We have provided policy advice and claims defence services to the Insurance market for over 30 years. With more than 80 insurance lawyers in our Professional Risks and Liability Risks teams, operating in the regions and in London, we have a top rated team with many lawyers recognised as experts in their field in the leading legal directories.
In addition to our "core" insurance expertise, as a full service firm we are able to call on the expertise of our other corporate teams who have sector focussed non-contentious expertise in order to match our skills directly to the issues facing our insurance clients.
Our Work
Advice to insurers on policy drafting
We draft insurance and reinsurance contract wordings for Lloyds' Syndicates and non-life insurance companies including:
- Property - all risks and defined perils covering both land and major assets including aviation, infrastructure project and other assets - e.g. train operating companies
- Contractors all risks
- Liability
- Specie and bankers blanket bonds
- Energy including renewable cover for design, building and operation of ethanol plants, onshore and offshore wind energy
- Design of policies for terrorism for public authority mutual
- Political risk
- Professional indemnity.
Advice to insurers on
- regulator
- compliance and corporate governance issues
- competition
- data protection
- technology.
Regulatory issues
Our financial services regulatory team advises on a wide range of insurance products covering how they are regulated, the applicable sales processes, forms of literature and application forms, the application of unfair contract terms and treating customers fairly principles, the application of ICOBS requirements and the issue of what amounts to 'insurance'. We regularly work with insurers on the preparation of their general and protection insurance product literature. We advise on life products, protection and general insurances.
Compliance
We regularly undertake reviews for providers to ensure their product literature complies with regulatory requirements, unfair contract terms legislation, TCF principles and ABI guidance and can conduct file audits to ensure consistency of advice and suggest changes to supervisory practices and training and competence regimes where necessary. We advise international and national insurers on their distribution arrangements through intermediaries.
Competition law
Our competition team knows the importance of understanding the sector before it can give pragmatic and commercially focussed competition law advice. Our intimate knowledge of the insurance sector gives us that advantage and we offer a real alternative to the traditional City advisers to insurers in terms of our expertise and value. As a result we advise clients in the insurance sector on a wide spectrum of competition law issues including behavioural issues, compliance and effect on commercial arrangements.
Technology
We have a dedicated team of IT lawyers working for many of the UK's leading businesses who understands the needs of the IT users it acts for, including the regulatory restrictions and framework that need to be taken into account. Our expertise covers systems integration, development and infrastructure related projects, as well as telephony and communications.
Our insurance team can also call on lawyers experienced in handling IT disputes when appropriate. As well as professional liability for negligent services and issues concerning alleged non conformity with specification, breach of quality and fitness for purpose, businesses in this sector are particularly exposed to risks connected with damage to computer systems and the data held on them.
Data protection
Our data protection team advises on all aspects of data protection and privacy law including undertaking audits, advising on data security breaches, advising on international transfers of data and dealing with data related disputes.
We work closely with our financial services regulatory team and understand the regulatory restrictions that need to be taken into account when advising clients in the insurance sector.
Commercial
We regularly advise on key commercial arrangements between businesses. With a particular focus on outsourcing and strategic partnering, we know the importance of putting in place long term, business critical agreements which strike the right balance between the contracting parties, as well as providing a flexible and commercial framework for future changes of requirements. At the heart of all such projects is the need for clarity, transparency and a complete understanding of the core business risks which need to be addressed.