Australian Securities and Investments Commission v H C F Life Insurance Company Pty Limited [2024] FCA 1240

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Australian Securities and Investments Commission v H C F Life Insurance Company Pty Limited [2024] FCA 1240 File number: NSD 413 of 2023

Judgment of: JACKMAN J

Date of judgment: 28 October 2024

Catchwords: INSURANCE – where defendant a life insurer that offers products which contain exclusions in respect of pre-existing conditions – where defendant adopted a definition of pre-existing condition that excludes cover where a medical practitioner is of the opinion that signs or symptoms of the relevant condition existed before policy inception – whether contracts rendered partially unenforceable by s 47 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) – whether conduct liable to mislead the public as to the nature, characteristics or suitability of financial services – whether terms unfair

Legislation: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) ss 12BF, 12BG, 12DF Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) s 47

Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue [2009] HCA 41; (2009) 239 CLR 27 ASIC v Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd [2024] FCA 308 Asteron Life Ltd v Zeiderman [2004] NSWCA 47; (2004) 59 NSWLR 585 Australian Casualty and Life Ltd v Hall (1999) 151 FLR 360 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Ashley & Martin Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 1436 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Chrisco Hampers Australia Ltd [2015] FCA 1204; (2015) 239 FCR 33 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v CLA Trading Pty Ltd [2016] FCA 377 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2014] FCA 634; (2014) 317 ALR 73 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v JJ Richards & Sons Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 1224 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Master Wealth Control Pty Ltd [2024] FCA 344 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Meriton Property Services Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 1305; (2017) 350 ALR 494 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Servcorp Ltd [2018] FCA 1044 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Smart Corporation Pty Ltd [2021] FCA 347; (2021) 153 ACSR 347 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Valve Corp (No 3) [2016] FCA 196; (2016) 337 ALR 647 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Auto & General Insurance Company Limited [2024] FCA 272 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Westpac Banking Corporation (No 2) [2018] FCA 751; (2018) 266 FCR 147 Blinqld Finances Pty Ltd (in liq) v Binetter [2024] FCA 361 Comcare v Banerji [2019] HCA 23; (2019) 267 CLR 373 CGU Insurance Ltd v Porthouse [2008] HCA 30; (2008) 235 CLR 103 Cases cited: Edser v QSuper Board [2021] FCA 1437 Edwards v Hunter Valley Co-op Dairy Co Ltd (1992) 7 ANZ Ins Cas 61-113 Hannover Life Re of Australasia Ltd v Jones [2017] NSWCA 233 Harris v Repatriation Commission (2000) 62 ALD 161; (2000) 32 AAR 84; [2000] FCA 1687 Joel v Law Union and Crown Insurance Company [1980] 2 KB 863 Karpik v Carnival plc [2023] HCA 39; (2023) 98 ALJR 45 Mount Bruce Mining Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd [2015] HCA 37; (2015) 256 CLR 104 McCloy v New South Wales [2015] HCA 34; (2015) 257 CLR 178 Palmer v Western Australia [2021] HCA 5; (2021) 272 CLR 505 Rhone-Poulenc Agrochimie SA v UIM Chemical Services Pty Ltd (1986) 12 FCR 477 Self Care IP Holdings Pty Ltd v Allergan Australia Pty Ltd [2023] HCA 8; (2023) 408 ALR 195 Shahid v Australian College of Dermatologists (2008) 168 FCR 46 Stealth Enterprises Pty Ltd t/as Gentlemen's Club v Calliden Insurance Ltd [2017] NSWCA 71 Todd v Alterra at Lloyd's Limited [2016] FCAFC 15; (2016) 239 FCR 12 Trade Practices Commission v J & R Enterprises Pty Ltd (1991) 99 ALR 325 Valve Corporation v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2017] FCAFC 224; (2017) 258 FCR 190 Wilkie v Gordian Runoff Ltd [2005] HCA 17; (2005) 221 CLR 522 Australian Law Reform Commission, Insurance Contracts (Report No 20, 1982) Campbell, J C, "Unenforceable Exclusions in Travel Insurance" (2018) 29 Insurance Law Journal 71 Derrington, Desmond and Ronald Ashton, "What Have They Done to the Common Law? Disclosure and Misrepresentation" (1988) 1 Insurance Law Journal 1 Mann, P and S Drummond, Mann's Annotated Insurance Contracts Act (8th ed, Lawbook Co, 2022)