In Pinot Properties Ltd v Vero Insurance New Zealand Ltd [2019] NZHC 2244 the High Court (Osborne J) dismissed an application to transfer an earthquake court proceeding to the Earthquake Insurance Tribunal as the Court decided that the relevant building at 205 Manchester St was not a residential building, nor residential property, so was not eligible. The Court reached this conclusion notwithstanding that EQC paid claim(s) and the properties had been used for residential purposes. Vero insured the property under a commercial property.
In Dewes & ors v IAG New Zealand Ltd & ors [2019] NZHC 2270 the High Court (Lester AJ) considered an application by home owners to transfer a claim about a defectively repaired earthquake damaged house where IAG had joined Hawkins and Hawkins’ insurer, QBE. QBE did not want the claim against it transferred to the Tribunal and said that it was a separate proceeding not within the Tribunal jurisdiction. The High Court disagreed with QBE and said the entire dispute could be transferred, which it did.
In Settlers Crescent Partnership v IAG New Zealand Ltd [2018] NZHC 2775 the owners of 4 adjoining buildings at 14 Settlers Crescent, Ferrymead (funded by Risk Worldwide) sued to recover for damage in the June 2011 earthquake notwithstanding that they had cash settled for $10,233,973.80 with IAG for damage to the buildings in the September 2010 and February 2011 earthquakes on the basis that those buildings were recommended for demolition as being destroyed. The Court in a judgment 25 October 2018 unsurprisingly found that the partnership suffered no further loss in the June 2011 and the claim failed. A year later the High Court on 17 September 2019 in Settlers Crescent Partnership v IAG New Zealand Ltd [2019] NZHC 2341 ordered the owners to pay costs of $51,067 together with disbursements of $111,147.76. IAG had claimed $297,621.72.
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