Ahmedabad: In the aftermath of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed around 270 lives, insurance companies are struggling to process claims, as in several instances, both the policyholder and their nominee have died.

The June 12 crash of the London-bound flight resulted in the deaths of 241 people on board and 29 on the ground, with some families losing all members or both the insured and their nominee. Following the incident, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) emphasized that claims for confirmed victims from the passenger list and those affected on the ground should not be delayed or denied due to procedural requirements.

In response, major insurance providers such as LIC, New India Assurance, HDFC Life, Iffco Tokio, Bajaj Allianz, and Tata AIG have set up help desks at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to streamline the claim process. These companies are comparing official records with their databases and proactively reaching out to families. However, in many cases, the death of both the insured and the nominee has created complications for the insurers.

An LIC officer told a news agency that the company has received 10 claims so far. In one case, both the insured and their nominated spouse died. A similar situation was reported by an Iffco Tokio officer, where a company director and his wife (also the nominee) were among the victims. Tata AIG’s Nischal Buch mentioned that they have received seven claims, including one where both the insured and nominee were deceased.

Insurers noted that such dual-death cases pose legal complexities. Typically, a succession certificate is required, but LIC is making exceptions. If both the insured and the nominee are deceased, the company seeks class-one heirs (such as children) and requires a declaration and an indemnity bond for claim processing. Tata AIG is also exploring the option of accepting joint declarations from heirs. DeshGujarat