United Kingdom Leading Case marine insurance

Versloot Dredging BV v HDI Gerling Industrie Versicherung AG (The DC Merwestone)

[2016] UKSC 45

JurisdictionUnited Kingdom

CourtUK Supreme Court

Year2016

StatusBinding authority

Summary

Use of a fraudulent device to support an otherwise valid insurance claim does not forfeit the claim; forfeiture only applies to genuinely fraudulent claims.

Key Principle

The fraudulent device rule (use of a lie to promote a valid claim) does not entitle the insurer to forfeit the entire claim; only a genuinely fraudulent claim (where the loss did not occur) triggers forfeiture.

Area of Law

insurance

Related Cases

Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd v Sim [2012] HCA 39

Certain Lloyd's Underwriters v Cross (2012) 248 CLR 378

Under Insurance Contracts Act s.54, an insurer cannot refuse a claim on the basis of the insured's breach of duty of disclosure where that breach did not cause or contribute to the loss.

Westport Insurance Corporation v Gordian Runoff Ltd (2011) 244 CLR 239

Insurance contract construction follows general commercial contract principles, requiring consideration of text in context and giving effect to the commercial purpose.

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