NSW Caselaw
Reported Decision : (2002) 12 ANZ Insurance Cases 61-543
New South Wales Court of Appeal
CITATION : Independent Timber Importers v Mercantile Mutual Insurance [2002] NSWCA 304 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40942/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 04/09/02 JUDGMENT DATE : 24 September 2002
PARTIES : Independent Timber Importers (Aust) Pty Ltd (ACN 003 282 755) (Appellant) Mercantile Mutual Insurance (Australia Limited (ACN 00 456 799) (Respondent) JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA; Giles JA; Gzell J
LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT DC 181/99 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Delaney DCJ JUDICIAL OFFICER :
COUNSEL : G Curtain (Appellant) A D M Hewitt SC (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Phillips Fox (Appellant) Curwood & Partners (Respondent) CATCHWORDS : INTERPRETATION - General Rules of Construction of Instruments - Insurance Policy - Extension of cover to subsidiary companies - Companies owned or controlled by an individual not included - Extrinsic evidence non-supportive of contract of insurance with company owned by insured - Subsequent conduct inadmissible to resolve ambiguity - Contra proferentem rule inapplicable - EVIDENCE - Failure to call witness - Jones v Dunkel inference does not arise in absence of evidence requiring an answer - Discretion whether to draw inference - Inappropriate when matter not put to opposing witnesses LEGISLATION CITED : Corporations Act 2001 Sportsvision Australia Pty Ltd v Tallglen Pty Ltd (1998) 44 NSWLR 103 MGICA Limited v United City Merchants (Australia) Ltd (1986) 4 ANZ Insurance Cases par 60-727 at 74,350 H Magill v National Australia Bank Ltd [2001] NSWCA 221 at par 51 CASES CITED: Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Schellenberg v Tunnel Holdings Pty Ltd (2000) 200 CLR 121 at 141-143 Commercial Union Assurance Co of Australia Ltd v Ferrcom Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 389 Cafe v Australian Portland Cement Pty Ltd (1965) 83 WN (Pt 1) (NSW) 280 at 286-287 Austcan Investments Pty Ltd v Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd (1991-1992) 57 SASR 343 DECISION : Appeal dismissed with costs
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