Professional indemnity insurance: liability for defence costs

The substantive dispute in Oldham v QBE Insurance (Europe) Ltd [2017] EWHC 3045 (Comm) concerned the effect on the payment of defence costs of the insurers raising, and ultimately succeeding in establishing, a coverage claim.

A procedural challenge the arbitration award in favour of the insurers, insofar as it related to costs, was also a key issue. Although the assured lost on the substantive issue, he did succeed in having the costs award set aside.