Life Insurance

Our life and disability insurance division is headed by Terry Batch and provides litigation and advice services to a large number of life insurers and superannuation trustees relating to life, trauma, income protection and total and permanent disability products.

Terry Batch has been providing legal services to the life insurance industry for more than 15 years and is supported by Suzanne Oliver who also has extensive experience in life insurance matters. Our team has extensive knowledge and understanding of claims, underwriting and product issues and developments within the industry.

Our expertise includes:

• fraudulent claims
• fraudulent and non-fraudulent misrepresentation and non-disclosure
• disputes relating to assessment of disability and disability income
• policy interpretation
• advice on claims management
• regulatory issues
• adviser disputes
• appeals from the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal to the Federal Court

Our team members are longstanding members of ALUCA and Terry Batch has presented at several ALUCA conferences.

Suzanne is a senior associate in our insurance team.

Suzanne’s general insurance experience includes public liability property and personal injury claims, work related accidents and diseases, motor vehicle insurance, home and contents insurance, subrogated recovery claims, product liability, fraudulent claims and indemnity disputes.

Suzanne also acts for a number of life insurers and superannuation trustees in disputes involving total and permanent disablement and income protection claims, arising from group and individual risk products.  She provides advice on fraudulent claims, assessment of disability, avoidance issues arising from non-disclosure and misrepresentation and conducts appeals from the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal to the Federal Court.

Suzanne also advises both general insurers and life insurers on indemnity, policy construction, the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 and other governing legislation.