The Legal 500

DAC Beachcroft LLP is ‘very well known’ for insurance law, and practice head Ignacio Figuerol, Pablo Wesolowski and Paulino Fajardo all enjoy excellent reputations. The firm advises on a range of corporate, regulatory, licensing and fiscal issues, and has extensive experience in litigation, including complex claims in Spain and Latin America, a well as US class actions against Spanish companies. It also has experience in ADR. Its client roster includes London, US and Spanish insurers and reinsurers, as well as Spanish subsidiaries of major European insurers.

Garrigues’ five-partner team advised Banco Santander on its agreement with Abbey Life Assurance (a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank), in which the latter will reinsure the individual life risk portfolio of the former’s Iberian insurance companies. It also advised Groupama on the sale and purchase of the entire share capital of an insurance company, and advised Aegon on a joint venture with Liberbank Group to distribute life insurance and pension plan products via the latter’s network. Managing partner Fernando Vives and Alvaro López-Jorrín are prominent figures in the market.

Hogan Lovells International LLP’s Joaquín Ruiz Echauri is ‘very well known’ for his ‘knowledge of the market and excellent technical skills’. He and his ‘highly enthusiastic’ team provide ‘timely advice that is of a high standard’. The team has been involved in various cross-border disputes, and has an impressive client roster that includes new clients Cigna and AXA Corporate Solutions, as well as Mapfre and Generali. It is advising Adeslas Segurcaixa on its new industrial risks division, which was set up to underwrite its clients’ property and casualty liability.

Uría Menéndez’s ‘very focused’ practice advised CaixaBank and Vidacaixa on bancassurance restructuring arising from the merger between CaixaBank and Banca Cívica. It also represented Bankia in arbitration with Aviva over a disputed bancassurance agreement between Aviva and Bancaja. The team advised Abbey Life Assurance on its VIF monetisation transaction with Banco Santander’s insurance subsidiary for the Spanish and Portuguese markets. José María Segovia and Guillermo San Pedro lead the six-partner group.

Albors Galiano Portales is a renowned shipping boutique with a strong reputation for marine insurance. From its offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, the firm advises on insurance for hulls, machinery, freight and disbursements, cargo, yachts, and motor boats. It is also expert in protection and indemnity matters, and liquidation claims. The firm also advises on non-marine insurance concerning damages and civil liability, including product liability. Eduardo Albors and Javier Portales are recommended.

Ashurst LLP has ‘significantly more expertise than many of its competitors’, and is ‘comparable to the best in the market’. It regularly advises Aegon on insurance mediation, contracts and personal data protection regulations, and recently advised Aviva on the acquisition of 50% of life insurance company Pelayo Mondiale Vida. Practice head María José Menéndez is ‘a very complete lawyer’.

Clifford Chance is ‘simply outstanding’, showing ‘client orientation and flexibility’. It recently advised one of the bidders on Groupama’s acquisition, assisted Generali with integrating its real estate business into an Italian company, and advised Chartis on agreements to distribute insurance products. The team also handles insurance litigation, and recently earned instructions from AXA Corporate Solutions and Mutua Madrileña. Counsel Jaime Sánchez, who heads the team, ‘combines his insight of the insurance market with an excellent track record in M&A operations’.

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira’s ‘very good practice’ advises on regulatory matters, litigation and insurance taxation. Recent highlights include acting for Accy Phone as the insured in two court cases claiming indemnity from insurers following theft of mobile phones from its warehouse. It also advised Banca Cívica on the sale of 50% of Caja Burgos Vida to Aegon, and assisted Zurich with the acquisition of 51% of Banco Santander’s bancassurance business in Latin America. Eduardo Ramírez is the key contact.

Fernando Igartua and Fernando de las Cuevas leads Gómez-Acebo & Pombo Abogados’ practice, which provides ongoing advice to Chartis and Cigna on policies and issues relating to their Spanish businesses, and it often represents AXA in litigation. The firm regularly advises Genworth on its mortgage insurance credit policies.

Kennedys has a ‘very active’ practice in Iberia, Latin America and parts of Africa. Jose Maria Arauz and Jesus Velez are experienced insurance and reinsurance lawyers, whose recent work includes advising insurers on a fire at an industrial plant, and defending insurers in a D&O claim.

Bird & Bird’s Javier Fernández-Samaniego gives ‘down-to-earth technical advice’, and the firm provides ‘good value for money’. Seguros RGA is a key client.

Ventura Garcés & López-Ibor, Abogados acted for a Lloyd’s syndicate in a major insurance claim following a snow avalanche caused by a helicopter, and advised a Spanish oil export company on an export credit insurance claim against CESC. Alfonso Lopez-Ibor is recommended.