Connect with meCaroline has extensive experience in handling contentious insurance issues. She regularly assists insurers with complex material damage and business interruption claims and has acted in a number of landmark material damage proceedings up to Supreme Court level. She is also experienced in policy drafting and has led major policy wording projects for insurers across the whole suite of insurance and reinsurance policies.
Caroline has a reputation for being able to help insurers, brokers and insured corporations navigate their way through complex disputes.
She has local and international experience, having worked in New Zealand and the United Kingdom in matters involving both litigation to Supreme Court level and arbitration.
Caroline is ranked a leading individual for insurance law in New Zealand by The Legal 500 and a Band 2 individual for insurance by Chambers & Partners, with one client commenting: “She is a highly respected insurance lawyer with a deep understanding of critical issues.”
She was also named by NZ Lawyer and Insurance Business NZ as a 5-Star Award winner, recognising the 12 highest-ranking insurance lawyers in New Zealand.
Material Damage + Business Interruption
- Acting for local and international insurers in response to significant COVID-19 business interruption claims.
- Acting for the plaintiff-insurer in a portfolio-wide claim against EQC relating to over 16,000 earthquake damaged Canterbury domestic property claims.
- Acting for IAG in the Supreme Court in an industry test case concerning assignment of reinstatement benefits under material damage insurance policies: Xu v IAG New Zealand Ltd [2019] NZSC 68.
- Acting for IAG in the Court of Appeal in a claim relating to aggregation of losses under a material damage policy: Moore v IAG New Zealand Ltd [2020] NZCA 319.
- Acting for Allianz in the Court of Appeal in a claim involving double insurance issues: QBE Insurance (International) Ltd v Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd [2018] NZCA 239.
- Acting for Mitsui in a large commercial earthquake claim relating to a hotel and office building: Emmons Developments New Zealand Ltd v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co Ltd [2019] NZHC 277.
Reinsurance
- Assisting a major New Zealand personal lines insurer with its reinsurance renewals, including reviewing and amending reinsurance treaty terms.
- Assisting a major New Zealand insurer with a portfolio-wide review of its insurance policies to check alignment with reinsurance treaty exclusions.
Policy Drafting
- Assisting a major New Zealand insurer with policy drafting to ensure alignment with reinsurance treaty terms.
- Assisting an overseas insurer to draft and revise a new professional indemnity policy product.
Directors + Officers
- Acting as coverage counsel for insurers in the long-running Feltex Carpets claim by investors against directors for over $80 million.
- Assisting insurers in a claim against directors arising from the liquidation of a silo manufacturing company.
Financial Institutions
- Acting as coverage counsel for insurers in a claim by a finance company regarding a potential liability of $50 million arising from failed property developments.
- Acting for a major retail bank in an investigation into interest rate swaps.
- Directors + Officers Liability
- Financial Institutions
- Marine + Transport
- Professional Liability
- Property - Commercial
- Financial Institutions
- Industrial + Commercial Property
- Marine + Transport
- Material Damage + Business Interruption
- Reinsurance
- Policy Drafting
- New Zealand Insurance Law Association
- ANZIIF
- Institute of Directors
- New Zealand Law Society