Insurance in Luxembourg
Allen & Overy Luxembourg
Allen & Overy Luxembourg's multi-disciplinary insurance offering effectively brings together numerous practitioners from throughout the firm's full-service platform who have developed a high level of expertise advising on insurance matters, from transactional, regulatory and litigation perspectives. Team head Paul Péporté has significant regulatory expertise in the sector, which he deploys to good effect on insurance-related M&A handled by the firm. Pierre Schleimer is also a key member of the team and is often involved in the setting up of insurance and reinsurance companies, the establishment of fund-linked insurance products and representation of clients in insurance-linked litigation.
Practice head(s):
Paul Péporté
Other key lawyers:
Pierre Schleimer
Testimonials
‘The firm has a well-established practice and works well together.’
‘The team shows very good reactivity and commitment.’
Key clients
GB Life
Cardif Lux Vie
Lombard International Assurance
Ageas Insurance
UBS
Quintet Private Bank
Work highlights
- Advised GB Life Luxembourg S.A, a European life insurance solutions provider, on the sale of the entirety of its share capital to Foyer S.A., a Luxembourg-based privately-owned financial group.
- Advised Cardif Lux Vie, a Luxembourg-based life insurance undertaking (part of the BNP Paribas group), in the context of the merger by absorption/portfolio transfer of Cardif Life (previously named ABN AMRO and renamed following its acquisition by BGL BNP Paribas).
- Advised Cardif Lux Vie on the sale of its ‘Employee Benefits’ business to LALUX-Vie, a Luxembourg life insurance company.
Arendt & Medernach
Benefiting from core sector-focused regulatory knowledge and also effectively able to leverage the firm's market-leading M&A and litigation functions, Arendt & Medernach is well-placed to advise on standalone regulatory matters, as well as to provide the overarching insurance advice pursuant to transactions in the sector. Team head Pierre-Michaël de Waersegger provides regulatory advice in the context of insurance M&A, and also advises insurers on the development of new products and services. Litigation partner Christian Point often represents clients in coverage disputes and provides advice on policy wording.
Practice head(s):
Pierre-Michaël de Waersegger
Other key lawyers:
Christian Point
Key clients
RSA Insurance Group
TransRe
FWU Life
AIG
SwissRe
Liberty Mutual Specialty Market
Tokio Marine
Foyer Assurance
Crédit Agricole Life Insurance
Hyperion Group
Credit Suisse
Edmond de Rothschild group
West of England
BarentsRe
CNA Hardy
MunichRe
DARAG
Work highlights
- Advising Peugeot S.A. and Fiat Chrysler Automobile in connection with the (re)insurance regulatory aspects in relation to their contemplated merger.
- Advising Italy’s largest and the world’s third largest insurance company Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A.,on the (re)insurance regulatory aspects in relation to the acquisition of a qualifying holding in Cattolica.
Philippe & Partners
Philippe & Partners 'has an excellent reputation with the regulators and insurance companies', enabling it to effectively advise insurers and reinsurers across the spectrum of issues impacting their businesses, including on the implications of current legislation and EU directives, as well as on product development and M&A-related matters. Marc Gouden and Pierre Moreau co-head the team and are able to provide 'accurate and fast advice' by virtue of their 'in-depth knowledge' of the sector.
Practice head(s):
Marc Gouden; Pierre Moreau
Testimonials
‘The team is always available and provides very clear explanations.’
‘The team provides excellent legal advice and is well-connected on the Luxembourg market.’
‘The firm has an excellent reputation with the regulators and insurance companies.’
‘The firm has very good knowledge of the Luxembourg bancassurance industry as well as the products and internal organisation of the client and its business counterparties.’
‘Marc Gouden and Pierre Moreau have the skill to anticipate eventual issues and advise accordingly.’
‘Marc Gouden and Pierre Moreau always fully understand our needs and work perfectly in symbiosis with our company. The work is accurate and fast.’
‘Marc Gouden is an excellent insurance lawyer with a good network in Luxembourg.’
Wildgen
The team at Wildgen is 'composed of lawyers with complementary and highly diversified skills in the insurance sector' and is thereby well-placed to advise clients in the life insurance, non-life insurance and reinsurance sectors across the gamut of aspects impacting their businesses. Karine Vilret has been pivotal to the firm's recent success in the area and, since her arrival to the team at the end of 2018 from KLEYR GRASSO, has galvanised its offering, particularly in light of her contentious life insurance expertise. 'Strategic thinker' Michel Bulach co-heads the team alongside Vilret and provides non-contentious expertise to reinsurers, including on M&A in the sector, as well as on establishment and ongoing operational requirements. Silvia Bracaloni's arrival in October 2019 from Generali further enhances the team's offering, in light of her 'detailed product and regulatory knowledge'.
