Our insurance disputes team has expertise in all insurance policies on the market, including but not limited to property damage and business interruption, cyber risk, D&O (directors and officers), W&I (warranty and indemnity), trade credit, political risk, product liability, employment practices, professional indemnity, BBB, fidelity/crime, and fiduciary/PTL. The team acts for corporate policyholders across a wide range of sectors including pharmaceutical/life sciences, food & beverage, luxury & retail, construction, betting & gaming, real estate, automotive and financial services.
The insurance industry is a sophisticated market, yet it is still evolving; this is clear from the recent FCA Business Interruption Test Case in which the team was directly involved. Generalist lawyers may not understand the nuances of the insurance sector and the need to preserve the policyholder's relationship with the insurer and also maximises the chances of recovery. Unpleasant surprises can be avoided by involving a specialist insurance lawyer at an early stage when reviewing your insurance portfolio and when considering making a claim.
Why we are different
Our insurance disputes team acts predominantly for corporate policyholders on coverage issues across a wide range of industries and lines of business. Our experience covers the whole process, from advising on risk programmes and policy renewals, mergers and acquisitions and other commercial agreements, to litigating or arbitrating on behalf of policyholders in the event an insurer rejects their claim. Our focus on the policyholder enables us to remain largely conflict free.
Our speciality is in managing disputes between policyholder and insurer. We treat the policyholder's claim as an asset to be recovered and take proactive and decisive action to fight each client's corner. We understand the challenges faced by underwriters and claims handlers which means that we are able to suggest pragmatic, commercial solutions that bring about a speedy and, where necessary, discrete conclusion.
Our experience of the litigation funding and after-the-event (ATE) insurance market means that we can transfer the cost risk of the legal proceedings to level the playing field when battling a large opponent.
London remains the hub of the insurance world with many insurers still writing their business back into London, using English law and jurisdiction to resolve disputes. However, our lawyers also have experience of handling insurance work emanating from all over the globe and they regularly work with international insurance lawyers to co-counsel or co-ordinate international disputes. Recent matters have originated from the US, France, Egypt, Lebanon, Dubai, Oman, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Key Services
- Policy coverage disputes against insurers
- Group actions on behalf of policyholders
- Insurance programmes, renewals and risk management
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Commercial contracts
- Insolvency run off issues
- Reinsurance and captives
- Litigation funding and after-the-event insurance
View our Corporate Insurance offering here.