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As a top-ranked, policyholder-focused practice, our insurance recovery lawyers have assisted some of the world’s largest companies in resolving complex, high-stakes insurance and reinsurance disputes.

Our highly rated team includes a cross-border roster of leading international insurance arbitration lawyers with deep experience resolving policyholders’ disputes across all lines of insurance, and handling a broad range of insurance and reinsurance arbitrations, including ad hoc arbitrations and those conducted under the rules of the AAA, ARIAS, LCIA and JAMS, as well as those conducted under the English Arbitration Act of 1996 and the Bermuda Arbitration Act.

We are extremely well versed in “Bermuda Form” arbitrations. Insurance policies sold in Bermuda and other offshore markets typically require coverage disputes to be arbitrated in London or Bermuda under a modified version of New York law. Our global insurance arbitration practice has the bench depth and strength to provide clients with bespoke teams comprising:

U.S. coverage attorneys experienced in both New York insurance law and international arbitration;
English coverage attorneys experienced in both English and Bermuda arbitration procedure; and
Attorneys in the United States, the UK, and beyond with significant experience representing policyholder and captive insurer clients in proceedings against international insurers and reinsurers, including Chubb, AXA XL, Oil Insurance Limited, Sompo Insurance, HDI-Gerling, Lloyds of London Underwriters, and Liberty Specialty Underwriters, among others.

Our attorneys regularly handle high-stake arbitrations and serve as party-nominated arbitrators in insurance arbitrations. Our versatile group offers “impressive depth in both US insurance recovery work and international arbitration matters.” (Chambers USA 2024). Clients include some of the world’s largest companies across a wide variety of industries, including, among others, energy, construction, life sciences and health care, and food manufacturing. The team is adept at advising clients at all stages of the arbitration life cycle, from selecting arbitrators and chairs to filing the Statement of Claim, representing clients in arbitral hearings and enforcing awards. We also regularly work with leading barristers in the insurance field.

Claims counseling – Reed Smith’s insurance recovery attorneys have extensive experience assisting policyholders in:

Framing their claims under international insurance policies;
Coordinating the pursuit of insurance, including working with brokers to provide notice;
Mediating or settling claims pre-arbitration; and
Where necessary, pursuing arbitration proceedings to the point of settlement or award.

Coverage counseling – With our experience in arbitrating and resolving disputes under international forms, we are strongly placed to assist policyholders and their insurance brokers in securing the best possible coverage from offshore carriers.

Hearings or proceedings – Frequently, policyholders purchase domestic U.S. insurance to cover their exposure within the retention underlying their international coverage. A program of insurance can include a mix of policies, with dispute resolution mechanisms involving international arbitration, court litigation, or both, and across a number of jurisdictions. Reed Smith’s insurance recovery attorneys are strongly positioned to seek recoveries in London, Bermuda, and throughout the United States.

Our insurance arbitration attorneys are thought leaders in the field, speaking at global conferences and symposiums, providing industry commentary in both Reed Smith and third-party publications and other media, including podcasts, and publishing timely alerts on insurance developments.

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International Arbitration – Insurance