Practice head(s):
Karine Vilret; Michel Bulach
Other key lawyers:
Giuseppe Cafiero; Silvia Bracaloni
Testimonials
‘The firm is composed of lawyers with complementary and highly diversified skills in the insurance sector.’
‘The members of the firm I have dealt with have always been very available, efficient and responsive.’
‘Karine Vilret has significant expertise in Luxembourg insurance law ’
‘Michel Bulach is a strategic thinker.’
‘Giuseppe Cafiero is excellent at bridging insurance expertise with financial market skills.’
‘Silvia Bracaloni has detailed product and regulatory knowledge, and makes her in-house experience count in client relationships and developing solutions.’
‘Silvia Bracaloni has deep knowledge and experience, having worked in the insurance sector.’
Key clients
Allianz Luxembourg S.A.
Bâloise Group Luxembourg
Barents RE
CAMCA Assurance SA (Groupe Crédit Agricole)
Chubb
CNI
La Mondiale Europartner Luxembourg
Lombard International Assurance
Wealins
Work highlights
- Successfully represented Bâloise Vie Luxembourg in the defence of a class action of 31 Luxembourgish and Belgian applicants.
- Assisted a Luxembourg insurance company on the implementation of a new business model in retail affiliation-linked mass insurance via a leading European retailer, which is currently in a restructuring process in order to fight the competition of pure internet players.
- Assisted an international insurance company client on the €12m acquisition of a Luxembourg reinsurance captive from a French company.
Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance remains active providing standalone regulatory counselling to institutional firmwide clients on Brexit contingency planning. Other work includes the representation of international insurers seeking to establish Luxembourg subsidiaries, and the provision of regulatory advice on insurance M&A. Senior partner Christian Kremer handles insurance work as part of his wide-ranging corporate and finance practice.
Practice head(s):
Christian Kremer
Other key lawyers:
Udo Prinz
Key clients
Generali
Swiss Re
Zurich Assurances
KKR
Fidelity
Work highlights
- Advised KKR on the acquisition of a 50% stake in Söderberg & Partners, one of the Nordic region’s biggest insurance brokers.
- Advising an international insurance group in the context of a cross-border merger and insurance portfolio transfer.
- Advising major Luxembourg insurance and reinsurance undertakings in the context of their Brexit contingency planning on the structuring of their EU and UK business post-Brexit, including regulatory advice and communications with the Luxembourg insurance regulator CAA and other regulators.
CMS
Headed by overarching banking and finance partner Vivian Walry, CMS' multi-disciplinary offering is engaged in a growing range and volume of contentious and non-contentious insurance matters, including an increasing amount of work advising insurtech start-ups. Recognised by one client as 'one of the EU's sharpest minds on insurance-related legal matters,' Benjamin Bada has a growing reputation in the market and his arrival in September 2019 from Allen & Overy Luxembourg adds further core regulatory expertise to the team.
Practice head(s):
Vivian Walry; Benjamin Bada
Other key lawyers:
Aurélia Viémont
Testimonials
‘The team has detailed technical knowledge of regulatory requirements which they apply in a highly commercial way.’
‘Benjamin Bada is one of the EU’s sharpest minds on insurance-related legal matters.’
‘Aurélia Viémont has a deep understanding of insurance-related requirements and provides highly commercial and timely advice.’
Key clients
Allianz
Aon
Zurich
Chubb
AXA
AIG
Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE
Bupa
KLEYR GRASSO
Although KLEYR GRASSO was undoubtedly weakened by the departure of its leading insurance practitioner Karine Vilret to Wildgen at the end of 2018, the firm remains reasonably active in the sector, on the litigation front in particular. Henry De Ron is the main contact.
Practice head(s):
Rina Breininger; Rosario Grasso; François Collot; Henry De Ron
MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL
Leveraging its impressive overarching litigation credentials, MOLITOR Avocats à la Cour SARL has a particularly strong reputation on behalf of insurers and insureds in coverage disputes. Michel Molitor heads the team that also includes the 'knowledgeable, sensible and pragmatic' Jacques Wolter.
Practice head(s):
Michel Molitor
Other key lawyers:
Jacques Wolter; Sophie Lamothe; Ariane Wourwoukas
Testimonials
‘I have referred cyber and insurance-related disputes to the firm and they have been able to handle these effectively.’
‘I have worked with Jacques Wolter and various senior associates in his team. He, and they, have proved knowledgeable, sensible and pragmatic.’
Schiltz et Schiltz
Schiltz et Schiltz is 'well-known in the market' for insurance litigation. Franz Schiltz is the principal contact.