Insurance Law Monthly

In Qatar General Insurance & Reinsurance Co QSPC v Emrgent Risk Solutions Ltd [2026] DIFC CFI 053 HE Justice Sapna Jhangiani of the Dubai International Financial Centre Court of First Instance held that brokers were liable to their client reinsurers for allowing retrocession cover to be cancelled and for failing to notify the reinsurers of the cancellation. All of the issues were governed by the law of Dubai, but English law principles relating to broker liability were applied.

Grimes (t/a The Cleveland Arms) and Others v Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE [2026] EWHC 1195 (Comm) was the trial of preliminary issues on the interpretation of insurance policies providing non-damage business interruption (BI) cover for Covid-19 closures. There were two main issues: what had to be proved under the non-damage extension; and what were the notification obligations of the assured?

In ArgoGlobal Underwriting Asia Pacific Pte Ltd v Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd [2026] SGCA 14; [2026] Lloyd's Rep IR Plus 9 the Singapore Court of Appeal has reversed the first instance decision of Kwek Mean Luck J, [2026] Lloyd's Rep IR 25, on a claim for the constructive total loss of a vessel. The policy was governed by English law, and there were a number of English law principles discussed, though not all issues arising at first instance were addressed in the appeal. The key question on appeal was the application of the principles applicable to perils of the seas.