Commonwealth Steel Company Limited v BHP Billiton Marine & General Insurance Limited [2018] NSWCA 242

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Commonwealth Steel Company Limited v BHP Billiton Marine & General Insurance Limited [2018] NSWCA 242 Hearing dates: 5 June 2018 Decision date: 25 October 2018 Before: Beazley ACJ at [1]; Meagher JA at [2]; White JA at [9] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: INSURANCE – Construction of policy – Whether deductible or limit should be indexed in accordance with Primary Limit Stability Clause – where deductible if indexed would exceed amount claimed under policy – Consideration of extrinsic circumstances – Appeal dismissed Cases Cited: B & B Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Brian A Cheeseman & Associates Pty Ltd (1994) 35 NSWLR 227 Cherry v Steele-Park [2017] NSWCA 295 Codelfa Constructions Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of NSW (1982) 149 CLR 337 Commonwealth Steel Company Limited v BHP Billiton Marine & General Insurance Limited [2017] NSWSC 1445 Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7 Fightvision Pty Ltd v Onisforou (1999) 47 NSWLR 473; [1999] NSWCA 323 Macdonald v Longbottom (1857) 1 EL & EL 977; 120 ER 1177 Mount Bruce Mining Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 104; [2015] HCA 37 Partenreederei M/S Karen Oltmann v Scarsdale Shipping Co Ltd (The Karen Oltmann) [1976] 2 Lloyd's LR 708 Prenn v Simmonds [1971] 1 WLR 1381 Shore v Wilson (1842) 9 Cl & Fin 355; 8 ER 450 Victoria v Tatts Group Ltd [2016] HCA 5; (2016) 90 ALJR 392 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Commonwealth Steel Company Limited (Appellant) BHP Billiton Marine & General Insurance Limited (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J C Kelly SC with S H Hartford-Davis (Appellant) D McLure SC with N Olson (Respondent)