Voitenko t/as Access Party Hire v Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd [2021] NSWSC 1441

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Voitenko t/as Access Party Hire v Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd [2021] NSWSC 1441 Hearing dates: 16-21, 24-26 November and 10 December 2020 Decision date: 09 November 2021 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Walton J Decision: The Court directs that Zurich should file and serve short minutes of order reflecting this judgment within 21 days of the judgment. Catchwords: CONTRACT OF INSURANCE – co-insured parties – insurance claim – part payment of claim – statement of claim – claim for damages – breach of contract – circumstantial evidence – two elements of defence of fraud – s 56 Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (NSW) – Fraud in the Claim – value of the stock and equipment claimed significantly and deliberately exaggerated – Arson – fire deliberately lit – means of entry – no alarm or security cameras – use of accelerants – opportunity – attendance at the warehouse – motive – financial difficulty – debts – Proof of Loss – double counting and inflation of claim – duty of good faith – cross-claim – further amended statement of claim failed – amended statement of cross claim succeeded – orders made Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) Cases Cited: Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Cook v Sirius International Insurance Corporation Australian Branch [2020] NSWSC 1631 Entwells Pty Ltd v National and General Insurance Co Ltd (Unreported, Supreme Court of Western Australia, 19 July 1991) Naomi Marble & Granite Pty Ltd v FAI General Insurance Company Ltd (1999) 1 Qd R 507 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 67 ALJR 170; [1992] HCA 66 Palmer v Dolman [2005] NSWCA 361 Ricciardi v Suncorp Metway Insurance Ltd [2001] QCA 190 Sharma v Insurance Australia Ltd (t/as NRMA Insurance) [2017] NSWCA 307 Voitenko v Zurich Australian Insurance Limited [2019] NSWSC 680 Voitenko t/as Access Party Hire v Zurich Australian Insurance Limited [2016] NSWSC 324 Tiep Thi v Australian Associated Motor Insurances Ltd [2001] VSCA 48; (2001) 3 VR 279 Walton v Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd (2004) 13 ANZ Ins Cas 61-620; [2004] NSWSC 616 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Andrei Voitenko t/as Access Party Hire (First Plaintiff) Irena Voytenko t/as Russtyle Productions (Second Plaintiff) Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: J Sexton SC, with S J Walsh (Defendant)