to the enhancement of compensation when the owner and driver have not filed appeal against the impugned judgment. 21.

Court's decision (1 = petition accepted / positive for appellant, 0 = rejected / negative): 1

Reasoning from the judgment:
1[ds]10. Thus, a careful reading of these decisions, clearly shows that the liability of the insurer is limited, as indicated in Section 95 of the Act, but it is open to the insured to make payment of additional higher premium and get higher risk covered in respect of third party also. But in the absence of any such clause in the insurance policy the liability of the insurer cannot be unlimited in respect of third party and it is limited only to the statutory liability. This view has been consistently taken in the other decisions of this Court.11. In Shanti Bais case (supra), a bench of three learned Judges of this Court, following the case of Jugal Kishore, has held that (i) a comprehensive policy which has been issued on the basis of the estimated value of the vehicle does not automatically result in covering the liability with regard to third party risk for an amount higher than the statutory limit, (ii) that even though it is not permissible to use a vehicle unless it is covered at least under an "Act only" policy, it is not obligatory for the owner of a vehicle to get it comprehensively insured and (iii) that the limit of liability with regard to third party risk does not become unlimited or higher than the statutory liability in the absence of specific agreement to make the insurers liability unlimited or higher than the statutory liability.12. On a careful reading and analysis of the decision in Amrit Lal Sood (supra), it is clear that the view taken by the Court is no different. In this decision also, the case of Jugal Kishore is referred to. It is held (i) that the liability of the insurer depends on the terms of the contract between the insured and the insurer contained in the policy; (ii) there is no prohibition for an insured from entering into a contract of insurance covering a risk wider than the minimum requirement of the statute whereby risk to the gratuitous passenger could also be covered; and (iii) in such cases where the policy is not merely statutory policy, the terms of the policy have to be considered to determine the liability of the insurer. Hence, the Court after noticing the relevant clauses in the policy, on facts found that under Section II-1(a) of the policy, the insurer has agreed to indemnify the insured against all sums which the insured shall become legally liable to pay in respect of death of or bodily injury to "any person". The expression "any person" would undoubtedly include an occupant of the car who is gratuitously travelling in it. Further, referring to the case of Pushpabai Purshottam Udeshi (supra), it was observed that the said decision was based upon the relevant clause in the insurance policy in that case which restricted the legal liability of the insurer to the statutory requirement under Section 95 of the Act. As such, that decision had no bearing on Amrit Lal Soods case as the terms of the policy were wide enough to cover a gratuitous occupant of the vehicle.Thus, it is clear that the specific clause in the policy being wider, covering higher risk, made all the difference in Amrit Lal Soods case as to unlimited or higher liability. The Court decided that case in the light of the specific clause contained in the policy. The said decision cannot be read as laying down that even though the liability of the insurance company is limited to the statutory requirement, an unlimited or higher liability can be imposed on it. The liability could be statutory or contractual. A statutory liability cannot be more than what is required under the statute itself. However, there is nothing in Section 95 of the Act prohibiting the parties from contracting to create unlimited or higher liability to cover wider risk. In such an event, the insurer is bound by the terms of the contract as specified in the policy in regard to unlimited or higher liability as the case may be. In the absence of such a term or clause in the policy, pursuant to the contract of insurance, a limited statutory liability cannot be expanded to make it unlimited or higher. If it is so done, it amounts to re-writing the statute or the contract of insurance which is not permissible.In the light of what is stated above, we do not find any conflict on the question raised in the order of reference between the decisions of two benches of three learned Judges in Shanti Bai and Amrit Lal Sood aforementioned and, on the other hand, there is consistency on the point that in case of an insurance policy not taking any higher liability by accepting a higher premium, the liability of the insurance company is neither unlimited nor higher than the statutory liability fixed under Section 95(2) of the Act. In Amrit Lal Soods case, the decision in Shanti Bai is not noticed. However, both these decisions refer to the case of Jugal Kishore and no contrary view is expressed.In the premise, we hold that the view expressed by the bench of three learned Judges in the case of Shanti Bai is correct and answer the question set out in the order of reference in the beginning as under:-In the case of insurance company not taking any higher liability by accepting a higher premium for payment of compensation to a third party, the insurer would be liable to the extent limited under Section 95(2) of the Act and would not be liable to pay the entire amount.