COVID-19 business interruption losses: dining out on a success story

In an article for April’s PLC Magazine, Lauren Murphy from our Insurance Litigation team examines the recent Corbin & King v AXA Covid-19 business interruption judgment and and how this welcome news for policyholders is an important step in their efforts to recover the losses that they have suffered as a result of the pandemic.

In a decision that policyholders will welcome, the owners and operators of a number of well-known restaurants and cafés in and around London have succeeded in a claim for business interruption losses suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In light of their insurer’s rejection of their claims, Corbin & King Limited sought declarations that the insurer was bound to indemnify them.

In a decision that policyholders will welcome, the owners and operators of a number of well-known restaurants and cafés in and around London have succeeded in a claim for business interruption (BI) losses suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic (Corbin & King Limited and others v Axa Insurance UK Plc [2022] EWHC 409).

Pandemic closures
The claimants, Corbin & King Limited and its subsidiaries, issued claims against their insurer, Axa Insurance UK Plc, under the non-damage denial of access (NDDA) cover in a policy of insurance which provided BI cover from November 2019 to November 2020. Corbin & King’s BI losses arose from the enforced closure of their restaurants and cafés as a result of the regulations passed in response to the pandemic. In light of Axa’s rejection of their claims, Corbin & King sought declarations that Axa was bound to indemnify them…

You can read Lauren’s article in full on PLC magazine’s website.

Edwin Coe represent Corbin & King Ltd.