An insurance company in Biratnagar, Morang district has denied the pandemic insurance claims. The Ajod Insurance Ltd has been denying many insurance claims for almost a year.

Arjun Acharya, an inhabitant of Biratnagar of Morang district, had bought insurance coverage with the company, which is certified by the Insurance Board of Nepal on Baisakh of 2077 BS. He was infected with COVID-19 in Asoj month of the same year. And, he claimed his insurance benefits. However, he was denied.

Similar is the story of Binu Timsina. She works at Itahari but lives in Biratnagar. She was also infected with the COVID-19 in the same month. She also laid out her insurance claim but was denied too. There are dozens of such victims who have yet to receive their insured benefits.

”It has been almost ten months for me”, complained Acharya, ”There are other claimants also who are claiming for almost a year. They are also denied. We have been victims of the commercial insurance company.” Acharya said Kedar Bahadur Khatri was the branch manager of the insurance company when he had insured. However, these days, Khatri says he cannot pay their claims.

Nineteen such insurance victims including Arjun Acharya, Binu Timsina, Chuman Kumar Basnet, Rohit Kumar Luitel, Shashidhar Parajuli handed a joint memorandum to the company. They have given a seven-day-long ultimatum to the company which comes to an end on July 9. They have also drawn the attention of the District Administration Office of Morang, Federation of Nepali Journalists and Insurance Board of Nepal.

Though the ultimatum date nears, they have not received an optimistic response from the company as of July 6.

When contacted Kedar Bahadur Khatri, the manager of Ajod Insurance Company Biratnagar Branch, about his take on this issue, his mobile number rang unanswered.