Theatres that rank amongst Melbourne’s most iconic venues have filed Victorian Supreme Court action against Ansvar Insurance seeking cover for pandemic business interruption losses totalling more than $20 million.

The venues include The Princess Theatre, where Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was playing when COVID-19 hit. Other locations are the Regent Theatre, the Comedy Theatre, the Forum, Regent Theatre and the Plaza Ballroom.

Court documents seen by insuranceNEWS.com.au seek cover for an amount of $20.4 million under the infectious diseases extension of the policy.

The writ, filed by Elit Lawyers, says COVID-19 was a notifiable human infectious or contagious disease, there was an outbreak within 25 kilometres of the venues and they were forced to shut due to a government authority order.

The relevant policy periods were from March 31 2019 to March 31 2020 and from March 31 2020 to March 31 2021.

Ansvar Insurance, a subsidiary of UK-based Ecclesiastical Insurance Office, told insuranceNEWS.com.au it is "always committed to working with its customers and brokers when claims arise".

A spokesman said it would be "inappropriate to discuss specific policies, individual claims circumstances or any matters that are before the courts".