Delhi HC Acknowledges Compensation Cannot Replace a Homemaker’s Love and Care, Orders Insurance Firm to Pay Rs 15.95 Lakh to Family
The Delhi High Court, while hearing a petition filed by an insurance firm challenging an order from the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT), emphasized that no amount of compensation can fully compensate for the love, care, and warmth provided by a homemaker to her family. Justice Gaurang Kanth stated that it is difficult to accurately quantify the monetary value of the services a homemaker provides to her family.
The insurance firm argued that without proof of income and education, the notional income of a homemaker cannot be computed based on the Minimum Wages Act. It also contested that the MACT incorrectly calculated the notional income and did not consider personal expenses while determining “loss of dependency.”
Justice Kanth rejected the insurance company’s arguments and upheld the MACT’s order, which directed the firm to pay Rs 15.95 lakh to the bereaved family. He highlighted that while monetary compensation may provide a financial cushion to the family, it can never replace the love, care, and warmth offered by a mother or wife to her loved ones.
The court recognized the various roles a housewife plays in her family as a wife, mother, daughter, daughter-in-law, and more, which cannot be precisely quantified in monetary terms. Despite the complexity of determining compensation, the court upheld the importance of considering the multifaceted and selfless services provided by a homemaker when calculating awards in such cases.
