Insurance and reinsurance

The insurance and reinsurance market is an increasingly competitive and fast-changing environment. Professional advisers must have an in-depth knowledge of the sector’s varied but specialised components in order to provide the cutting edge expertise that organisations require. At Penningtons Manches Cooper, our dedicated lawyers have the necessary skills and experience to offer an end-to-end service across the full range of insurance law matters.

International insurance experts

From the established world of marine insurance through to the rapidly-evolving frontier of cyber cover, we have a market reputation for flexibility. Our insurance lawyers are able to support clients in tackling large, complex and detailed issues, while identifying and implementing commercially relevant and practical solutions.

The breadth of our insurance and reinsurance team reflects the firm’s core practice and sector areas including shipping, technology, travel and construction. Our clients consist of travel and marine underwriters, protection and indemnity associations and Lloyds syndicates as well as their respective policyholders, members and assured businesses and individuals.

The firm regularly advises on the construction and application of contracts of insurance, from professional indemnity, travel and marine policies (hull and machinery, P&I, war risks, charterers’ liability and yacht) to catastrophic personal injury claims, subrogated insurance recoveries, cost containment and reinsurance disputes.

We receive particular recognition for our contentious insurance practice. All of our insurance lawyers specialise in litigation and have the experience to handle the most complex, high-value disputes. They also gain plaudits for their comprehensive knowledge of EU and UK legislation, and PRA and FCA regulations pertaining to the insurance sector, and are regularly engaged to provide advice on product design, cross-border marketing, compliance, disputes and enforcement.

They have many years worth of expertise … the team have remained a reliable and ever more knowledgeable presence.

The far-reaching yet focused expertise in our UK offices is replicated throughout our overseas network. From our bases in Spain, France, Greece and Singapore, we are often instructed on insurance issues that have an English law aspect, but also an international dimension. Such issues may be complex because they involve cross-border disputes or issues touching two or more systems of law or regulation.

Our bilingual teams of insurance lawyers in each of these overseas locations are able to give specialist advice in English, thereby enabling UK-based clients to communicate with them directly. As a member firm of both Multilaw and the European Law Group, we can also call upon other member firms and their lawyers around the world for additional assistance to complement the legal expertise in our established offices.

How we help our clients

Aviation and space insurance

Construction and engineering insurance

Cyber insurance

Environmental and pollution insurance

Financial lines, including D&O, piracy, kidnap and ransom

Marine, cargo and offshore insurance

Professional indemnity insurance

Property insurance

Public and product liability insurance

Speciality insurance, including political risks, war and terrorism, fine art and specie

Travel and tourism insurance

Yachts and superyachts insurance

Recent work highlights

Multiple proceedings over war insurance losses

Providing coverage advice to a major insurer on multiple billion-pound claims for alleged loss of aircraft and engines currently operating or being stored in Russia, arising from the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent imposition of sanctions on Russia.

Significant hull damage to superyacht

Acting for the owners of a unique superyacht over extensive hull damage after it was pulled ashore at a shipyard. The underwriters accepted the yacht was a constructive total loss, and paid the insured value together with the increased value in the policy.

Failure of drilling equipment

Acting for international reinsurers on multi-jurisdictional issues and increase in costs of working issues in a delay in start-up claim arising from a construction all risks policy for a pipeline construction project in Colombia, relating to a failure of drilling equipment.

Civil liability issues after shore crane damage

Acting for the owners and liability insurers of a large container ship that hit a shore crane, resulting in the collapse of the crane and causing severe personal injuries.

Travel insurer policy disputes

Advising a travel insurer client on disputes arising from pre-existing non-disclosure, alleged fraud, contribution and double insurance, and declination of cover for medical expenses.

International sale of goods dispute

Advising international insurers in relation to E&O and cyber policy coverage for cyber payment fraud and payment fraud arising from an international sale of goods dispute.

‘The team has a great deal of experience handling complex, multi-jurisdictional matters involving a range of governing laws, particularly arising from casualties at sea. They are able to coordinate this seamlessly, managing the input from local lawyers abroad.’

The team at Penningtons is brilliant: they are very easy to get on with, and all have a fantastic in-depth knowledge of their area.

An excellent firm offering services for both insurers and insureds.

Excellent management of procedures, outstanding representation in court, as well as extensive experience in out-of-court settlements, mediations and arbitrations.

They] have extensive experience in shipping and transport, international trade and insurance law. They are innovative, flexible and always get excellent results in conflict resolution.