At Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP, lawyers are well equipped to handle contentious and non-contentious insurance matters, with strong regulatory capabilities, and rights of audience before courts at all levels in Singapore. In terms of disputes, lawyers act for both claimants and insurer clients, with a particular specialism in personal injury and workplace injury cases. The group can also handle asset recovery, investigations and crisis management matters. Non-contentious specialisms include insurance-sector M&A and restructuring. Simon Goh heads the team, and handles contentious and non-contentious matters, as well as regulatory issues. Elaine Tay has developed expertise in property and energy insurance issues, including in relation to coverage issues. Ying Shuang Wang is noted for both regulatory matters and transactional work.
Insurance: local firms in Singapore
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Practice head(s):
Simon Goh
Other key lawyers:
Ying Shuang Wang; Elaine Yan
Testimonials
‘Our firm works closely with Ying Shuang Wang (who is a partner in R&T’s insurance litigation department). She has been excellent to work with – very strong industry knowledge, gives practical advice, and is very responsive. ’
‘Rahah & Tann clearly work as a team in a coordinated and efficient way. It is possible to work through one person knowing that they will organize themselves efficiently and effectively to deliver a premium experience to their clients.’
‘I have worked directly with Ying Shuang Wang who is always responsive, thoughtful and pragmatic in her advice and approach. She is client focused, often supporting us on short notice and at awkward times of the day. She is not afraid to take a view in ambiguous situations and draws on her and her colleagues experience in framing her advice.’
‘The team has strong insurance expertise and knowledge and given that they advise many insurers in the market, can share real industry related knowledge and examples too.’
‘Ying Shuang Wang is an excellent lawyer, knowledgeable and capable.’
Key clients
Prudential Assurance Co Singapore
Hannover Reinsuance
Swiss Reinsurance
MS Amlin
Aon plc
China Taiping Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd
AIG Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd
United Overseas Insurance Limited
Liberty Speciality Markets Singapore Pte Limited
Great Eastern Life Assurance Co Ltd
Work highlights
- Acted as Singapore deal counsel to MS Amlin in a historical Asia Pacific focused Insurance-Linked Securities (ILS) transaction.
- Advising a multilateral organisation on the legal structure for the South East Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (“SEADRIF”), starting with its first product, a regional catastrophe risk insurance program with Lao PDR, Myanmar and possibly, Cambodia as the initial beneficiary countries.
- Acted as Singapore deal counsel to Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance on an Insurance-Linked Securities (ILS) transaction – the US$100 million Akibare Re Pte Ltd (Series 2020-1) which closed in March 2020 within a very challenging project timetable to secure in-principle approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore for a Special Purpose Reinsurance Vehicle (SPRV) licence.
Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow
Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow‘s offering combines regulatory, litigation and compliance expertise to assist insurers with transactional activity, taxation, distribution issues, currency and exchange controls. Utilising the rights of audience granted by the firm’s joint venture with Singapore firm Wong & Leow, the group is active in defending High Court insurance litigation, across the waterfront of claims. The department is led by Stephanie Magnus, who has extensive experience in corporate transactions involving the insurance industry. Nandakumar Ponniya , who leads the disputes practice group, is the name to note for insurance litigation. Associate Darren Yang is an expert in financial services regulation, often handling insurance-related matters.
Practice head(s):
Stephanie Magnus
Other key lawyers:
Nandakumar Ponniya; Darren Yang
Testimonials
‘Stephanie Magnus is very prompt in replying to our queries.’
‘Local expertise and industry knowledge.’
‘Stephanie Magnus has vast and in-depth industry knowledge, and provides practical advice on regulatory issues ’
‘Good dynamic team, led by experienced Stephanie Magnus.’
‘Multi-jurisdictional practice with vast practical experience.’
