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Insurers join ACT bushfires action

Insurers representing thousands of plaintiffs over the 2003 Canberra bushfires will join a class action against the ACT and NSW governments.

NRMA Insurance has been awarded the right to run a representative action in the ACT Supreme Court on behalf of its clients, joining actions being run by QBE and Suncorp.

The trial was due to start last week but will now be heard on March 1 next year.

ACT Chief Justice Terence Higgins’ associate told insuranceNEWS.com.au the case of Joseph and Janet Walker will represent more than 2000 NRMA Insurance clients who suffered similar damage. Other victims’ cases will also be heard during the trial.

NRMA Insurance spokesman Andrew Tubb told insuranceNEWS.com.au the company wants to recover some of its claims losses.

“In taking this course we have considered our obligations to our customers who may have suffered an uninsured loss, our reinsurers who covered some of our expenses and our own shareholders,” he said.