Insurance & Reinsurance

Steptoe’s coverage attorneys have represented their insurance and reinsurance clients in over 30 different domestic and foreign jurisdictions.

In one of the largest insurance, reinsurance, and surety practices in the nation, we litigate and counsel clients on a broad array of issues ranging from hazardous product and environmental insurance coverage issues to reinsurance fraud.  Steptoe attorneys have been involved in many of the cutting-edge developments in these areas of the law.  Our practice involves litigation at both the trial and appellate levels, arbitration, and client counseling and advice regarding a broad spectrum of coverage and reinsurance issues.  In addition, our London and Brussels offices have experience in contentious, transactional, and regulatory insurance matters.

We have extensive experience in representing insurers in many large, complex declaratory judgment actions regarding asbestos and other product claims, and environmental and hazardous waste claims.  Our reinsurance practice has also involved large, complex cases and a variety of issues including coverage, good faith, fraud, RICO and breach of fiduciary duty. 

Representative Matters

• Hager v. Allstate Insurance Company, Commonwealth of Kentucky, Fayette Circuit Court, Eighth Division, Case No. 98-C1-2482.  Plaintiff sought $1.425 billion in damages ($475 million in compensatory damages and $950 million in punitive damages) on a third party bad faith claim against Allstate under Kentucky's Unfair Claim Settlement Practices Act.  Plaintiff challenged Allstate's Claim Core Process Redesign casualty claim handling program, including the Minor Impact Soft Tissue and Colossus claim handling processes, and alleged that plaintiffs' claim against Allstate's insured was delayed for more than 2 1/2 years, before it was settled, in an effort to extort a more favorable settlement.  On October 10, 2007, after a two-week trial, the jury rendered a unanimous verdict for Allstate.

Noteworthy

• Super Lawyers Washington, DC 2009: Roger Warin, Toni Ianniello, James Rocap
• Chambers USA 2008, America's Leading Business Lawyers: Insurance: Insurer Firms (District of Columbia) Toni Ianniello, Harry Lee, James Rocap, Roger Warin; Insurance: Insurer Firms (National) James Rocap, Roger Warin
• Chambers UK (2008): Insurance: General Claims (London) and Angus Rodger (Insurance: General Claims)
• UK Legal 500 (2008): Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation, Insurance: corporate and regulatory
• Legal Times 2008 Almanac of Leading Lawyers: Roger Warin
• BTI Client Service All Star Team (2008): Toni Ianniello
• Euromoney Expert Guide (2007): Stephen Fennell, Toni Ianniello, Harry Lee, James Rocap, Angus Rodger, Guy Soussan, Roger Warin, Frank Winston, and Philip Woolfson
• Best Lawyers in America (2006): Roger Warin
• Scott Sinder Wins Influential Countersignature Case

Select News & Events

• Commercial Risk Insurance Features Guy Soussan
• Falconbury's Reinsurance Contract Wordings and Disputes Conference, London, November 2009
• Angus Rodger participates in a panel session on Warranty & Indemnity Insurance at Willis's headquarters in London
• Buying Strategies Roundtable, October 2009
• Richard Porter to Speak at the 2010 ARIAS∙US Spring Conference in San Diego
• EU Insurance Webinar - The New Insurance Block Exemption Regulation
• The EU Savings Tax Directive: Latest Trends and Developments, IFE, Luxembourg
• Toward a "Mifidisation" of the life insurance sector, IFE, Luxembourg

More Seminars & Events »

Publications

• Baughman says monitoring costs can be ‘damages’
  February 26, 2010, Insurance Day
• Reinsurance Update
  February 26, 2010
• Reinsurance Update
  January 28, 2010
• Violations of US sanctions should not be taken lightly
  January 15, 2010, Insurance Day

More Publications »