(Re)insurance Weekly Update 10- 2016

A summary of recent developments in insurance, reinsurance and litigation law.

This week's caselaw:

Gentry v Miller: Court of Appeal considers insurers' application to set aside default judgment where alleged fraud discovered subsequently

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2016/141.html

The claimant was involved in an accident with the defendant and alleged that the defendant was at fault. The defendant's insurers admitted liability in April 2013 but did not make any further settlement offer, despite hire charges continuing to accrue and being chased by the claimant's solicitors over 5 times. Proceedings were then issued against the defendant alone in July 2013 and default judgment was obtained a month later. A further hearing assessed damages but the insurers were not notified of the hearing before it took place. When they were told about the award, they then instructed solicitors (in November 2013) and an application to set aside the default judgment