Travel Insurance Facilities Plc (t/a Tifgroup) v Times Newspapers Plc [2019] EWHC 1337 (QB) (24 May 2019)

Travel Insurance Facilities Plc (t/a Tifgroup) v Times Newspapers Plc [2019] EWHC 1337 (QB) (24 May 2019)

The natural and ordinary meaning of each article is that there are strong grounds to suspect the Claimant of fraud and a pattern of practice in delaying, avoiding, or minimising insurance payouts, causing avoidable deaths. These meanings are at Chase 1½. The relevant statements in the Second Article, though...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2019] EWHC 1337
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 Preliminary Issues / Judgment on Preliminary Issues of Meaning and Fact/opinion
Outcome
Judgment on preliminary issues: Meanings of the articles determined as set out in the judgment; permission to amend granted; costs in the case.
Legal Topics
Meaning in Defamation, Fact Vs Opinion, Chase Levels, Media Publications, Insurance Sector Reporting
Defamation Media Law Meaning in Defamation Fact Vs Opinion Chase Levels Media Publications Insurance Sector Reporting

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Parties

Travel Insurance Facilities PLC (trading as "Tifgroup")

Claimant

Times Newspapers PLC

Defendant

Procedural Posture

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

Legal Issues

  1. 1 What is the natural and ordinary meaning of the three articles published by the Defendant?
  2. 2 Are the defamatory imputations allegations of fact or opinion, particularly in the Second Article?

Ratio Decidendi

The natural and ordinary meaning of each article is that there are strong grounds to suspect the Claimant of fraud and a pattern of practice in delaying, avoiding, or minimising insurance payouts, causing avoidable deaths. These meanings are at Chase 1½. The relevant statements in the Second Article, though containing opinions of third parties, are to be treated as part of the overall factual imputation. The articles do not impute guilt but strong suspicion based on significant evidence and ongoing investigations.

Court Disposition

Judgment on preliminary issues: Meanings of the articles determined as set out in the judgment; permission to amend granted; costs in the case.

Orders

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