Insurance
Asia-Pacific Guide 2024 : New Zealand
Band 3
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+64 9 353 9700About
Provided by MinterEllisonRuddWatts
MinterEllisonRuddWatts’ dedicated insurance team has significant international experience in the insurance industry. The team’s clients include major insurers and brokers, government entities, companies and individuals.
The team provides a full range of cost-effective legal services, bring industry understanding to the challenges clients face, and keep clients at the forefront of relevant legal and regulatory changes.
Advising on ‘front end’ needs, including policy drafting and advice, corporate advisory, reinsurance and agency agreements, the team is also experienced in bringing and defending litigation relating to complex and high value insurance issues.
The team regularly advise on claims relating to professional indemnity, directors and officers liability, reinsurance, general public liability, product liability, statutory liabilities, and property damage. The team is actively involved in current issues such as drafting new forms of policy for major insurance, cyber insurance and warranty insurance claims.
- Acting for Marsh, on a variety of claims, disputes and advisory matters, including E&O resolution and litigation legal services.
- Acting for Medical Assurance Society (MAS), on a variety of claims, disputes, and advisory matters for both the general, and life and health insurance businesses.
- Acting for a large New Zealand local government entity on all its insurance claims arising from potential liabilities for defective building works.
Chambers Review
MinterEllisonRuddWatts possesses an established insurance practice with experience advising multinational insurance brokers, underwriters, insurers and insureds on a range of issues. Its key clients include Marsh, Aon and PIC Insurance Brokers. The insurance team applies its wide range of experience and knowledge to large-scale insurance disputes and complex issues involving individuals, financial institutions, corporates and public entities. The team is frequently instructed on earthquake and property damage claims. The firm also offers a front-end practice, well versed in the design, drafting and interpretation of insurance policies.
Work Highlights
- MinterEllisonRuddWatts represented Bank of New Zealand and its insurers in a novel negligence claim against Wellington City Council. The claim relates to damage caused by the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake to the relatively new Harbour Quays building on the Wellington waterfront, which subsequently was demolished.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"They are extremely professional in the delivery of all communication, extremely thorough in researching, and they provide engaging expert advice where necessary to support our defence."
"The firm is technically strong with a responsive and approachable team."
"They are extremely professional in the delivery of all communication, extremely thorough in researching, and they provide engaging expert advice where necessary to support our defence."
"The firm is technically strong with a responsive and approachable team."
Notable Practitioners
Andrew Horne heads MinterEllisonRuddWatts's insurance practice from its Auckland office. He specialises in contentious insurance issues, which he has litigated on behalf of leading insurers and brokers from around the world, up to and including Supreme Court level, for over 25 years.
"He combines both deep technical subject matter expertise with a good dose of pragmatism and manner at the negotiation table or the mediation table."
"Andrew is good at cutting through the noise."
Ranked Lawyers at
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
New Zealand
Members
Provided by MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Clients
Provided by MinterEllisonRuddWatts
AIA
Aon
Auckland Council
Fulton Hogan
Marsh
Medical Assurance Society
PIC Insurance Brokers
Southern Cross Insurance
Tower Insurance
Youi