Insurance Law: Critical Update, Reforms and Disputes
For the insurance sector, the fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in a surge in health, travel and business interruption claims, and with that comes disputes that are keeping insurance lawyers and corporate in-house counsel like you on their toes. In addition, there are a number of upcoming reforms that you need to be aware of, to stay informed.
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD hours
Chair: Simon Ladd, Partner, Bell Gully
2.00pm to 2.45pm: Top 5 Post-Lockdown Insurance Law Issues You Need to Know
In the wake of COVID-19, how are insurers responding to customers and societies in need, and what challenges are their legal panels currently facing?
- Examine the top 5 issues resulting from the pandemic that you need to be aware of and more
Presented by Emma Gabor, Principal, Gabor Law
2.50pm to 3.35pm: Insurance Disputes Case Update
Join Oliver as he critiques recent cases impacting insurance law
Presented by Oliver Collette-Moxon, Barrister
3.40pm to 4.25pm: Insurance Contract Law Reform: The Gains for Consumers
Increase your understanding of the issues which the reforms are seeking to address and the proposed legislative changes. You will focus on the proposed reforms relating to:
- The policyholder’s duty of disclosure
- Unfair contract terms
- Improvements to increase understanding of insurance policies
- The duty of utmost good faith
Presented by Stephanie Corban, Special Counsel, Hesketh Henry
4.30pm to 5.15pm: Insurance Intermediaries
Analyse and understand the potential impact of the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Bill (COFI legislation) and conduct expectations of insurance intermediaries.
Presented by Tracey Cross, Partner, DLA Piper
Learning Objectives:
- Examine the most important insurance issues arising from the pandemic and their implications
- Receive a critical update on insurance intermediaries in response to new legislation
- Understand the impact of Insurance contract law reform and what legislative changes we can expect to see
- Examine recent insurance law cases and disputes and their impact
Presenters
Emma Gabor
Emma Gabor is the principal of Gabor Law, a boutique law practice based in Wellington offering expert insurance and civil disputes and litigation services. Prior to setting up her own firm earlier this year, Emma worked as a Claims Counsel in the Liability team at IAG New Zealand for five years where she specialised in professional indemnity claims, public liability, D&O, and a range of other liability claims, including disciplinary complaints against professionals. She was a senor solicitor at DLA Piper prior to moving in-house. While at DLA Piper, she advised leading insurance companies on issues involving material damage, business interruption, statutory and public liability policies, and was deeply involved with litigation related to the Canterbury earthquakes. In her spare time, she works toward a PhD investigating what can be done to improve insurance claims for multi-unit buildings such as body corporates, cross-lease properties, and fee simple townhouses with shared construction elements. She is a member of the New Zealand Law Society, Wellington Women Lawyers, and the New Zealand Insurance Law Association. She is also a Committee Member of the Independent Practitioners Committee which supports sole and small practitioners in Wellington.
Oliver Collette-Moxon
Oliver is a civil and commercial barrister with two decades of litigation experience in New Zealand and the UK. He has expertise in a wide range of areas including construction, insurance, fraud, banking and finance, local and cross-border trade, insolvency, company and shareholder disputes, and injunctive relief. Many of his cases have an insurance angle, including those involving land and buildings. He regularly represents clients in first-instance and appellate courts, and in arbitrations.
Stephanie Corban
Stephanie has over 16 years’ experience in civil and commercial litigation and specialises in insurance litigation. She acts for insurers on professional indemnity claims, cover issues, subrogated recoveries and earthquake claims. In addition to her insurance practice, Stephanie also deals with a variety of civil matters, including acting for plaintiffs and defendants on property and construction disputes. In view of the fact that very few civil disputes proceed to trial, Stephanie usually resolves claims through direct negotiation and at mediation. Stephanie is a member of the New Zealand Insurance Law Association (NZILA) and an affiliate member of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ). Stephanie followed the reform of insurance contract law in the United Kingdom and has been interested in the influence of the United Kingdom reforms on the insurance contract law review undertaken by MBIE.
Tracey Cross
Tracey has more than 20 years' experience in funds management, superannuation law, corporate governance and financial services regulation. She acts for a wide variety of product providers, supervisors, custodians, administration and investment managers and overseas issuers offering funds into New Zealand. She has been involved with KiwiSaver since its inception and has established many of the current KiwiSaver schemes. She actively advises providers and employees on their KiwiSaver obligations and opportunities. Tracey routinely advises on regulatory compliance and disclosure for funds and trans-Tasman mutual recognition, and has been involved in the establishment of many compliance obligation programs and their successful integration into the business. She also advises providers and adviser groups on compliance and disclosure requirements under the Financial Adviser regime. She has been at the forefront of the changes introduced by the Financial Markets Conduct Act.