Australian Prestressing Services Pty Ltd v Vero Insurance Ltd [2012] NSWDC 239

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Australian Prestressing Services Pty Ltd v Vero Insurance Ltd [2012] NSWDC 239 Hearing dates: 1-3 August 2011; 5-6 October 2011 Decision date: 09 March 2012 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the first plaintiff (Australian Prestressing Services Pty Ltd). (2) The parties are to bring in short minutes of order reflecting the agreed quantum of the sums claimed in accordance with the itemised amounts set out at paragraphs 160-165 of this judgment, together with interest if mathematically agreed. (3) Liberty to restore in relation to interest. (4) First defendant to pay plaintiffs' costs. (5) Liberty to restore in relation to costs. (6) Exhibits retained for 28 days. Catchwords: INSURANCE - construction of policy of insurance - whether policy covered emergency work carried out to prevent collapse of a coffer dam, following extensive rain and flooding - whether pumping out the flood and storm water fell within the "dewatering" exclusion in the policy Legislation Cited: Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), Part 31 r 31.23 Cases Cited: Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) v Rich (2005) 190 FLR 242; (2005) 53 ACSR 110; (2005) 23 ACLC 430; [2005] NSWSC 149 Autodesk Inc v Dyason (No 2) (1993) 176 CLR 300 Blacktown Workers' Club Ltd v O'Shannessy (2011) 183 LGERA 184; [2011] NSWCA 265 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority (NSW) (1982) 149 CLR 337 Darlington Futures Limited v Delco Australia Pty Limited (1986) 161 CLR 500 Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar (2011) 9 DDCR 25; (2011) 243 CLR 588; (2011) 277 ALR 611; (2011) 85 ALJR 694; [2011] HCA 21 Dyson (trading as Pharmacy Plus Tumut) v Pharmacy Board of New South Wales (2000) 50 NSWLR 523 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd (2009) 76 NSWLR 603; (2009) 264 ALR 15; [2009] NSWCA 407 Gagner Pty Ltd t/as Indochine Cafe v Canturi Corp Pty Ltd (2009) 262 ALR 691; (2009) 236 FLR 401; (2009) 77 ATR 157; [2009] NSWCA 413 Guardian Assurance Co Ltd v Underwood Constructions Pty Ltd (1974) 48 ALJR 307 Hide and Skin Trading Pty Limited v Oceanic Meat Traders Limited (1990) 20 NSWLR 310 Ingham v ACN 000 333 844 Limited [2006] NSWCA 63 Jae Kyung Lee v Bob Chae-Sang Cha [2008] NSWCA 13 Johnson v American Home Assurance Ltd (1998) 192 CLR 266 Jones and Harbour Radio Pty Limited v Trad (No 2) (Eod) [2011] NSWADTAP 62 Legal and General Insurance Australia Limited v Eather (1986) 6 SNWLR 390 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705; (2001) 25 NSWCCR 218 Mandla v Lee [1982] UKHL 7 McCann v Switzerland Insurance Australia Ltd (2000) 203 CLR 579; (2000) 176 ALR 711; (2000) 75 ALJR 325; (2000) 21(20) Leg Rep 24; (2001) 11 ANZ Ins Cas 61-479; [2000] HCA 65 MGICA Limited v United City Merchants (Australia) Limited (1986) 4 ANZ Ins Cas 60 729 Mining Technologies Australia Pty Ltd, Re [1999] 1 Qd R 60; (1997) 10 ANZ Ins Cas 61-389 MLC Limited v O'Neill [2001] NSWCA 161 Prenn v Simmonds [1971] 1 WLR 1381 Provincial Insurance Australia Limited v Consolidated Wood Products Limited (1991) 25 NSWLR 541 R v WR (No 3) [2010] ACTSC 89 Re Mining Technologies (Aust) Pty Ltd (Queensland Supreme Court, White J, 28 November 1996, unreported) Rouleston Clarke Pty Ltd (In Liq) v FAI General Insurance Co Limited (2000) 11 ANZ Ins Cas 61-473 Taylor Woodrow International Ltd v Minister of Health (1978) 19 SASR 1 The Movie Network Channels Pty Ltd v Optus Vision Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 157 Todorovic v Moussa (2001) 53 NSWLR 463; [2001] NSWCA 419 Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd (2004) 219 CLR 165; (2004) 211 ALR 342; (2004) 79 ALJR 129; (2005) Aust Contract R 90-204; [2004] HCA 52 Traxys Europe SA v Balaji Coke Industry Pty Ltd [2011] FCA 1132 Western Export Services Inc v Jireh International Pty Ltd [2011] HCA 45 Wilkie v Gordian Runoff Ltd (2005) 221 CLR 522; (2005) 214 ALR 410; (2005) 79 ALJR 872; (2005) 13 ANZ Ins Cas 61-641; [2005] HCA 17 Texts Cited: Dorter & Sharkey, Building and Construction Contracts in Australia (2nd ed) N B Rao, "The Interpretation of Lesser Words in Insurance Contracts: A Matter of Contextual Commonsense?" (2011) 22 ILJ 26 Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure NSW (LexisNexis) Category: Principal judgment Parties: First Plaintiff: Australian Prestressing Services Pty Ltd (ACN 082 408 124) Second Plaintiff: Bedi Enterprises Pty Ltd (ACN 003 295 994) First Defendant: Vero Insurance Ltd previously known as Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Australia Ltd (ACN 005 297 807) Second Defendant: Marsh Pty Ltd (ACN 004 651 512) Representation: Plaintiffs: Mr M Gracie Defendant: Mr A Martin SC Plaintiffs: Balmain Lawyers Defendants: McMahons Lawyers File Number(s): 2009/334000 Publication restriction: None