Shuetrim v FSS Trustee Corporation [2015] NSWSC 464

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Shuetrim v FSS Trustee Corporation [2015] NSWSC 464 Hearing dates: 9-11 and 13 March 2015 Decision date: 24 April 2015 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Stevenson J Decision: Plaintiff entitled to total and permanent disability benefits Catchwords: CONTRACTS; INSURANCE; SUPERANNUATION – disability under superannuation scheme funded by group insurance policies – total and permanent disability definition dependent on opinion of insurer – insurers' duty of good faith and fair dealing – whether such duty breached by failure of insurers to make decision until shortly before trial or by the decisions themselves – whether plaintiff totally and permanently disabled within meaning of the definitions in the policies Legislation Cited: First State Superannuation Act 1992 (NSW) Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) Cases Cited: Alcoa of Australia Retirement Plan Pty Ltd v Frost [2012] VSCA 238 Auspine Staff Superannuation Pty Ltd v Henderson [2006] FCA 1281 Baker v Local Government Superannuation Scheme Pty Ltd [2007] NSWSC 1173 Bannister v National Mutual Life Association of Australia Ltd and State Fire Commission (Supreme Court of Tasmania, Zeeman J, 9 October 1990, unrep) Banovic v United Super Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 1470 Birdsall v Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 104 Cavill Power Products Pty Ltd v Royle (1991) 42 IR 229 Chammas v Harwood Nominees (1993) 7 ANZ Ins Cas 61-175 Chapman v United Super Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 592 Constantinides v Du Pont Superannuation Fund Pty Ltd [2002] FCA 534 Dolton v State Authorities Superannuation Board [1995] NSWIRC 159 Edwards v The Hunter Valley Co-op Dairy Co Ltd (1992) 7 ANZ Ins Cas 61-113 Erzurumlu v Kellogg Superannuation Pty Ltd [2013] NSWSC 1115 Fernance v Wreckair Pty Ltd (No 2) (1992) 43 IR 300 Folan v United Super Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 343 Gedeon v First State Super Trustee Corporation [2005] NSWIRComm 62 Giles v National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Ltd (1986) 4 ANZ Ins Cas 60-751 Halloran v Harwood Nominees Pty Ltd [2007] NSWSC 913 Hannover Life Re of Australasia Ltd v Dargan [2013] NSWCA 57 Hannover Life Re of Australasia Ltd v Sayseng [2005] NSWCA 214; 13 ANZ Ins Cas 90-213 Hearne v Street [2008] HCA 36; 235 CLR 125 Lazarevic v United Super Pty Ltd [2014] NSWSC 96 Maciejewski v Telstra Super Pty Ltd [1999] NSWSC 341 McArthur v Mercantile Mutual Life Insurance Company Ltd [2001] QCA 317; [2002] 2 QdR 197 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang [1996] HCA 6; 185 CLR 259 Nile v Club Plus Superannuation Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 55 Purkess v Crittenden [1965] HCA 34; 114 CLR 164 Riley v National Mutual Life Association [1986] 4 ANZ Ins Cas 60-684 Sayseng v Kellogg Superannuation Pty Ltd [2003] NSWSC 945 Sayseng v Kellogg Superannuation Pty Ltd [2007] NSWSC 583 Tonkin v Western Mining Corporation Ltd [1998] WASCA 101 Vidovic v Email Superannuation Pty Ltd (Supreme Court (New South Wales), Bryson J, 23 February 1995, unrep) Weber v Tiss Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 67 White v Board of Trustees [1997] 2 Qd R 659 Wyllie v National Mutual Life Association of Australasia [1997] 217 ALR 324 Texts Cited: Phipson on Evidence (10th ed 1963, Sweet and Maxwell) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Benjamin Shuetrim (Plaintiff) FSS Trustee Corporation (First Defendant) MetLife Insurance Ltd (Second Defendant) TAL Life Ltd (Third Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M J Bleasel with A Coombes (Plaintiff) J G Duncan (Second Defendant) C Hanson (Third Defendant)