Dance and music star Michael Flatley has said if an insurance company is allowed to cancel his insurance policy on his Co Cork mansion, the protected structure, Castlehyde House may be in jeopardy.
A High Court judge will next week give her decision after Michael Flatley’s legal team on Friday applied for an order restraining his insurance company from cancelling the house insurance policy for the luxury country mansion on the River Blackwater outside Fermoy.
Michael Flatley in an affidavit to the court said if the insurance policy is allowed to be cancelled, Castlehyde House which dates back to 1790 may be in jeopardy as there will be no insurance cover. He said he is also doubtful if any insurance company would take over the insurance of Castlehyde House considering the ongoing legal proceedings.
“I say Castlehyde is a unique structure and the interests of justice favour its protection,” Mr Flatley said.
The former Riverdance star has already brought proceedings against several parties before the commercial division of the High Court over an alleged €30 million worth of damage caused to Castlehyde Manor.
In the latest development, he claims one of the defendants, the Irish branch of Hiscox Societe Anonyme, has said it won’t insure the property from March 8th onwards.
He has also claimed that the insurance company should be paying him €80,000 monthly relocation expenses. He contends that the insurance company knew he and his family moved out of Castlehyde in October 2023 and that Castlehyde would be unoccupied for about two years. Nevertheless, he said Hiscox SA agreed to renew the insurance policy from November 14th, 2023, for one year on a monthly premium of €5,773.
Mr Flatley’s counsel Ronnie Hudson BL instructed by Max Mooney solicitor told the High Court a letter from the managing director of Hiscox SA, Richard O’Dwyer was delivered to Castelyhyde House which gave 30 days notice of the cancellation of the house insurance policy from March 8th.
The letter stated: “It has come to our attention that the occupancy of the household we insure for you appears to now differ from our understanding of same at policy inception and renewal.
Therefore, we regret to advise that we are writing to you to confirm that we are invoking our cancellation clause on your household insurance policy with us.”
Mr Hudson told the court that the insurance company were “well aware that Mr Flatley did not ordinarily reside at Castlehyde.”
Counsel said Mr Flatley and his family live in Monaco and have residences in London and Italy as well. The Flatleys used Castlehyde for two to four months a year.
He said Hiscox SA “knew what they were taking on” and Mr Flatley did not leave Castlehyde lightly in October 2023.
In this affidavit Mr Flatley said it is not possible for Castlehyde to be occupied due to its current condition. He said there was a full-time housekeeper and the gate lodge was also occupied.
Mr Flatley said he was concerned because he had been forced to vacate his home in October 2023 and he said in advance of the insurance renewal date a number of phone calls and emails exchanges took place between his financial advisers and insurance brokers. He said the fact that he had vacated his home in October 2023 was communicated to the insurance company via the broker.
In a replying affidavit to the court, the managing director of Hiscox SA, Richard Ó Dwyer said the insurance company was not informed that Mr Flatley had vacated his home in October 2023.
James Burke BL for Hiscox SA said what Mr Flatley was asking the court to do was “a step too far”.
Ms Justice Eileen Roberts will give her decision next week.
- See our new project Common Ground, Evolving Islands: Ireland & Britain
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here