Insurers' and reinsurers' business
strategies are having to take account of the quickening pace of
globalisation. In particular, this has focused attention on
comparative regulatory regimes and industry consolidation.
Working closely with the
firm's commercial risk and reinsurance team, we draw on a
wealth of experience of insurance matters and deep regulatory
knowledge to deliver a comprehensive service in all corporate and
regulatory insurance and reinsurance matters.
Our firm is renowned for its
expertise in corporate and regulatory insurance, as well as its
insurance litigation capabilities. This reputation is endorsed by
the leading legal directories, with Chambers &
Partners stating: "Clients praise the team's in-depth
knowledge of the sector, which enables it to advise companies in
the life and non-life sectors on corporate and regulatory
issues".
Transactional
work
We advise our insurance industry
clients on a wide range of transactional matters including:
- mergers and acquisitions/disposals;
- IPOs and other capital raisings;
- joint ventures;
- MBOs and MBIs;
- start-ups;
- insurance business transfer schemes, other reorganisations, and
schemes of arrangement (solvent and insolvent);
- Lloyd's capacity offers and syndicate mergers;
- acting as sponsors of new Lloyd's corporate members;
and
- demutualisations.
Regulatory
work
We advise on all aspects of
regulation by the FSA and Lloyd's including:
- the authorisation of insurance and reinsurance companies and
insurance intermediaries in the UK;
- compliance risk management issues e.g. whether insurance
mediation regulations extend to a specific type of business and
whether a product is to be regulated as an insurance contract;
- presentations seeking regulatory consents; and
- cross-border business transactions under the EEA 'passport'
system.
Commercial
work
We advise on product-related and
general commercial matters, working with our other practice groups
where necessary. Such matters include:
- run-off administration;
- underwriting agency, claims administration and similar
contracts;
- policy wording and product development;
- whether our underwriter clients should underwrite particular
aspects of a transaction, including insurance supporting financing
arrangements on possible 'bear traps', and structuring;
- reinsurance structures, including financial reinsurance
contracts;
- Lloyd's corporate members' quota shares, qualifying quota
shares, and reinsurance-to-close contracts;
- e-commerce;
- IT and other outsourcing contracts; and
- non-insurance specific regulations e.g. distance selling.
Meet our people
For information on members of this team and partners in our affiliated undertakings who work in this area, please click on the link below.
Publications
Read some of our recent articles, client newsletters and other publications.