Appeals court upholds RM900,000 insurance payout for Bentley owner

The Court of Appeal in Malaysia has upheld a High Court ruling that an insurance company must pay RM900,000 in compensation to a businessman whose Bentley Continental was damaged in an accident in 2020. The three-judge panel, consisting of Justices Choo Kah Sing, Ismail Brahim, and Leonard David Shim, dismissed appeals from both the insurance company, MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd, and the car owner, Inderpal Singh.

Inderpal Singh, the registered owner of the Bentley, was involved in a collision with a guardrail on January 22, 2020, after attempting to avoid hitting a dog that had crossed the road unexpectedly. He reported the accident to MSIG Insurance the following day, and the vehicle was taken to a workshop, where repair costs amounted to RM1,053,491.07.

MSIG Insurance rejected Inderpal's claim, arguing that it was suspicious and inconsistent with the circumstances of the accident. The insurance company also claimed that Inderpal had used fraudulent means to obtain benefits from the policy. However, the High Court found no error in the judge's evaluation of the evidence and findings of fact, and allowed Inderpal's claim for indemnification under the insurance policy while dismissing his claims for negligence and consequential losses.