Our dedicated Insurance Department is consistently regarded as the market leader in Ireland on insurance (both life and non-life) and reinsurance matters.  This multi-disciplinary team has provided legal, regulatory and tax expertise in some of the largest and most complex insurance transactions in recent years.  Our head of practice, John Larkin, is a member of An Taoiseach's (Irish Prime Minister's) IFSC Insurance Group.

The practice represents clients in all sectors of the insurance industry.

Areas of expertise include:

• Mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures
• Licensing and authorisation of new operations including side-cars
• Passporting of insurance and reinsurance activities
• Restructuring and portfolio transfers
• Risk securitisations (life and non-life)
• Redomiciles, cross border mergers and acquisitions
• Assisting clients on Solvency II compliance issues
• Regulatory investigations
• Insurance litigation and dispute resolution
• Key document review and product advisory work
• Compliance and corporate governance
• Captive operations
• Authorisation and supervision of intermediaries

As a full-service law firm we are able to draw extensively on our colleagues’ expertise in M&A, tax, Competition & Regulation, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and other areas.

Our experience includes advising/acting for:

Mergers and Acquisitions

Acting on the buy-side or sell-side in domestic and international deals including:

• SCOR on its acquisition of the mortality risk business of Transamerica Re
• RSA Insurance on its acquisitions of Europa Group, Sertus Insurance and Benchmark Underwriting
• Alterra/Harbor Point in its amalgamation with Max Capital
• Enstar on its acquisition of Citilife Financial (now Laguna Life) from Citigroup 
• 123.ie and its vendors on its acquisition by RSA Insurance
• NPG Wealth Management (JC Flowers) on its acquisition of Combined Life Assurance Company of Europe from ACE Group
• Vivas Health vendors on its sale to Aviva Insurance
• Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) on the acquisition on a renewals basis of the life accident and health business of XL Re
• IPC Re in relation to its merger with Validus, and previous amalgamation plan involving Max Capital
• Wellpoint on the acquisition of DeCare Dental
• Carlyle Group on its acquisition of the motor assist business RAC Group from Aviva 

Restructurings and Portfolio Transfers

Domestic and cross-border restructurings and inward/outward transfers of (re)insurance books involving High Court and regulatory authorisations including:

• Alterra on the Court sanctioned merger of its Irish insurance and reinsurance platforms
• Electrolux on the portfolio transfer of the non-life insurance business from its Irish captive to its Swedish captive
• Ericsson in the portfolio transfers of its insurance and reinsurance captive business to its non-life local carrier 
• Scottish Re on the portfolio transfer of its Irish business to its Cayman Islands affiliate
• Darta Saving Life and Allianz on the portfolio transfer of German branch life business
• Oney on the portfolio transfer of its PPI portfolio to its Malta insurance platform 

Authorisations and New Establishments

The establishment of head office operations in Ireland selling on a freedom of services/freedom of establishment basis across EEA jurisdictions including recent set-ups involving:

• AXA Life Europe, AXA Global Distributors and AXA Reinsurance Ireland
• Allianz Global Life
• MetLife
• Wüstenrot & Württembergische
• R&V Lebensversicherung 
• Carta Si (Si Reinsurance)
• Santander Insurance
• Ironshore

Insurance Linked Securitisations and Capital Markets

• SCOR on the various Atlas (I to VI) cat bond insurance linked securitisations
• Scottish Re on its Orkney II and Ballantyne Re securitised reinsurance structures
• AXA Cessions in its Osiris mortality cat bond programme
• AXA as sponsor of Calypso Capital in its European windstorm debt issuance

Run-offs and Winding-ups

• LCL Acquisitions on its acquisition of Irish non-life insurance undertaking Santam Europe (in run off)
• Capricorn Insurance, IAG Re (Australia) (and others) on schemes leading to the surrender back of (re)insurance authorisations to the Central Bank of Ireland

General Advisory and Other Regulatory Work

• Various authorised (re)insurers on on-going legal and regulatory aspects, including dialogue with the Central Bank of Ireland on areas such as product development and corporate governance best practice and potentially contentious matters such as on-site visits, administrative sanctions and enforcement.
• Health Insurance Authority, the statutory authority for the private health insurance market, on ongoing matters.

Contentious Insurance

• Advising various professional firms regarding professional indemnity claims including stockbrokers, accountancy and consultancy firms, real estate and valuation firms, and international insurance brokers
• Acting for a major Irish insurer in relation to professional indemnity and public products liability cases.  Subrogated claims against third parties, property damage and business interruption policies
• Advising on the coverage and policy wording of various insurance policies for bodies in the financial services sector including reinsurance, catastrophe insurance, D&O and combined business & liability insurance

We are consistently ranked as one of the leading insurance and reinsurance law firms in Ireland.

Department

Sources say: "With this firm we can pick up the phone and get things done very quickly." "Lawyers here delivered what they said they would and when they said they would. They are very consistent – all the work is excellent and they are easy to do business with."
Chambers Europe, 2013 - Insurance

William Fry has ‘high industry knowledge and interaction’ and is the firm of choice for many transactions.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2013 - Insurance

Sources say: 'The team will work all hours to make sure we get what we need in the time.' 'It is a tight-knit team that is full of integrity and works to provide the best for its clients.'
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Insurance

William Fry is an ‘expert in its field’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Insurance

Sources enthuse that 'the lawyers’ substance and knowledge stand out - you can ring them with a question, and nine times out of ten you'll get an answer straight away. Also, they're proactive, ringing us to make sure we're up to date on legislative changes.'
Chambers Europe, 2011 - Insurance

William Fry garners praise from clients commending the firm’s ‘up-to-date knowledge’ and ability to provide ‘cross-departmental insurance advice, with corporate, tax and antitrust all specialist areas’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 – Insurance

The large insurance department at William Fry offers premier advice on non-contentious and contentious matters. Within the practice, the firm’s corporate and regulatory insurance group stands out. One client commented that “we have migrated all our work to William Fry now. The firm never advises at arm’s length, but takes the time to get to understand our business. It is a very proactive outfit.” In line with the increasing consolidation of the insurance industry, the firm has been active on several major acquisitions. It has also been prominent in large portfolio transfer files. The firm has a proven ability to handle major cross-border mandates, working in conjunction with UK and other foreign law firms.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Insurance

Team

John Larkin
John Larkin's "knowledge of insurance law is second to none. He understands the marketplace and really combines that with his pragmatism. He is easy to deal with and not a time waster."
Chambers Europe, 2013 - Insurance

Clients value John Larkin's 'fantastic network – he knows everyone in the business in Ireland and further afield.'
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Insurance

Clients highlight team head John Larkin for his ‘keen understanding of the financial services environment’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Insurance

Clients rave about long-standing insurance and reinsurance expert John Larkin, observing that he 'has excellent intuition about the international insurance market, a great deal of experience, and he's highly practical and demonstrative in what he says.'
Chambers Europe, 2011 - Insurance

Team head John Larkin is ‘one of the top two insurance specialists in Ireland’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 – Insurance

John Larkin is one of the market’s most revered practitioners, known and recommended by all. “His particular understanding of reinsurance is a godsend,” say sources, who on a more personal level appreciate his “24-hour accessibility and timeliness in delivery.”
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Insurance

Paul Murray
'Paul Murray is especially well reputed for life and non-life risk securitisations, derivative transactions and issues arising in the context of custodial services and asset management activities.'
Chambers Europe, 2011 - Insurance

Paul Murray is an ‘expert in SPV requirements’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 – Insurance

Paul Murray practises in all areas of non-contentious insurance, and is also recommended by the market.
Chambers Europe, 2010 - Insurance

Paul Murray is described as “reliable and extremely imaginative,” and has extensive expertise in structured finance. He focuses on insurance securitisation, reinsurance and derivatives.
Chambers Europe, 2009 – Insurance

Owen O'Sullivan
Owen O'Sullivan is praised for his "prompt, enthusiastic and responsive approach."
Chambers Europe, 2013 - Insurance

Owen O'Sullivan is lauded as 'very calm and businesslike. He can see what the issues are and will deal with them sensibly.'
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Insurance

'Litigation department head, Owen O'Sullivan, concentrates on commercial disputes, with ample experience of product liability in the pharmaceutical, energy drink, automotive and tobacco industries.'
Chambers Europe, 2011 - Insurance

Owen O'Sullivan is head of the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice and handles insurance-related litigation for the team.
Chambers Europe, 2009 – Insurance: Dispute Resolution

Eoin Caulfield
Eoin Caulfield is described as "exceptionally knowledgeable about the sector and insurance start-ups as well as any regulatory and commercial issues that may affect insurance companies."
Chambers Europe, 2013 - Insurance

Eoin Caulfield is highly valued by clients, who say 'he is approachable and knowledgeable, with an exceptional understanding of the European insurance market.'
Chambers Europe, 2012 - Insurance

Clients highlight Eoin Caulfield as being ‘a pillar of support’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2012 - Insurance