Yasmin Bell

Yasmin is an insurance litigation specialist with over 17 years’ experience defending claims and bringing recovery actions on behalf of insurers.

She specialises in professional indemnity, property damage, construction, public and product liability, marine, cyber and personal injury. Yasmin also has significant experience in representing insurers in coverage disputes.

Yasmin has acted for a wide variety of professionals, including valuers, managing agents, brokers, architects and engineers.

Yasmin is the president of the NSW Claims Discussion Group, a not-for-profit organisation that arranges seminars and networking events for the insurance industry.

Yasmin is known for being pragmatic and commercially astute. She approaches all matters with diligence and enthusiasm. Yasmin consistently achieves excellent results for her clients.

Experience

• Acted for an electrical engineering company in a Supreme Court matter involving a fire in a power station, which caused significant property damage and financial loss. The damages claimed were in excess of $20 million and both liability and quantum were in dispute.
• Acted for a structural engineer arising from the collapse of a retaining wall during construction of a large commercial/residential project.
• Acted for an insurer under a product liability policy involving grain storage silos in relation to a claim regarding issues about defect in design, recovery against a US manufacturer, issues of proportionate liability and trade practices issues.
• Defended a large construction company in relation to a claim for extensive damages caused as a result of a hole in a diesel fuel pipe. Involved in defending allegations of negligence and recovery against subcontractors.
• Acted for a building certifier in relation to alleged losses resulting from certification of combusible cladding on a large residential apartment building.
• Acted for insurers with respect to fire and flood claims in both commercial and residential premises.
• Successfully struck out a multimillion dollar construction claim in the Supreme Court Construction List based on the claim being statute-barred by reason of s 14 of the Limitations Act.
• Represented a number of real estate agents pursuant to their professional indemnity policies in relation to personal injury and property damage claims. This included the claims for property damage to the contents of a domestic residence due to a fire as a result of negligent management of the premises, and serious injuries to a resident as a result of defective flooring that was not repaired promptly.
• Acted for brokers in response to claims arising from allegations of negligent placement of insurance.
• Defended liability claims arising out of a catastrophic boat collision during a race in NSW.