The value of statutory liability cover in an increasingly regulated world

In the post Royal Commission world, regulator activity in Australia has reached new levels. Increased public scrutiny and greater government funding has meant that regulators are encouraged to take significant amounts of investigation and enforcement action against offending businesses. While there has been a brief hiatus due to the impact of COVID-19, various regulators have […]

NZ Privacy Act 2020: Update 1 – What the new law means for insurers and their insureds

On 30 June 2020, New Zealand’s privacy regime was reformed with the royal assent of the Privacy Act 2020. The new legislation will come into effect on 1 December 2020. The new legislation introduces a range of reforms that bring New Zealand into line with international best practice for privacy and data protection. These include mandatory […]

COVID-19 Resource Centre

Wotton Kearney is committed to keeping our clients informed of the insurance and broader business implications of the coronavirus outbreak. With senior insurance law experts across major policy types and market sectors, we are well placed to provide advice and tailored support in product lines and claims areas we specialise in. On this page you […]

NSW Supreme Court refuses leave to sue court-appointed liquidators

Wotton Kearney acted for the court-appointed liquidators in response to an application for leave to commence proceedings against them for alleged negligence and misleading or deceptive conduct. The NSW Supreme Court dismissed the leave application and the proceedings with costs. In this case alert, Cain Jackson, Patrick Boardman and Stephen Morrissey explain why this decision […]

The BEAR: a radical structural shift for insurers?

Executive accountability for financial product design, promotion, delivery and remediation was a major theme in the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. It is an issue which insurers will need to grapple with if one of the less publicised, but potentially very significant, recommendations in […]

Something to be reckoned with – Royal Commission recommendations for claims

Many significant recommendations have been made in Commissioner Hayne’s Final Report arising out of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. While there has been significant commentary about the recommendations broadly, one recommendation that is likely to have a significant impact on the insurance industry has received relatively little […]

Autonomous vehicles: insurance and product liability implications on land and on the high seas

Wotton Kearney partner, Belinda Henningham, along with Peter Allchorne, Wendy Hopkins, Olya Melnitchouk, Andrew Parker and Toby Vallance from our Legalign Global Alliance partner firm, DAC Beachcroft, explore whether the insurance industry is ready for the potential shift in policy coverage relating to autonomous vehicles and crewless ships. Belinda states that”…should the Australian Federal Government […]

Big Names, Big Data and Stroke

In the final installment of our exclusive series with ANZIIF: ‘How Advances in Medical Technology Are Impacting Insurance’, Karen Jones (Partner) and Dominic Flannery (Special Counsel) predict the likely benefit of the historical data from stroke victims on patients and insurers. You’d be hard pressed to find a reality where Sharon Stone, Richard Nixon, Joseph […]

On the Nose – Detecting Brain Injury

Imagine if brain trauma such as concussion could be detected instantly in an athlete through the sense of smell? In Part Five of our exclusive series with ANZIIF: ‘How Advances in Medical Technology Are Impacting Insurance’, Karen Jones (Partner) and Dominic Flannery (Special Counsel) comment on this developing technological advancement and its significance on insurers, […]

The “Angelina Effect” – Genetic Testing Becomes a Global Phenomenon

Angelina Jolie’s actions to undergo a double mastectomy after genetic testing revealed her predisposition to cancer has created an “Angelina Effect” – a growing demand for attaining personal genetic data. In Part Four of our exclusive series with ANZIIF: ‘How Advances in Medical Technology Are Impacting Insurance’, Karen Jones (Partner) and Dominic Flannery (Special Counsel) […]