Integrated Container Service v. British Traders Insurance Co. Ltd. - Q.B.D. (Com. Ct.) (Neill J.) - 3 July 1981

Marine insurance - “Sue and labour” clause

The plaintiffs were in the business of leasing freight containers, a number of which were leased to O. Ltd. in 1972. In 1975 O. Ltd. went bankrupt leaving the containers scattered over the Far East. The plaintiffs took steps to recover their containers, incurring travel, legal and storage costs. The issue before the Court was whether the plaintiffs were entitled to be paid these recovery costs under the “sue and labour” clause of their insurance contract with the defendants.