Insurance

Insurance Disputes

Overview
Targeted legal advice to assist insurance companies with claim disputes

Hesketh Henry has one of New Zealand’s most experienced and successful teams of insurance defence and litigation lawyers. We advise local and offshore insurance companies, as well as Lloyd’s syndicates.

When it comes to an insurance claim dispute, you can count on us for pragmatic, cost-effective advice that protects your brand and works with your overall business strategy. While we’re confident about representing our insurance clients in court, we believe that alternative dispute resolution is often the best approach.

Our insurance law team can help to manage and resolve insurance disputes across your entire product suite, including all forms of liability, life insurance, professional indemnity, business interruption and construction insurance. Our expertise also extends to marine, land transport and aviation insurance.

The accessibility to senior partners gives Hesketh Henry a competitive edge in the insurance law arena. Partners are actively involved with the day-to-day business of providing exceptional insurance law services.

Reflecting the depth of our insurance team’s knowledge, Hesketh Henry was invited to author the LexisNexis Practical Guidance on Insurance Law, a first-of-its-kind online publication designed to assist stakeholders of the insurance industry.

Need advice on Insurance Disputes?
Contact the expert team at Hesketh Henry.
Examples

Examples of work completed by our team include:

  • Advising D&O insurers in claims alleging the misleading of investors in public offerings, and in other cases breach of the anti-cartel provision of the Commerce Act;
  • Acting on behalf of solicitors, engineers, architects, project managers, and their insurers in numerous claims alleging breach of professional obligations eg Eaton v LDC Finance Ltd [2013] NZHC 1242 and associated judgments (claim for dishonest assistance made against a large NZ law firm arising out of the collapse of two finance companies);
  • Advising a consortium of Lloyd’s syndicates in respect of a series of claims under mortgage lender’s policies brought by several New Zealand finance companies and/or their receivers; and
  • Defending general insurers in numerous proceedings in Canterbury regarding the scope and adequacy of earthquake remedial works.
Key Contacts
Publications
Events

Insights & Opinion / Insurance Disputes

Insurance
Sum Unsure? – 2023 Weather Events a Timely Reminder to Check Limits of Insurance
In light of the significant weather events around the country in 2023, now is a good time for insureds to check the sum insured of their insurance policies to avoid a second crisis. Under-estimating t...
02.06.2023 Posted in Climate Change & Insurance
Contract dictionary
Transforming insurance law – Insurance Contracts Bill draft released for consultation
Yesterday the New Zealand Government released an exposure draft Insurance Contracts Bill.
25.02.2022 Posted in Insurance
rsz large pillars
English Supreme Court rejects universal application of “gold standard” for disclosure of arbitrators’ interests
Justice must both be done, and be seen to be done.
10.02.2021 Posted in Insurance & Trade and Transport
Class Actions – Supreme Court rules it’s “opt-out”, Law Commission Issues Paper imminent
Following the Supreme Court decision in Southern Response v Ross [2020] NZSC 126 the Law Commission is now set to release its Issues Paper on Class Actions and Litigation Funding on 4 December 2020. ...
03.12.2020 Posted in Disputes & Insurance
Law Scales e
Government calls time on Dodds litigation
Southern Response Earthquake Services Limited v Dodds [2020] NZCA 395
25.09.2020 Posted in Disputes & Insurance
marine
Entitlement to Indemnity under Marine Transit Insurance
The decision of the Full Federal Court of Australia in Swashplate Pty Ltd v Liberty Mutual Insurance Company trading as Liberty International Underwriters addresses the issue of when risk attaches pur...
16.09.2020 Posted in Insurance & Trade and Transport
Salisbury Street Victory
On 10 September 2020, Osborne J delivered the long-awaited judgment in Body Corporate 335089 v Vero Insurance New Zealand Ltd and Body Corporate 341154 v Vero Insurance New Zealand Ltd.[1]  The judg...
16.09.2020 Posted in Insurance
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