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Law firm wins 30% contingency fee rate in IAG shareholder class action
The law firm behind a class action against Insurance Australia Group has secured a group costs order that will give it 30 per cent of any proceeds -- a contingency fee rate six percentage points higher than the median rate for shareholder cases.
ASIC wins appeal over funeral insurer’s ‘Aboriginal-owned’ representations
The Full Federal Court has found it was "abundantly clear" on the evidence before a trial judge that funeral expenses insurance provider ACBG misrepresented to Aboriginal customers that it was Aboriginal owned or managed, but found ASIC contributed to the error with its bad pleadings.
Judge orders soft class closure in ‘junk’ insurance class action
A judge has ordered soft class closure in a class action against Suncorp unit AAI over allegedly worthless insurance, saying that knowing how many of the 200,000 group members are likely to participate would assist in resolving the case.
Class action judge ‘very concerned’ that QBE told brokers they could ignore court request
A judge has railed against insurer QBE after it sent an email to brokers saying it could “in effect ignore” the court’s request that they notify clients about a class action on behalf of businesses that were denied business interruption coverage for COVID-19 related shutdowns. 
Suncorp’s AAI fights for class closure in insurance class action
Suncorp subsidiary AAI has asked a court to order soft class closure in a group proceeding over allegedly worthless insurance, saying it was “passing strange” that over 200,000 group members “don’t know they’re even group members” three years into the case. 
Judge approves 27.5% GCO in ‘complex’ Medibank class action
A judge has signed off on a 27.5 per cent group costs order in a consolidated shareholder class action against Medibank over a cyberattack that affected 10 million customers, noting the “significant risk” taken on by the two plaintiff law firms running the action. 
COVID-19 aged care class actions put on ice pending criminal trials
Still in the dark about insurance coverage and seeking to stem the flow of cash, two class actions against Heritage Care and St Basil’s over COVID-19 outbreaks have been shelved pending the outcome of criminal cases against the Victorian aged care providers, in a decision the judge said “wouldn't gladden the hearts of group members”. 
‘Disrespectful to the court’: Judge swipes at insurer for radio silence
The judge overseeing a suite of cases brought by holidaymakers who were seriously injured in a fatal bus collision in Vanuatu has hit out at QBE for ignoring queries about an insurance policy, as the defendants in the case scramble pass the buck for the crash. 
Russian citizen hit with first-ever cyber sanctions over Medibank breach
The federal government has used its cyber sanction powers for the first time against a Russian individual identified as responsible for an attack against private health insurer Medibank that exposed almost 10 million customer records.
Judge discontinues council class action against insurer JLT, won’t pause clock
A judge has discontinued a class action by Victorian councils against insurer JLT Risk Solutions, but has departed from the decisions of two other judges by ruling the suspension of the time limit for bringing the councils' claims will immediately be lifted.