Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

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INSURANCE CONTRACTS ACT 1984 - SECT 65

Subrogation to rights against family etc.

  (1)   Subject to subsection   (2), this section applies where:

  (a)   an insurer is liable under a contract of general insurance in respect of a loss;

  (b)   but for this section, the insurer would be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the insured against some other person (in this section called the third party ); and

  (c)   the insured has not exercised those rights and might reasonably be expected not to exercise those rights by reason of:

  (i)   a family or other personal relationship between the insured and the third party; or

  (ii)   the insured having expressly or impliedly consented to the use, by the third party, of a road motor vehicle that is the subject - matter of the contract.

  (2)   This section does not apply where the conduct of the third party that gave rise to the loss:

  (a)   occurred in the course of or arose out of the third party's employment by the insured; or

  (b)   was serious or wilful misconduct.

  (3)   Where the third party is not insured in respect of the third party's liability to the insured, the insurer does not have the right to be subrogated to the rights of the insured against the third party in respect of the loss.

  (4)   Where the third party is so insured, the insurer may not, in the exercise of the insurer's rights of subrogation, recover from the third party an amount that exceeds the amount that the third party may recover under the third party's contract of insurance in respect of the loss.

  (5)   An insured need not comply with a condition requiring the insured to assign those rights to the insurer in order to be entitled to payment in respect of the loss and an insurer shall not purport to impose such a condition on the making of such a payment or, before making such a payment, invite the insured so to assign those rights, or suggest that the insured so assign them.

Penalty:   300 penalty units.

  (6)   An assignment made in compliance with such a condition or in pursuance of such an invitation or suggestion is void.

  (7)   In subsection   (1), road motor vehicle means a motor vehicle that is so constructed as to be capable of carrying by road at least one person other than the driver.


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