New Delhi, July 3 — The Supreme Court has ruled that insurance companies are not liable to pay compensation in cases where the deceased was responsible for the accident due to rash and negligent driving.
A Bench comprising Justice PS Narasimha and Justice R Mahadevan on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking ₹80 lakh in compensation filed by the wife, son, and parents of NS Ravisha, who died in a self-caused car crash in 2014.
“We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment passed by the High Court. Hence, the Special Leave Petition is dismissed,” the Bench stated while refusing to overturn the Karnataka High Court’s November 23, 2024 decision.
The accident took place on June 18, 2014, when Ravisha was driving from Mallasandra village to Arasikere town. Also in the vehicle were his father, sister, and her children. According to the courts, Ravisha was speeding and violated traffic rules, ultimately losing control of the vehicle and causing the accident that led to his own death.
The Karnataka High Court had earlier ruled that since the deceased was a “self-tort-feasor” — someone who causes harm through their own wrongdoing — his legal heirs could not claim compensation for his death.
“The accident occurred due to the rash and negligent driving of the deceased himself. Allowing compensation in such a case would amount to a person who committed a breach getting rewarded for his own wrongs,” the High Court had observed.
With the Supreme Court now endorsing the High Court’s view, the ruling is likely to set a precedent in similar cases where insurance claims arise from accidents caused by the policyholder’s own negligence.
