National Insurance assessing loss in AMRI fire

Kolkata, April 19 (IANS) Public sector National Insurance Company (NIC) Thursday said it is in the process of inspecting and assessing the claim for the damage caused due to a massive fire at AMRI Hospital that claimed 94 lives last December.

"Our representatives have been allowed entry (into the hospital premises) very recently...probably couple of weeks ago. Now they are in the process of inspecting and assessing the loss," NIC chairman and managing director N.S.R. Chandraprasad said during an interactive session organised by the MCC Chamber of Commerce and Industry here.

"We are in the process of assessing the claim. So it may take little time (for claim settlement)," Chandraprasad said.

The Dec 9 pre-dawn blaze in the hospital, located in south Kolkata's Dhakuria, choked to death mostly critically ill patients - many of them in their sleep - and two nurses. Most doctors and other staffers were able to escape.

The hospital had been sealed immediately after the incident.

AMRI Hospitals is jointly promoted by Emami Group and Shrachi Group.

The fire incident would not hinder renewal of the AMRI contract for the present financial year, said Chandraprasad.

He said NIC has further strengthened its system of risk evaluation after the incident.

The company will take up risk assessment in all contracts with fire and engineering cover worth over Rs.50 crore. Earlier, the insurer had ordered assessment of properties worth over Rs.100 crore.

On the company's business, Chandraprasad said it was eyeing to clock Rs.100 billion total premium in one and half years.

"Rs.9,500 crore (Rs 95 billion) is our total premium target for the current financial year," he said.

The company had a total premium collection of Rs.78 billion in 2011-12.