The Legal 500 > Latin America > Mexico > Insurance

Insurance boutique firm, Colin Vega Fletes Abogados, fields a ‘reliable and qualified’ 16-strong team with ‘unmatched’ experience, praised by clients for offering a ‘down to earth approach to complex problems’. Practice-head Francisco Guerra-Fletes specializes in contentious and non-contentious aspects of insurance liability, advising insurers and reinsurers regarding environmental liability, professional liability, fraud, fidelity bonds, construction liability and defending professional negligence claims on behalf of insurers. Fellow partner José Luis Colin Vega has extensive expertise and experience in dispute resolution related to cyber risk, financial fraud, political risk, product liability and insurance disputes, while associate Raquel Adriana Aguirre offers key support. The department, which works closely with its Madrid-based Spanish office, was further reinforced in December 2019 with the arrival of former DAC Beachcroft Mexico managing partner, José Luis Arce.

Creel, García-Cuéllar, Aiza y Enríquez, S.C.'s consolidated insurance practice is a significant force in the market. The firm houses a ‘first class team that solves the most complex issues’, which offers ‘expert’ advice to insurers and reinsurers on M&A, finance, corporate governance, regulatory, and day-to-day matters; it also has growing involvement in contentious insurance issues. Partner Leonel Pereznieto, who shines for his ‘knowledge’ of the sector, and is a regular advisor to global insurance, reinsurance and broker groups in connection with their local set-up and acquisitions, co-heads the team together with counsel María José Pinillos, who is singled out by a client as ‘one of the very few lawyers who really masters insurance’.

Nader, Hayaux y Goebel, SC offers, hands down, one of the strongest and most experienced practices in the market, and is regarded by clients as ‘one of the few firms with a solid knowledge of insurance and reinsurance’. Boasting a sturdy local presence in both Mexico and London, the department focuses on non-contentious issues such as corporate, regulatory, transactional, compliance, product design and product development; as well as in contentious matters such as claims, coverage issues, arbitration, litigation, and insurance and reinsurance recoveries. The 12-strong team, which garners praise for its level of ‘responsiveness under difficult situations’, comprises ‘extraordinary lawyers’: first and foremost practice-head Yves Hayaux-du-Tilly, who handles transactional work, dispute resolution, product development, regulatory and corporate matters, corporate governance and compliance, but also Luciano Pérez, who is active in the entire spectrum of non-contentious insurance services. Other names to note include partners Michell Nader and Julián Garza, and senior associates Raúl Jasso and London-based Juan Pablo Sáinz, who advises the British market on Mexican law in relation to coverage and regulatory issues and international transactions.

Operating from its offices in Mexico City and Ciudad del Carmen, and working closely with colleagues in London, the practice at Garza Tello-Clyde & Co Mexico covers a wide range of claims for national and international insurers and reinsurers across various business lines, including general liability, product liability, D&O, E&O and professional liability. The ‘excellent’ five-strong team is led by renowned insurance expert Arturo Arista, who focuses on contentious mandates and is regarded by clients as ‘the person to turn to for advice about the insurance industry’. Working closely alongside Arista, senior counsel Daniel Ruíz, who specializes in contentious, regulatory and commercial insurance matters, is also a key figure.

With a presence of nearly 20 years in the Mexican market, Bello, Gallardo, Bonequi y García, S.C., houses a specialized insurance practice focused on advising insurance institutions and insurance brokers regarding compliance, the structuring of new insurance products, administrative procedures and litigation, as well as representing clients in transactions with insurance and surety companies. Additionally, the ten-strong team covers day-to-day corporate and regulatory matters, including via placing lawyers on secondment with clients. Compliance expert and founding partner, Miguel Gallardo, co-heads the department in conjunction with fellow founding partner and seasoned litigator Juan Bonequi, and senior associate Javier Pérez, who also leads the healthcare practice.

In just three years, the insurance practice at Garrigues has made important inroads into the Mexican legal market, notably thanks to the team´s main specialist Miguel Ángel de la Fuente, who joined in 2016 from Nader, Hayaux y Goebel, SC, and is considered by some clients as ‘one of the greatest young talents in insurance law in Mexico’. Working alongside of de la Fuente, finance expert Mario Júarez, co-heads the 12-strong practice group which handles corporate, transactional and regulatory matters, insurance claims and the development of new insurance products.

A respected presence in the Mexican insurance arena, Hogan Lovells shows good skills in both the transactional and regulatory aspects of the sector, and has notable expertise in the formation and acquisition of insurance, reinsurance, surety, and brokerage companies and agents, as well as in day-to-day compliance and regulatory issues, including the development of insurance products, policies, and contracts, and the representation of clients in audit reviews by the authorities. The team of five lawyers is led by partner Carlos Ramos, who is well-known for his regulatory advice, and includes partners Omar Guerrero and the recently promoted Luis Ernesto Peón, who offer key support. The practice lost partner Eduardo Siqueiros, who left the firm in 2019.

The practice at young boutique, Adame González de Castilla & Besil, has a high level of specialization in both insurance corporate/regulatory and claims/dispute resolution matters. Established in 2017, the firm is co-led by partners Álvaro Adame and Ramiro Besil (formerly at Nader, Hayaux y Goebel, SC and Garza Tello-Clyde & Co Mexico, respectively). Adame handles regulatory, organizational, operational and transactional requirements, product development and the establishment of Mexican and foreign insurance and reinsurance companies in Mexico, as well as coverage and legal determination of coverage issues, claims-related matters and subrogation cases. Besil regularly advises insurers, reinsurers and brokers on marine, energy, aviation and non-marine matters, providing both advice and legal defence regarding liability, coverage and regulatory issues.

The practice at Galicia Abogados S.C. is sought out by domestic and foreign entities and corporations looking for advice regarding their operations in Mexico. With transactional expert Humberto Pérez Rocha at the forefront, the department advises clients on insurance-related corporate matters and regulatory issues, and in connection with the analysis and negotiation of claims; while also regularly representing insurance and surety companies before the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público and the Comisión Nacional de Seguros y Fianzas, regarding the regulatory aspect of their day-to-day operations. 

Insurance-litigation specialist Martínez, Algaba, de Haro y Curiel has a solid track-record advising on a wide range of mandates, such as life insurance with investment, damages, medical and health expenses and civil liability, among others. The eight-strong team, which combines commercial and regulatory knowledge, and which is also sought out by clients for advice on insurance products, is co-led by three partners: Javier Curiel, Daniel Ortega and Javier Altamirano. Support comes from senior associate Bernardo Basaldua.

Santamarina y Steta is well-known for its activity with local insurance companies and foreign carriers undertaking insurance activities in Mexico, acting for said clients on contractual, corporate and regulatory matters. The well-respected practice, which also handles insurance issues for industry, such as E&O matters, is led by partner Francisco Torres from the Monterrey office; he is very experienced in M&A transactions involving Mexican insurance carriers. Support comes from Mexico City-based partner Carlos Olvera, who combines his practice with his excellent litigation skills.