Former Melbourne insurance law identity Peter Coldbeck has died in Melbourne at the age of 71.

One of the founders of the Australian Insurance Law Association (AILA), he was national president of the association in 1995/96, and was awarded a life membership in 2001.

Mr Coldbeck was admitted to practice in 1962 and was a partner at Melbourne law firm Hall & Willcox from 1964 until his retirement in 1999. During his career he was involved in a number of landmark cases involving insurance law.

He had a variety of technical papers published and was a popular speaker at insurance industry and law conferences in Australia and overseas.

After his retirement he was the alternate referee at Insurance Brokers Disputes Limited and a member of the Insurance Council of Australia’s anti-fraud task force.

Melbourne lawyer Philip Rowell says Mr Coldbeck’s “great legacies” at AILA included his success in breaking through the perception that AILA was solely for lawyers, and his work in setting up the Tasmania branch.

“In total his commitment to AILA at Victorian branch level and on the national board covered a period of nearly two decades,” he said.

Mr Coldbeck is survived by his wife Pam, three children and six grandchildren.