The Legal 500

Appleby's 'excellent' Tim Faries is team leader; Janita Burke is 'particularly knowledgeable as to the insurance industry and how the legal regulations apply'; and Alan Bossin's 'strength lies in both his quick turnaround and knowledge of the insurance industry'. The practice acted for the Kane Group on the acquisition of the insurance management business of HSBC in Bermuda, and it assisted MetLife in its acquisition of American Life Insurance for $15.5bn. The firm also advised global health service organisation Cigna Corporation when, together with its three affiliates, it entered into a reinsurance agreement with Fitzwilliam Insurance, the transaction essentially the sale of Cigna's workers' compensation and personal accident reinsurance. David Lines and Brad Adderley are also experienced practitioners.

Conyers Dill & Pearman's team head Charles Collis advises on the establishment of captive insurance companies, as well as many of the island's Class 3 and Class 4 reinsurance companies. The 'extremely reliable' Collis also specialises in insurance derivatives and has conducted a significant number of insurance securitisations and transformation transactions using special purpose vehicles, traditional reinsurance companies and segregated account companies. Highlights for the practice included acting for Lodestone Re in connection with its two cat bond transactions with Chartis, as a result of which both series of notes were listed on the Bermuda Stock Exchange. David Doyle is known for insurance and reinsurance matters, and has extensive experience in the area of segregated accounts' insurance companies, Chris Garrod is experienced in insurance regulatory matters and new insurance incorporations, and Michael Frith acts in insurance incorporations and the private placement equity financing of insurance companies.

Attride-Stirling & Woloniecki advises Bermuda insurance and reinsurance companies, captive management companies, brokers and underwriting agents on a variety of corporate and regulatory issues, and has worked closely with the Bermuda regulator, the Bermuda Monetary Authority. On the contentious side, the firm has extensive experience of insurance and reinsurance coverage litigation in the Bermuda courts, and in arbitration in Bermuda, Hong Kong, London and the US. The practice's clients include a range of players in the international reinsurance market, including North American insurance and reinsurance companies, Lloyd's syndicates, London market and European companies, Bermuda insurance and reinsurance companies, captives and captive management companies, brokers and underwriting agents. Members of the litigation team have also accepted international arbitration appointments and acted as expert witnesses on English and Bermuda reinsurance law. Jan Woloniecki heads on the litigation side.

Well regarded by its contemporaries, Mello Jones & Martin's 'experienced and reliable' corporate team regularly acts on reinsurance and captive insurance matters. Alan Dunch is noted for insurance litigation.

Sedgwick Chudleigh is a well respected firm in Bermuda for insurance and reinsurance arbitration work, its insurance and reinsurance practice including casualty/general liability coverage, financial lines and property covers. The team represented a Bermuda insurer in arbitration proceedings arising out of a major US rail disaster and claims under a Bermuda Form policy.