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Insurance and Reinsurance

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Expertise

Our market-leading insurance group provides a full-range of advisory and transactional legal services to domestic and international insurance and reinsurance companies, captive insurance companies and insurance intermediaries active in the Irish market.

Our dedicated insurance practice is led by three market leading partners and a number of associates with significant regulatory expertise.  The team consists of highly experienced lawyers who are focused exclusively on advising insurance clients on complex governance and regulatory compliance matters, corporate transactional and restructuring work, reinsurance transactional work and on transactions of strategic importance such as distribution arrangements and outsourcing transactions. The breadth and depth of the Group ensures a client focused approach, which is strategic, responsive and solution-oriented.

The strength of our insurance practice is demonstrated by the calibre of our clients and complex and innovative, domestic and international matters we advise on. Members of the group have worked at very senior levels in financial institutions and the knowledge and commercial awareness gained through this experience enables Matheson to add real commercial value in the service it provides. The lawyers are commercially focused and implement corporate transactions to the very highest international standard with a track record that is second to none in the Irish market.

The lawyers in the team liaise with the Central Bank of Ireland on a daily basis. The knowledge and expertise of the group gained through experience advising clients on a range of issues, including Solvency II, IDD and the implications of Brexit and Covid-19 means the lawyers have a specialist understanding of the regulatory landscape our clients operate in.

 The group has extensive experience advising on all aspects of insurance law and regulation including:

  • establishment and authorisation in Ireland;
  • regulatory approval of re-organisations and acquisitions;
  • portfolio transfers, cross-border mergers and schemes of arrangement;
  • Brexit planning;
  • reinsurance transactions;
  • agency and distribution arrangements;
  • product oversight and governance requirements;
  • insurance and reinsurance contract wordings;
  • compliance issues including consumer protection laws, solvency requirements and corporate governance matters; and
  • regulatory engagement with the Central Bank including investigations, thematic inspections, enforcement actions and fitness and probity matters.

 We also work closely with our corporate, dispute resolution, tax, competition and pension colleagues to ensure the delivery of a seamless and comprehensive service for our insurance clients.

Our Team

Experience Highlights
  • advised a number of clients on significant engagement with the Central Bank related to Covid-19 regarding business interruption and travel insurance claims
  • advised Aon on the re-domiciliation of it’s EU headquarters from the UK to Ireland
  • advised Utmost on the merger of its three Irish life assurance companies
  • advised Amtrust on the sale of its global surety and credit reinsurance operations to Liberty Mutual
  • advised Monument on the merger of its three Irish life assurance companies
  • advised Awbury Insurance on a number of significant multi-jurisdictional reinsurance transactio
  • advised Marsh & McLennan Group on its internal re-organisation following the acquisition of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group
  • advised LCCG on the acquisition of the £3bn offshore bond portfolio from Athora Holding Limited
  • advised Aviva on its acquisition of Friends First from Achmea for €133 million
  • advised Willis on its $18 billion merger of equals with Towers Watson
  • advised Allied Irish Banks on the sale of Ark Life to Guardian for €350 million
  • advised Aviva Insurance Europe SE on the restructuring of its non-life business in Ireland
  • advised Monument Re on its acquisition of Barclays’ life and non-life insurance entities
  • advised the trustees of the Danske Bank pension scheme on a €350 million pension scheme buy in with Irish Life
  • advising various clients on their ongoing relationship with the CBI and enforcement actions.
Accolades

"The FIG team at Matheson are exceptional. We have worked with them for over 5 years and during that time they have gotten to know our business and tailored their advice based on our structure and circumstances. There is a clear division of responsibilities on the team e.g. transaction work, regulatory advice etc."
Insurance: The Legal 500 2023

"Matheson have excellent regulatory knowledge in general, and a very astute awareness of how regulators perceive both the market and market participants. Matheson’s partners’ insights have proven invaluable to us on many occasions".
Insurance: The Legal 500 2023

"In the litigation space, Matheson has successfully run a high-profile appeal for us in the High Court, and ultimately the Court of Appeal. Despite many twists and turns, Matheson, and April McClements in particular, consistently steered the litigation in the right direction and oversaw an outstanding victory for us in the Courts, vindicating our decision to commence litigation in the first place."
Insurance: The Legal 500 2023

"If Matheson believes that you have a state-able case, they can be relied upon to attain the optimum outcome achievable in the particular circumstances of your case. Their expertise in this area is second to no-one in the Irish market."
Insurance: The Legal 500 2023

Tier 1
The Legal 500 EMEA 2023

Band 1
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2023

"The team is responsive and practical." 
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2023

"Matheson has a very commercially aware and astute team that fully understands our business model and needs. They can be relied upon to provide pragmatic advice that is fully based on the realities of our industry and the requirements of our company." 

Insurance: Chambers Europe 2023

"The team is very knowledgable and personable. They break down complex matters very well." 
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2023

"The insurance team are excellent. Their technical knowledge and experience is really impressive and they are good at delivering commercial advice and understanding the risks. The team are great collaborators."
The Legal 500 2022

"The team are very good technically and very good collaborators."
The Legal 500 2022

"Expert knowledge in this very specialised area. Also are very practical and approachable."
The Legal 500 2022

"Matheson demonstrates particular expertise in insurance mandates and negotiating complex strategic mandates"
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2022

"Matheson has a broad range of expertise so all the requirements are under one roof."
Insurance: Chambers Europe 2022

"The team are very qualified and well placed to guide you through the step-by-step process that you are working with them on. They also take their time to educate the client throughout the process".
The Legal 500 2021

The team are "extremely responsive and practical in their thinking. Will take ownership of matters that others won’t".
The Legal 500 2021

"Matheson fully understand the business and the lawyers are very knowledgeable. They give excellent customer service. I have great confidence in the Matheson team’s capability".
The Legal 500 2021

"The team have a very personable approach. I specifically worked with Gráinne Callanan, along with Siobhán Dunne and Alison Shanley. I always felt very comfortable that if I had a question, I could pick up the phone or send an e-mail, and that I could contact the team. They really take their time to build relationships with you and make the legal experience enjoyable!".
The Legal 500 2021

"I found the level of service to be absolutely exceptional. Both in terms of responsiveness to tight deadlines and in the quality and reasoning of their advice, I found them to be absolutely first rate".
The Legal 500 2021