Benjamin Crook is the proprietor of Collins Home Entertainment Centre. Its operations include the sale of discount electrical goods, short-term rental of professional video cameras and recorders as well as a wide range of video movies. The shop also stocks spare parts which are primarily used to service the rental equipment.

In March 2021, a truck crashed into Benjamin's business premises and he lodged an insurance claim for compensation.

A breakdown of the amounts comprised in the claim is as follows:

Damaged Premises $700,000

Electrical goods $75,000

Hire equipment $130,000

Rental $25,000

movies Spare parts. $ 8,000

Loss of profits from temporary closure of the business. $80,000

$1,018,000

After protracted negotiations he receives, and accepts, an offer from the insurance company of "$850,000 in full settlement of the claim". No explanation is given of how the settlement amount has been calculated.

(a) Benjamin Crook seeks your advice as to the assessability of the amount received.

(HINT: ReadWoellner, Chapters 6-800 to 6-910).

(b) What difference (if any) would it have made to your answer if he received the full amount of the initial claim?