Brick by brick, the claim that funded class actions are the primary driver of rising directors’ liability insurance premiums is being dismantled. Even more precarious is the claim that the Commonwealth government’s continuous disclosure reforms are the answer and will result in enormous savings for Australian business, says Omni Bridgeway managing director and CEO Andrew Saker.
A judge has put off next month’s trial in one of two class actions brought by local councils against insurance JLT Risk Solutions over allegedly excessive premiums, but said the adjournment application would likely have failed if either side had put up a fight.
The Full Federal Court has found that Liberty Mutual Insurance, but not QBE, is required to cover Icon Construction’s losses stemming from the Opal Tower disaster, which has caused the builder $31 million in losses.
A judge has questioned the legal disbursements sought to be approved in a $30 million class action settlement against Westpac over allegedly excessive life insurance premiums, particularly the “extraordinarily large” barrister fees charged in the case.
A judge has allowed a key US-based witness in ASIC’s case against former Quintis director Frank Wilson who will not submit to 14 days in hotel quarantine to give evidence by video link.
Consolidation of two consumer class actions against Allianz would do away with competition in a contest to lead a single case that would force a drop in the contingency fee rates of the rival law firms, the insurance giant has told a court.
ASIC is seeking $1.5 million in penalties against insurers Allianz and AWP after they admitted to misleading or deceiving the public by selling travel insurance to ineligible customers through three Expedia-owned websites.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken legal action against international dental care company Smile Direct Club for allegedly misleading tens of thousands of consumers with claims they would be eligible for private health insurance coverage for their aligner teeth straighteners.
Two law firms running competing class actions against insurance giant Allianz have dropped a plan to resolve the duplication by jointly running just one of the cases, opting for consolidation instead.
Lander & Rogers special counsel Melissa Tan brings the same fierce work ethic and tenacity when competing in Latin dancing competitions around the globe that she does to working on complex insurance disputes.