4 Pubs Win Legal Action Against FBD Insurance For Incurring Financial Losses During Pandemic

The issue of how much the insurer is liable for will be dealt with at a later date.

This legal action was taken by three Dublin pubs: The Leopardstown Inn, Lemon & Duke and Sinnots.

Sean’s Bar in Athlone was also part of what were effectively “test cases,” in that there are up to 1,300 other publicans with similar FBD policies waiting in the wings.

The main issue was whether FBD was obliged to cover any of the losses suffered by the pub owners since they were forced to close their doors last March.

FBD declined cover on the grounds that the imposed closure didn’t arise as a consequence of an outbreak in any of the pubs or within a 25-mile radius.

However, Mr Justice Denis McDonald disagreed.

In a 214-page judgement on the back of an 11-day hearing, he concluded that cover isn’t lost where the closure is prompted by nationwide outbreaks of disease.

Submissions on how much FBD will have to pay out will be made at a later date.