QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd v CGU Workers Compensation (NSW) Ltd [2012] NSWSC 377

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd v CGU Workers Compensation (NSW) Ltd [2012] NSWSC 377 Hearing dates: 20, 21 and 22 March 2012 Decision date: 20 April 2012 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Beech-Jones J Decision: 1. Stand over the proceedings to 9 May 2012 at 9.30am before Beech-Jones J; 2. Direct the Plaintiff and the Defendant confer as to the appropriate form of orders to reflect this judgment (including as to costs); 3. Direct the Plaintiff and the Defendant to, on or before 4 May 2012, file and serve either an form of order that it is agreed reflects this judgment or, failing agreement, their own forms of order reflecting this judgment (including as to costs); 4. There be liberty to apply. Catchwords: INSURANCE - double insurance - contribution - whether sufficient to only show reasonable compromise - whether common insured an "owner" of vehicle - whether "injury" established - whether compromise reasonable so as to entitle Plaintiff to contribution - recoupment. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Evidence Act 1995 Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 Workers Compensation Act 1987 Cases Cited: Albion Insurance Co Ltd v Government Insurance Office of New South Wales (1969) 121 CLR 342 Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v GSF Australia Pty Ltd & Anor [2005] HCA 26; (2005) 221 CLR 568 AJW & 2 Ors v State of New South Wales [2003] NSWSC 803 AMP Workers Compensation Services (NSW) Ltd v QBE Insurance Ltd [2001] NSWCA 267; (2001) 53 NSWLR 35 Distillers Co Bio Chemicals (Aust) Pty Ltd v Ajax Insurance Co Ltd (1974) 130 CLR 1 Edwards v Insurance Office of Australia Ltd (1933) 34 SR (NSW) 88) Enterprise Oil Ltd v Strand Insurance Co Ltd [2007] Lloyd's Rep IR 186 Friend v Brooker [2009] HCA 21; (2009) 239 CLR 129 Harmer v Hare [2011] NSWCA 229 Havas v Standard Knitting Mills Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 295; (2001) 52 NSWLR 293 Limit (No 3) Ltd v ACE Insurance Ltd [2009] NSWSC 514 Lumbermen's Mutual Casualty Co v Bovis Lend Lease Ltd [2005] Lloyd's Rep IR 74 McDonnell Information Systems Ltd v Swinbank & Ors [1999] Lloyd's Rep IR 98 Minister for Environmental Planning v San Sebastian [1983] 2 NSWLR 268 Nye v New South Wales & Ors [2002] NSWSC 1268; (2002) 134 A Crim R 245 Piening v Wanless [1968] HCA 7; (1968) 117 CLR 498 R v Rondo [2001] NSWCCA 540; (2001) 126 A Crim R 562 Thomas v State of New South Wales [2008] NSWCA 316; (2008) 74 NSWLR 34 Zotti v Australian Associated Motor Insurers Ltd [2009] NSWCA 323 Zurich Australia Insurance Ltd v CSR Ltd [2001] NSWCA 261; (2001) 52 NSWLR 193 Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd v GIO General Ltd [2011] NSWCA 47 Texts Cited: Goff and Jones, The Law of Restitution (6th ed), Sweet & Maxwell Category: Principal judgment Parties: QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd (Plaintiff) CGU Workers Compensation (NSW) Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr R A Cavanagh SC, Mr S E McCarthy (Plaintiff) Mr S G Campbell SC, Mr P N Khandhar (Defendant) Solicitors: Curwoods Lawyers (Plaintiff) TurksLegal (Defendant) File Number(s): 2010/140098