The retired politician was suing Nine and ACA presenter Tracy Grimshaw over a May 2020 report on a Sydney couple's rejected $6000 insurance claim after water inundated a storage unit and damaged furniture.

Dr Hewson, the then-chair of the company that sold the couple's insurance policy, claims he was defamed by the program which suggested GSA Insurance Brokers "refused to pay out valid claims", the Federal Court heard on Thursday.

A policyholder told the program he believed the water damage wasn't caused by a flood, which was excluded in the insurance policy, and claimed "this is storm damage and they know it".

Grimshaw was drawn into the case over her comment at the segment's conclusion to "remember that name GSA" and her advice to viewers to read the fine print and maybe "shop around".

The 74-year-old was also seeking aggravated damages, claiming his feelings were hurt further, saying Nine knew their defamatory claims were false.

Hours before the program went to air, he put Nine on notice that GSA was only a broker and that a hydrology report commissioned by the actual insurer had found the water damage was caused by flood, Dr Hewson's barrister earlier told the court.

The trial originally set for four days before Justice Michael Wigney in the Federal Court on Monday concluded in about five minutes following several months of proceedings.

A Notice of Discontinuance is expected to be filed within the next two weeks and the matter has been listed for a case management hearing on April 26.

Australian Associated Press