Travel Insurance Facilities Plc (t/a Tifgroup) v Times Newspapers Plc

Travel Insurance Facilities Plc (t/a Tifgroup) v Times Newspapers Plc

The articles, read as a whole and in context, conveyed that there are strong grounds to suspect the Claimant of fraud, implementing a pattern of practice to delay, avoid, or minimise payments, motivated by profit, and causing avoidable deaths; these allegations are at Chase level 1½ and are statements of suspicion, not fact or pure opinion.

Parties
Claimant: Travel Insurance Facilities PLC (trading as Tifgroup); Defendant: Times Newspapers PLC
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
24 May 2019
Procedural Posture
Defamation / Trial of Preliminary Issues on Meaning and Fact/opinion
Outcome
Court determined the meanings of the articles and their Chase levels; permission granted to amend particulars; costs in the case.
Legal Topics
Meaning Determination, Fact Vs Opinion, Chase Levels, Repetition Rule, Regulatory Investigation Reporting
Defamation Media Law Meaning Determination Fact Vs Opinion Chase Levels Repetition Rule Regulatory Investigation Reporting

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Parties

Travel Insurance Facilities PLC (trading as Tifgroup)

Claimant

Times Newspapers PLC

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Defamation / Trial of Preliminary Issues on Meaning and Fact/opinion

Legal Issues

  1. 1 What is the meaning of each of the three articles complained of?
  2. 2 Are the defamatory imputations allegations of fact or opinion?

Ratio Decidendi

The articles, read as a whole and in context, conveyed that there are strong grounds to suspect the Claimant of fraud, implementing a pattern of practice to delay, avoid, or minimise payments, motivated by profit, and causing avoidable deaths; these allegations are at Chase level 1½ and are statements of suspicion, not fact or pure opinion.

Court Disposition

Court determined the meanings of the articles and their Chase levels; permission granted to amend particulars; costs in the case.

Orders

  • Claimant granted permission to amend in relation to the First Article to reflect judgment.
  • Parties to draw up an order reflecting this ruling and case management directions.