This half-yearly update summarises significant insurance coverage cases in the English courts in the second half of 2022 concerning Covid-19 business interruption insurance, jurisdiction and rights against insurers of insolvent companies.

Significant Insurance Coverage Cases in H2 2022

Covid-19 BI Cases:

This week, the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in Bartenwerfer v. Buckley, unanimously holding that a debtor cannot discharge a debt obtained by fraud even if the debtor himself/herself did not personally commit the fraud.

In the case of State Bank of India v. Moser Baer Karamachari Union & Ors., the Supreme Court of India (“Supreme Court”) has upheld the order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (“NCLAT”) in the matter of State Bank of India v. Moser Baer Karamachari Union & Anr. (“Moser Baer Case”).

In Golfside Ventures Ltd (Re) (2023 ABKB 86) the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta (the “Court”) reaffirmed the Court’s authority to exercise inherent jurisdiction in proceedings under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the “BIA”) in circumstances where (1) the BIA is silent or has not dealt with a matter exhaustively; and (2) the benefit of granting the relief outweighs th

In the recent decision of IDBI Bank v. Indian Oil Corporation Limited, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (“NCLAT”) has held that an irrevocable and unconditional bank guarantee can be invoked even during moratorium period in view of the amended provision under Section 14 (3) (b) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (“IBC”).

Brief Facts

In its judgment on the 23 January 2023, the First Hall Civil Court (Commercial Section) (hereinafter the “Court”) presided by Mr. Justice Ian Spiteri Bailey delved into the salient features of a request made to the court for the dissolution and winding up of a company by a creditor or creditors of such company by means of an application in terms of Article 218(1) of the Companies Act, Chapter 386 of the Laws of Malta (the “Act”).

The Division Bench of the Delhi High Court (“Delhi HC”) in the case of Tata Steel BSL Limited v. Venus Recruiters Private Limited & Ors., etc. has put to rest the issue on avoidance applications proceedings surviving the conclusion of corporate insolvency resolution process (“CIRP”) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (“IBC”).

The High Court’s recent decision in Bryant & Ors v. Badenoch Integrated Logging Pty Ltd [2023] HCA 2 (Gunns case) has important implications for liquidators and companies, as it has removed liquidators’ unfair advantage in unfair preference cases.

In BVIHC(COM) 2022/0119, Russell Crumpler and Christopher Farmer as Joint Liquidators of Three Arrows Capital Ltd (in liquidation) -and- (1) Zhu Su (2) Kyle Davies

The BVI Court has endorsed what is believed to be its first extra-territorial order summoning directors of a BVI company (in liquidation) to appear for private examination by joint liquidators.

A Win for Subcontractors and Suppliers

When a construction company goes broke, the subcontractors and suppliers often receive letters from the liquidator demanding repayment of so-called ‘unfair preferences’.

When an ongoing business relationship has existed between the creditor company and the company in liquidation, liquidators have historically worked out the amount of the ‘unfair preference’ on a ‘running account’ basis by reference to the so-called ‘peak indebtedness principle’. For example, if the following transactions took place: