Insurance and Reinsurance

Insurers and reinsurers increasingly face complex, protracted litigation and arbitrations with far-reaching implications and significant monetary value. Success in these matters requires a law firm with established expertise in insurance and reinsurance disputes.

O’Melveny’s insurance and reinsurance practice combines over 75 years of experience with forward-looking innovation. We provide litigation, arbitration, and transactional services to such notable insurance companies as ACE, CIGNA, GEICO, MunichRe, Northwestern, and Zurich. Our team handles disputes involving insurance coverage company practices, regulatory issues, ERISA issues, reinsurance claims, mutual funds, securities, and criminal defense. For example, in the aftermath of September 11th, we represented Zurich in a jury trial against a disputed coverage claim filed by Silverstein Properties Inc. for more than US$1.13 billion in coverage for the World Trade Center. We also scored a victory for ACE and CIGNA in their decade-long battle over CIGNA’s restructuring, and recently won the highly publicized trial victory for Century Indemnity against Congoleum Corporation in a major asbestos case.

We represent clients worldwide under various international arbitration regimes–including the English Arbitration Act, Hong Kong, CITAL, ICC, UNCITRAL, and AAA rules–and have achieved success in almost every international procedural and industry setting.

Our regulatory litigation work includes state commission insurance hearings related to hostile takeovers, constitutional challenges to state laws and regulations, and voter-passed initiatives. We are well-versed in handling complex actuarial cases involving reinsurance and other risk transfer. Our experience includes litigating a case concerning the commutation of reinsurance involving environment and asbestos liabilities. We are also experienced in litigating novel and complex insurance products and agency relationships.

On the transactional side, we address insolvencies, liquidations, and financially distressed situations for insurers and reinsurers. Our recent experience includes the restructuring of two major insurance companies.

Combining broad experience and strategic planning skills with highly efficient execution, international collaboration, and targeted budgeting, we achieve the best possible total cost outcomes for clients. Our team excels in complex matters with significant repercussions, successfully handles precedent-setting trials and appeals, and has earned a first-rate reputation among insurance and reinsurance companies alike.

Key Facts

Industry Reach

Agency Disputes Alternative Dispute Resolution Antitrust Litigation Aviation and Aerospace Bad Faith and Unfair Claims Practice Class Actions Construction Defect Contractual Liability Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Domestic and International Arbitrations Environmental Claims ERISA Litigation Estoppel/Waiver Litigation Fraud and Abuse Claims Health Care Litigation

Insurance and Reinsurance Coverage Claims Primary and Excess Insurers’ Disputes Product Liability Professional Liability Regulatory Proceedings Reinsurance RICO Sexual Molestation Claims Subrogation Supreme Court and Other Appellate Work Toxic Torts Unfair Competition White Collar Criminal Defense Worker’s Compensation Class Actions

Practice Strengths

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