Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Yu [2024] NSWSC 31

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Allianz Australia Insurance Limited v Yu [2024] NSWSC 31 Hearing dates: 13 February 2023 – 17 February 2023 01 March 2023 07 March 2023 Date of orders: 02 February 2024 Decision date: 02 February 2024 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Weinstein J Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff in the amount of $670,000.

(2) I allow interest in a sum to be calculated by the parties. A schedule of interest is to be provided to my chambers within 7 days of the date of this judgment.

(3) The defendant is to pay the plaintiff's costs on the ordinary basis.

(4) If any other costs order is cavilled for, the parties are to contact my Associate within 7 days so that the matter can be listed for argument. Catchwords: INSURANCE – motor vehicle – fraud – s 118 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 TORTS – miscellaneous torts – deceit – state of mind of defendant – whether the defendant knowingly or recklessly made false representations to the plaintiff and others to obtain a benefit to the detriment of the plaintiff – whether the plaintiff was induced by the representations of the defendant STANDARD OF PROOF – civil standard – application of Briginshaw

EVIDENCE – tendency evidence – where credibility evidence cannot be used for tendency purposes – evidence properly adduced for credibility purposes DAMAGES – whether true value or settlement value theory applies – parties agree that value would be the same in either case – damages assessed Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 (NSW) Cases Cited: Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden [2002] NSWCA 419 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 at 362; [1938] HCA 34 Checchia v Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance (2013) 64 MVR 36; [2013] NSWSC 674 Checchia v Insurance Australia Ltd trading as NRMA Insurance [2009] NSWSC 1105 Communications, Electrical, Electronics, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2007) 162 FCR 466; (2007) 242 ALR 643; [2007] FCAFC 132 Edwards v State of NSW [2021] NSWSC 181 Elomar v R; Hasan v R; Cheikho v R; Cheikgo v R; Jamal v R (2014) 300 FLR 323; [2014] NSWCCA 303 Gipps v Gipps (1978) 1 NSWLR 454 Hayward v Zurich Insurance Company plc [2016] All ER (D) 138 (Jul); [2016] UKSC 48 Hayward v Zurich Insurance Company plc [2017] AC 142; [2016] UKSC 48 Helton v Allen (1940) 63 CLR 691; [1940] HCA 20 Hughes v R (2017) 263 CLR 338; [2017] HCA 20 Insurance Australia Ltd t/as NRMA Insurance v Checchia (2011) 80 NSWLR 1; [2011] NSWCA 101 Jinhong Design and Constructions Pty Limited v Xu and Anor [2010] NSWSC 523 Magill v Magill (2006) 226 CLR 551; [2006] HCA 51 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 110 ALR 449; (1992) 67 ALJR 170; [1992] HCA 66 Qantas Airways Ltd v Gama (2008) 167 FCR 537; [2008] FCAFC 69 Rejfek v McElroy (1965) 112 CLR 517; [1965] HCA 46 State Rail Authority of New South Wales v Earthline Constructions Pty Limited (in liq) (1999) 160 ALR 688; [1999] HCA 3 Xu v Jinhong Design Constructions Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 277 Texts Cited: David Rolph et al, Balkin & Davis Law of Torts (LexisNexis, 6th ed, 2021) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Allianz Australia Insurance Limited (Plaintiff) Soo Yeon Yu (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr J Catsanos SC and Mr B Necovski (Plaintiff) Mr AN Williams (Defendant)