Drina Govic
Drina is a skilled insurance litigation lawyer with a practice focused on property claims (recoveries and defence) and fraud and investigations.
She has represented many of Australia’s leading general insurers and has practised across all Australian jurisdictions.
Drina has a particular interest in subrogated property damage claims (domestic and commercial recoveries and liability claims), first-party coverage disputes, and fraud and investigations. She has practised almost exclusively in these areas throughout her career.
Her experience includes acting in indemnity disputes and claims brought under the Insurance Contracts Act 1984, advising on issues of disclosure, misrepresentation, and good faith obligations, and providing policy interpretation and coverage advice in home and contents, commercial business, motor vehicle, heavy vehicle, construction, plant and equipment and liability policies. Drina also advises insurers on suspected fraudulent claims and defends proceedings arising from such claims.
Drina represents domestic and commercial property insurers in pursuing subrogated property claims on their behalf that encompass product liability claims against manufacturers and suppliers of defective goods, claims against suppliers of services contravening the consumer guarantee provisions of the Australian Consumer Law, claims under the liability provisions of the Water Act, claims arising from defective building works, and property damage claims arising from residential and commercial tenancies, including claims for loss of use and business interruption losses. She also defends third-party liability claims for domestic and commercial insureds including claims against occupiers, landlords, tenants, builders, plumbers, and other contractors.
As well as her practical legal experience, Drina frequently develops and delivers tailored training programs to the assessing, claims, and recoveries departments of her property insurance clients. She also regularly presents to the fraud and investigations departments of various Australian insurers.
Drina is an active member of Women in Insurance Association in Victoria and the Law Institute of Victoria.