Key clients
Allianz Insurance Management Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
Allied World
Aon Insurance Brokers
Axa Life Insurance Singapore Pte.Ltd
IAG Australia
Sompo Japan
Standard Life
Sun Life Financial US
Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd
Tokio Marine Asia
Dentons Rodyk
Dentons Rodyk has a broad insurance practice that spans claims involving professional malpractice, property, personal injury, directors and officers liability and aviation. In addition to the claims work, lawyers are also called upon for their regulatory expertise in insurance industry corporate transactions, including M&A and capital markets deals. Jointly leading the team are Edric Pan, a veteran of claims defence work for the firm’s high-profile insurer clients; Christopher Chong, who heads the personal injury practice; and Jacqueline Loke, a regulatory expert who supports insurance-industry transactions. Deputy managing partner of the firm Siang Pheng Lek, is a specialist in defending medical-related claims.
Practice head(s):
Edric Pan; Christopher Chong; Jacqueline Loke
Other key lawyers:
Siang Pheng Lek
Testimonials
‘Medium sized firm with full serviced capabilities.’
‘Christopher Chong – prompt, highly responsive and accessible, quotes competitively, understands our business concerns and helps us work towards commercially acceptable solutions.’
Key clients
MS First Capital
QBE Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Lockton Companies (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Chubb
Liberty Insurance
AIG
Sompo Insurance
NTUC Income Insurance Co-operative Limited
Work highlights
- Acting for MS First Capital and its insured, Certis Cisco, in defence of a claim relating to major damage to overhead fibre and CCTV cabling in the basement loading-bay area of Marina Bay Sands. The damage was caused by impact by a container lorry which had entered the building and which exceeded the relevant height limit for the loading-bay area. MBS brought proceedings against the owners and operators of the lorry (Hoy San), who in turn commenced third party proceedings against Certis Cisco.
- Acting for QBE Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd and its insured (an institute of higher learning in Singapore) in defence of a claim by Extremis (a furniture design company headquartered in Belgium), for alleged breach of intellectual property rights by the insured in the design and fabrication of furniture that has been used on the insured’s campus grounds. Also advised client and its insured on matters relating to indemnity vis-à-vis the architect and the engineer whom the insured engaged to produce the furniture in question.
- Acting for QBE Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd and its insured (a sub-contractor for a Development) in defence of a High Court claim by the MCST of the Development, for the alleged tort of negligence and breach of the duty of care by the insured due to its failure to ensure the proper and satisfactory installation of a rubber expansion joint in a water transfer pump room of the Development. The failure of the water transfer pump joint led to a subsequent leak and the resultant flow of water out from the water transfer pump caused extensive damage to various parts of the Development, inclusive of the lifts. The MCST thus brought a claim against the main contractor and the insured (i.e. the sub-contractor) for this loss and damage.
LVM Law Chambers LLC
Insurance litigation is a core practice for LVM Law Chambers LLC, which acts for domestic and international insurers in a variety of claims, including in relation to public liability policies, industrial all risk policies, professional liability and, an area that saw particular activity in 2020, business interruption policies. Senior counsel Vi Ming Lok is a veteran of the space, with experience in insurance disputes before Singapore courts at all levels, and in international arbitrations. Joseph Lee is another lawyer with significant contentious insurance experience.
Practice head(s):
Joseph Lee; Pak Waltan
Other key lawyers:
Vi Ming Lok; Jonathan Muk
Key clients
MS First Capital Insurance Limited Cycle & Carriage Kia Pte Ltd, Cycle & Carriage Automotive Pte Limited, Diplomat Parts Pte. Limited AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte Ltd Yeow Heng Industries Pte Ltd Etiqa Insurance Pte Ltd NTUC Income Insurance Co-operative Limited Swiss Re International SE Singapore Branch QBE Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd. MSIG Holdings (Asia) Pte Ltd Tokio Marine Insurance Singapore Ltd Chubb Limited Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd (Singapore Branch) AXA XL
Work highlights
- Advised MS First Capital Insurance on business interruption insurance and whether the issue of cover under the policy was engaged.
- Representing Yeow Heng Industries against a tenant for spread of a fire from its leased premises which eventually caused significant damage to an industrial property.
- Represented Cycle & Carriage Kia, Cycle & Carriage Automotive and Diplomat Parts in commencing pre-action discovery to ascertain cause of damage that caused the insured loss