Diamond World Jewellers Pty Ltd v Catlin Australia Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 1431

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Diamond World Jewellers Pty Ltd v Catlin Australia Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 1431 Hearing dates: 11 – 15 October 2021 Date of orders: 5 November 2021 Decision date: 05 November 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Schmidt AJ Decision: 1. Judgment entered for Diamond World. 2. The parties to confer and produce final orders. 3. If the parties wish to be heard on costs they should approach and file a short outline of submissions within 7 days. Catchwords: INSURANCE — Insurance Contract — jewellery shop owner claiming for stolen and damaged stock after robbery — construction — whether policy imposed obligation to keep proper records — what information insured was obliged to provide about claim — whether obligations breached INSURANCE —Bilateral duty of utmost good faith — whether duty breached — whether claim for stolen jewellery substantiated — whether claim for damaged jewellery substantiated — whether insurer breached contract — failure to pay for admitted loss — what loss was substantiated EVIDENCE — Credibility and reliability of witnesses and reliability of business records — consequences of failure to plead fraud — consequences of failure to call witnesses and tender documents Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 128 Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) ss 13(1), 56 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 14.14, 15.3 Cases Cited: 3WJ Pty Ltd & Anor v Kanj [2008] NSWCA 321 Banque Commerciale SA v Akhil Holdings Ltd 169 CLR 279; [1990] HCA 11 Edwards v Hunter Valley Co-op Dairy Co Ltd (1992) 7 ANZ Ins Cas 61-113 Forrest v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2012) 247 CLR 486; [2012] HCA 39 Hannover Life Re of Australasia Ltd v Sayseng (2005) 13 ANZ Ins Cas 90-123; [2005] NSWCA 214 Hannover Life Re of Australasia v Jones [2017] NSWCA 233 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 MetLife Insurance Limited v MX [2019] NSWCA 228 MetLife Insurance Ltd v Hellessey [2018] NSWCA 307 Nadinic v Drinkwater (2017) 94 NSWLR 518; [2017] NSWCA 114 Newling v FSS Trustee Corporation (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1405 Sgro v Australian Associated Motor Insurers Ltd [2015] NSWCA 262 TAL Life Ltd v Shuetrim (2016) 91 NSWLR 439; [2016] NSWCA 68 Wallaby Grip Limited v QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited 240 CLR 444; [2010] HCA 9 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Diamond World Jewellers (Plaintiff) Catlin Australia Pty Ltd – Quantum Underwriting Agencies Pty Ltd (First Defendant) Quantum Insurance Holdings Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr S Gray (Plaintiff) Mr G Watson SC (First & Second Defendants) Ms D Tang (First & Second Defendants) Solicitors: Pikes & Verekers Lawyers (Plaintiff) Lander & Rogers Lawyers (First & Second Defendants) File Number(s): 2019/374929