[PART IU.K. general BUSINESS]
General rules as to applicable lawU.K.
1(1)Where the policy holder has his habitual residence or central administration within the territory of the member State where the risk is situated, the law applicable to the contract is the law of that member State.
However, where the law of that member State so allows, the parties may choose the law of another country.
(2)Where the policy holder does not have his habitual residence or central administration within the territory of the member State where the risk is situated, the parties to the contract may choose to apply either—
(a)the law of the member State where the risk is situated, or
(b)the law of the country in which the policy holder has his habitual residence or central administration.
(3)Where the policy holder carries on a business and the contract covers two or more risks relating to his business which are situated in different member States, the freedom of choice of the law applicable to the contract extends to the laws of those member States and of the country in which he has his habitual residence or central administration.
In this sub-paragraph “business” includes a trade or profession.
(4)Where the member States referred to in sub-paragraph (2) or (3) grant greater freedom of choice of the law applicable to the contract, the parties may take advantage of that freedom.
(5)Notwithstanding sub-paragraphs (1) to (3), when the risks covered by the contract are limited to events occurring in a member State other than the member State where the risk is situated, the parties may always choose the law of the former State.
[(6)Where the risk—
(a)is situated in an EFTA state and falls within class 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 or 12 of Part I of Schedule 2 to this Act; or
(b)is situated in a member State and is a large risk,
the parties to the contract may choose any law.
(7)Where the risk is situated in a member State which has implemented the transitional provisions in Article 27 of the second general insurance Directive, the meaning of 'large risk’ for the purposes of sub-paragraph (6) above shall be determined in accordance with the law applicable in that State.]
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Applicable law in the absence of choiceU.K.
2(1)The choice referred to in paragraph 1 must be expressed or demonstrated with reasonable certainty by the terms of the contract or the circumstances of the case.
(2)If that is not so, or if no choice has been made, the contract shall be governed by the law of the country (from amongst those considered in the relevant sub-paragraphs) with which it is most closely connected.
(3)Nevertheless, a severable part of the contract which has a closer connection with another country (from amongst those considered in the relevant sub-paragraphs) may by way of exception be governed by the law of that other country.
(4)A contract is rebuttably presumed to be most closely connected with the member State where the risk is situated.
Mandatory rulesU.K.
3(1)The fact that in the cases referred to in paragraph 1 the parties have chosen a law does not, where all the other elements relevant to the situation at the time of the choice are connected with one member State only, prejudice the application of the mandatory rules of the law of that member State, which means the rules from which the law of that member State allows no derogation by means of a contract.
(2)Nothing in [this Part of this Schedule]restricts the application of the rules of a part of the United Kingdom in a situation where they are mandatory, irrespective of the law otherwise applicable to the contract.
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Supplementary provisionsU.K.
4(1)Where a member State includes several territorial units, each of which has its own rules of law concerning contractual obligations, each unit shall be considered as a country for the purposes of identifying the applicable law.
(2)The provisions of [this Part of this Schedule]apply to conflicts between the laws of the different parts of the United Kingdom.
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5(1)Subject to the preceding provisions of [this Part of this Schedule], a court in a part of the United Kingdom [shall act in accordance with the provisions of the Contracts (Applicable Law) Act 1990;]
(2)In particular, reference shall be made to [those provisions]—
(a)to ascertain for the purposes of paragraph 1(1) and (4) what freedom of choice the parties have under the law of a part of the United Kingdom; and [those provisions]
(b)to determine whether the mandatory rules of another member State should be applied in accordance with paragraph 3(1) where the law otherwise applicable is the law of a part of the United Kingdom.
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