Do you know Insurance cover of your LPG Cylinder?

Only few know the fact that there is an insurance coverage on your LPG Cylinder. This is default once you being the customer of company. No need to pay anything from your pocket for such cover. But very rarely discussed or publicized even by Gas Companies 🙂

Do you know LPG Cylinder have expiry date too?

Yes…many of you might not aware of your cylinder expiry date or next statutory date when your cylinder must be sent from Cylinder Company for testing. The next testing schedule of cylinder is mentioned on each cylinder. This code is printed on one of three vertical stay plates of cylinder. It is coded as below.

A-Stands for first quarter of year i.e. January to March

B-Stands for second quarter of year i.e April to June

C-Stands for third quarter of year i.e July to September

D-Stands for fourth and final quarter of year i.e October to December.

Next to this code you will find two digit year. For example for year 2014 they mention it as 14. So B14 stands that next statutory testing of cylinder scheduled for June 2014.

In rare cases this also may cause of accident when you receive such expired cylinder. But due to this lapse from gas distributor or company, your LPG cylinder might be at risk of leakages. Hence do aware about this and check whenever you get new cylinder.

Remember-Onus to check such expiry cylinder rests with customers. You have right to reject such expired cylinders.

How much is the insurance coverage and what it covers?

When I contacted Indian Oil Distributor for getting information on the same, they informed me that cover is for Rs.10,00,000. But when I further go in depth like what it covers, then they don’t have any answer. Even in Indian Oil Citizen Charter information, they have not declared the amount of cover. But news items like Deccan Chronicle claims that it for Rs.40,00,000. This cover is for loss of life and damage to property. Apart from such insurance cover from gas companies, distributors also have third party liability insurance to cover losses in the event of LPG accident.

Due to this lack of information and publicity both from insurance companies or from organisations involved in Gas Companies, only few come to know and claim for such insurance. But in my view it is not the fault of insurance companies as they are not obliged to give you information about the cover they offer to all public. But it must be a duty of all agencies and companies to spread this awareness and save many from financial breakdown.

How to proceed for claiming this?

• Inform your distributor in writing about the accident immediately.
• Distributor have obliged right to help you in this process. So you have every right to get such service from this and they can’t run away from this.
• Distributor in turn will inform to companies and companies to Insurance companies.

Hope above information will be helpful for you in dealing with any such dangerous accidents.

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