Class Action Filed in Christchurch High Court

A class action against Southern Response was filed in the Christchurch High Court earlier this afternoon [2.15pm. 26 August 2015].

Southern Response is the Crown owned company set up to manage the insurance claims of AMI policy holders resulting from the Christchurch earthquake.

The class action is being brought by 47 policy holders. The Christchurch law firm handling the class action, GCA Lawyers, is confident the High Court will meet the litigants’ request for an opt-in order, giving other policy holders a further three months to join the action. Parties to the class action join on a “no win, no fee” basis.

The policy holder group is led by Christchurch businessman, Cam Preston.

The claim alleges Southern Response has fundamentally failed in its duty to properly reinstate policy holders. Many policy holders have been waiting nearly five years to have their claims settled.

GCA Lawyers’ principal, Grant Cameron, said it was very pleasing to see how his clients had responded to the filing of the class action.

“Up to now, they have felt powerless and bullied. Today marks the point where, at last, they get to call the shots,” Mr Cameron said.

ENDS

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