Debra Gaye-Ann Dawson & ors vs Insurance Australia Limited & anor

This is a consolidated group proceeding. Prior to consolidation, two separate group proceedings were commenced - one group proceeding was commenced by Debra Dawson and [name withheld] against Insurance Australia Ltd ( IAL) and Insurance Manufacturers Australia Pty Limited ( IMA) concerning insurance policy products under the SGIO, SGIC and RACV brands ( Dawson proceeding); the other group proceeding was commenced by [name withheld] against IAL concerning insurance products under the NRMA brand ( [name withheld] proceeding).

On 11 March 2025, the Honourable Justice Nichols ordered that the Dawson proceeding and [name withheld] proceeding be consolidated and that the three plaintiffs become joint plaintiffs in the Dawson proceeding. Slater and Gordon remain on the record as the solicitors for the joint plaintiffs.

The consolidated proceeding brings claims for persons who:

between 29 May 2018 and 28 May 2024 renewed an existing home and/or contents insurance product under either of the SGIO, SGIC or RACV brands; or between 10 December 2018 and 9 December 2024 renewed an existing home and/or contents insurance product under the NRMA brand.

It is alleged that in the course of providing insurance policies, the defendants offered ‘loyalty discounts’ to existing policy holders which were represented to be based on the number of policies held or length of time the customer had been insured with the defendants. It is alleged that the defendants instead used algorithmic modelling to estimate the likelihood of customers renewing their insurance premiums, which meant some customers were charged a higher base premium and in turn, the effect of any loyalty discount was cancelled out (in whole or in part). It is claimed that the defendants’ conduct amounts to misleading and deceptive conduct and unconscionable conduct.