Stuart Donaldson

A judge has granted Hassall Developments' bid to join insurance broker Arthur J. Gallagher to a lawsuit against QBE over an $80 million special risks policy after “serious defects” were allegedly found in its Imperial Towers development in Parramatta. 

Insurer Liberty is not on the hook for costs incurred by Seymour Whyte Construction for dealing with asbestos-contaminated soil, but is liable to cover legal fees for advice sought by the company.

A judge has slammed a Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer partner's submission that it is not good practice to subpoena witnesses in complex litigation -- saying this was "news to [her]" -- and rejected client AMP's bid to have a key witness testify from an Airbnb.

Four proceedings over COVID-19 business interruption losses will be stripped of class action status, with a judge saying most of the common issues were already determined in test cases.

Insurers have won a challenge to a declaration that engineering firm CIMIC could make claims under policies for costs arising from corruption cases, including a $32 million class action settlement.

Four insurers have argued that class actions over alleged business interruption losses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic should be de-classed, with one insurer saying group members cannot “go behind” a Full Court decision denying coverage for certain policyholders.

A judge has raised concerns about bids to declass group proceedings over alleged business interruption losses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the thousands of policyholders who registered for the class actions might reap more from the cases than making claims directly with their insurers.

A judge has refused a bid by four major insurers to obtain the names of small businesses that register to join COVID-19 business interruption class actions, saying he did not want the companies contacting group members. 

A judge considering bids to de-class COVID-19 business interruption class actions has said group members can sign up for the representative proceedings but later decide to make claims directly with their insurers.

A judge overseeing four COVID-19 business interruption class actions has questioned a decision by insurers to use ten test cases to resolve the issue of whether they had to indemnify policyholders instead of a class action, which would have been binding.