Collings v Australian Associated Motor Insurers Limited (No 2) [2016] NSWDC 170

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Collings v Australian Associated Motor Insurers Limited (No 2) [2016] NSWDC 170 Hearing dates: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30 May; 1, 2, 3, 23, 24 and 27 (written submission) June 2016 Date of orders: 28 June 2016 Decision date: 28 June 2016 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: P Taylor SC DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiffs in the sum of $272,038.41. (2) Defendant to pay the plaintiffs' costs. (3) Stay entry of orders (1) and (2) for 2 weeks and, if notice within that time is given to my associate seeking to make further submissions, thereafter until the hearing of those submissions. Catchwords: INSURANCE - home and contents - indemnity denied - home destroyed by fire - allegation of fraud – damages Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995, s 64 Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth), s 56, s 57 Cases Cited: Alexander Raymond Walton v The Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited [2004] NSWSC 616 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Castellain v Preston (1883) 11 QBD 380; [1881-85] All ER 493 Kenwright v Insurance Australia Limited [2013] NSWDC 255 Leppard v Excess Insurance Co Ltd [1979] 2 All ER 668 Raso v NRMA Insurance t/as NRMA Home Insurance (New South Wales Court of Appeal, Mahoney, Priestley and Handley JJA, 14 December 1992, unreported) Reynolds v Phoenix Assurance Co Ltd [1978] 2 Lloyd's Rep 440 Roumeh Food Stores (NSW) Pty Ltd v New India Insurance Co Ltd [1972] 1 NSWLR 227 Spina v Mutual Acceptance (Insurance) Ltd (1984) 3 ANZ Ins Cas 60-554 Tiep Thi To v Australian Associated Motor Insurers [2001] VSCA 48 Texts Cited: Kelly and Ball Principles of Insurance Law (David St L Kelly & Michael L Ball, LexisNexis Australia) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Robert Collings (first plaintiff) Amanda Collings (second plaintiff) Australian Associated Motor Insurers Limited ACN 004 791 744 (defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr P M Barham (plaintiffs) Mr B J Burke (defendant)