Flanagan v Bernasconi [2022] NSWSC 381

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Flanagan v Bernasconi [2022] NSWSC 381 Hearing dates: 14 – 22 March 2022 Date of orders: 04 April 2022 Decision date: 04 April 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Schmidt AJ Decision: 1. Judgment entered for the defendants. 2. The parties are directed to confer and approach in the event that they wish to be heard on costs within 14 days. 3. The parties are to file final orders within 14 days, which will then be made. Catchwords: INSURANCE — Property insurance — Home and contents — Exclusions — events involving swimming pools excluded from coverage — swimming pool lifted causing damage to pool and pool enclosure — plaintiff not aware of lack of coverage under policy — failure to give necessary advice. NEGLIGENCE — duty of care — insurance broker — whether insurance broker failed to advise of exclusion regarding events involving swimming pools — whether insurance broker breached common law duty and statutory duty under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) — breach established. EVIDENCE — tendency evidence — affidavit evidence from former clients regarding service insurance broker provided — admissibility objection — whether the evidence had "significant probative value" — Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 97(1)(b) — admitted. EVIDENCE — credibility and reliability – authenticity of documents. CAUSATION — onus — liability — whether defect existed — whether reasonable precautions taken by insured. DAMAGES — assessment— whether too remote — actions of plaintiff — expert evidence. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D(1), 5D(3), 5E Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), ss 766A, 766B, 944A, 945A, 946A, 947C Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 97, 128 Motor Accidents Act 1988 (NSW) Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth), s 52 Cases Cited: CGU Insurance v Porthouse (2008) 235 CLR 103; [2008] HCA 30 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232; [1998] HCA 55 Fraser v BN Furman (Productions) Ltd [1967] 1 WLR 898 Hancock v East Coast Timber Products Pty Ltd (2011) 80 NSWLR 43; [2011] NSWCA 11 Horsell International Pty Ltd v Divetwo Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCA 368; 18 ANZ Insurance Cases 61-991 Hughes v The Queen (2017) 263 CLR 338; [2017] HCA 20 Hutchison Construction Services Pty Ltd v Fogg; Fogg v Les Quatre Musketeers Pty Ltd (t/as Plastamasta South Coast) [2016] NSWCA 135 IMM v The Queen (2016) 257 CLR 300; [2016] HCA 14 Legal & General Insurance Australia Ltd v Eather (1986) 6 NSWLR 390 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 638; [1990] HCA 20 McCann v Switzerland Insurance Australia Ltd (2000) 203 CLR 579; [2000] HCA 65 Murray v Sheldon Commercial Interiors Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 77 Placer (Granny Smith) Pty Ltd v Thiess Contractors Pty Ltd (2003) 77 ALJR 768; [2003] HCA 10 Prasad v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (1991) 101 ALR 109; (1991) 23 ALD 183 Sellars v Adelaide Petroleum NL; Poseidon Ltd v Adelaide Petroleum NL (1994) 179 CLR 332; [1994] HCA 4 Thiess Pty Ltd v Zurich Specialties London Ltd [2009] NSWCA 47 TL v R [2020] NSWCCA 265 Unity Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd v Rocco Pezzano Pty Ltd (1998) 192 CLR 603; [1998] HCA 38 Zurich Australian Insurance Limited v CSR Limited [2001] NSWCA 261 Zurich Specialities London Ltd v Thiess Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 1010 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sue Flanagan (Plaintiff) Robert John Bernasconi (First Defendant) Nadic Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd t/as Nadic (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: D Priestley SC (Plaintiff) M Elliott SC (First & Second Defendants) Solicitors: Mayweathers (Plaintiff) Hall & Willcox (First & Second Defendants) File Number(s): 2019/66093