Clark v Avant Insurance Ltd; Stevens v Avant Insurance Ltd [2022] NSWCA 175

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Clark v Avant Insurance Ltd; Stevens v Avant Insurance Ltd [2022] NSWCA 175 Hearing dates: 5 September 2022 Date of orders: 5, 7 September 2022 Decision date: 07 September 2022 Before: Meagher JA; Beech-Jones JA; Lonergan J Decision: In proceedings 2022/8808 and 2022/8818: (3) Order pursuant to s 14 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) that the requirement in UCPR r 51.4(1) that Leslie Blackstock must be joined as a party to the present leave applications and proposed appeal proceedings be dispensed with. Catchwords: PROCEDURE – applications for leave to appeal – where plaintiffs claimed damages from defendant doctor for medical negligence – where plaintiffs sought leave to proceed against defendant's insurer under Civil Liability (Third Party Claims Against Insurers) Act 2017 (NSW) s 5(1) – where primary judge found plaintiffs' claims "first made" before commencement of relevant policy period – whether primary judge erred in refusing leave on basis that no arguable case that policy responded to plaintiffs' claims Legislation Cited: Civil Liability (Third Party Claims Against Insurers) Act 2017 (NSW), ss 4, 5 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 14, 56, 57, 58 District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 127(2)(a) Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth), s 54 Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1946 (NSW), s 6(4) Medical Indemnity (Prudential Supervision and Product Standards) Act 2003 (Cth), ss 26A(1), 26A(4), 26D(1) Medical Indemnity Act 2002 (Cth), Pt 2 Div 2B Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 51.4, 51.8, 51.10(1)(a) Cases Cited: Avant Insurance Ltd v Burnie [2021] NSWCA 272 FAI General Insurance Co Ltd v Australian Hospital Care Pty Ltd (2001) 204 CLR 641; [2001] HCA 38 Gosford City Council v GIO General Ltd (2003) 56 NSWLR 542; [2003] NSWCA 34 Guild Insurance Ltd v Hepburn [2014] NSWCA 400 HIH Casualty & General Insurance v Pade [2000] NSWCA 325 John Alexander's Clubs Pty Ltd v White City Tennis Club Ltd (2010) 241 CLR 1; [2010] HCA 19 Murphy, McCarthy & Associates Pty Limited v Zurich Australian Insurance Limited [2018] NSWSC 627 News Ltd v Australian Rugby Football League Ltd (1996) 64 FCR 410 Prepaid Services Pty Ltd v Atradius Credit Insurance NV [2013] NSWCA 252; (2013) 302 ALR 732 Ross v Lane Cove Council (2014) 86 NSWLR 34; [2014] NSWCA 50 Tomko v Palasty (No 2) (2007) 71 NSWLR 61; [2007] NSWCA 369 Walton v National Employers' Mutual General Insurance Association Limited [1973] 2 NSWLR 73 Wayland v Bird [2017] NSWCA 26 Wilkie v Gordian Runoff Ltd (2005) 221 CLR 522; [2005] HCA 17 Zurich Insurance PLC v Koper [2022] NSWCA 128 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Rachael Clark (Applicant, proceeding 2022/8808) Linda Stevens (Applicant, proceeding 2022/8818) Avant Insurance Limited (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: