Test case to determine issues of principle in relation to policy coverage under various specimen wordings underwritten by the defendants in respect of claims by policyholders to be indemnified for business interruption losses arising in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the advice of and restrictions imposed by the UK Government in consequence.
Held: According to the wording, different cases fell or succeeded. Three classes of cases were considered: ‘Disease Clauses’, ‘Hybrid Clauses’, and clauses covering prevention of access and similar perils.
Judges:
Lord Justice Flaux and Mr Justice Butcher
Citations:
[2020] EWHC 2448 (Comm)
Links:
Statutes:
Health Protection (Coronavirus, Business Closure) (England) Regulations 2020, Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Wood v Capita Insurance Services Ltd SC 29-Mar-2017
Construction of term of contract for the sale and purchase of the entire issued share capital of a company.
Held: The appeal was dismissed: ‘the SPA may have become a poor bargain, as it appears that it did not notify the sellers of a warranty . .
Cited – Arnold v Britton and Others SC 10-Jun-2015
Absurdity did not defeat a clear clause
A standard lease of plots on a caravan park, contained a provision which appeared to increase the rent by 10% in each year. The tenants argued that such a substantial increase could not have been intended.
Held: The tenants’ appeal failed . .
Cited – Rainy Sky Sa and Others v Kookmin Bank SC 2-Nov-2011
Commercial Sense Used to Interpret Contract
The Court was asked as to the role of commercial good sense in the construction of a term in a contract which was open to alternative interpretations.
Held: The appeal succeeded. In such a case the court should adopt the more, rather than the . .
Cited by:
Appeal from – The Financial Conduct Authority and Others v Arch Insurance (UK) Ltd and Others SC 15-Jan-2021
Many businesses, having been ordered to suspend business during the Covid-19 epidemic, sought to claim under business interruption insurance. The claims were rejected by the insurers and the insurers now appealed from a finding that they had been . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Insurance
Updated: 18 June 2022; Ref: scu.653907