The Disproportionate Rights and Duties of the Insurer and the Insured in Fiji

Abstract

Much judicial and academic ink has been spilled over pre – and post-contractual rights and duties of insurer and insured, and it continues to flow, even now. Due to a lack of specialized knowledge and skills, policyholders are always in a weak bargaining position when proposing insurance (Qing Luo, ‘The Legal Protection of the Insured: a comparative study of Chinese, UK, and Australian Insurance Law’, Doctoral Thesis, City University of Hong Kong, CityU Scholars, 14 July 2006, 1, (accessed 25 August 2021, 2:20 pm FST) https://scholars.cityu.edu.hk/en/theses/the-legal-protec tion-of-the-insured(8b392fcd-0a72-4591-81ce-9fced f2a7feb).html). The insured is further disadvantaged because the insurer will only be prepared to enter into a contract of insurance upon its terms; and not tailor-make policies to suit the needs of the insured. Hence, the insured has no choice but to accept what is being offered. The insured is further embraced by the fact that insurance regulations generally protect the insurance industry and the insurer and impose heavy responsibilities on the policyholder. This article is a critical examination of the rights and duties of insurers and insured, vis-à-vis good faith, contracts of insurance, and settlement of insurance claims. The biggest challenge facing the insurance industry is the lack of consumer protection. The regulators of the industry should ensure that insurance regulations perpetrate fairness. Consumer, Inequality, Insurance, Regulation, Scheme