GIO General Limited v Wallace [2001] NSWCA 299

Reported Decision : (2001) 11 ANZ Ins Cas 61-506 [2001] ACL Rep 235 NSW 13

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : GIO General Limited v Wallace [2001] NSWCA 299 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40090/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 31 August 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 23 October 2001

PARTIES : GIO General Limited (Appellant) Lawrence Aston Wallace (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Priestley JA at 1; Heydon JA at 2; Hodgson JA at 71

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC 2847/98 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT P R Bell DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Mr J G Duncan (Appellant) Mr G T Johnson (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Abbott Tout (Appellant) Brian Muir & Company (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : Contracts - Insurance Law - Insurance contracts - Insured's duty of disclosure - Scope of duty - Whether duty breached - Insurer's duty to inform insured about duty of disclosure - Whether duty breached - Where residential premises insured - Where business use of premises increased - Where insured received threats and minor property damage - Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth), ss 11, 21, 22 and 28- ND LEGISLATION CITED : Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) Commercial Union Assurance Co of Australia Ltd v Beard (1999) 47 NSWLR 735 Delphin v Lumley General Insurance Ltd (1989) 5 ANZ Insurance Cases 60-941 CASES CITED: Permanent Trustee Australia Ltd v FAI General Insurance Co Ltd (1998) 153 ALR 529 Permanent Trustee Australia Co Ltd v FAI General Insurance Co Ltd (2001) 50 NSWLR 679 Suncorp General Insurance Ltd v Cheihk (1999) 10 ANZ Insurance Cases 61-442 DECISION : See paragraph 70