The decision by the High Court to uphold the claims by Pub
owners under the business interruption aspects of their Public
House insurance policies with FBD Insurance is sure to see
wide-spread ramifications across the industry and may cause a
sea-change in how insurers treat such claims going forward.
The owners of Sinnotts, Lemon and Duke, The Leopardstown Inn and
Sean's Bar had claimed losses due to business interruption
under their insurance policies. Business interruption insurance is
intended to cover the loss of income a business suffers after some
kind of catastrophe and is designed to put the business back in the
same position it would have been in had the event not occurred.
Insurance policies generally list a number of scenarios that are
covered under the policy. It appears FBD's insurance policy
covered closure of the business due to an outbreak of disease in or
within a 25 mile radius of the workplace. The High Court rejected
FBD's claim that because
