Called the "go-to group for complex matters and unique issues" by Chambers USA, and named seven times as "Insurance Group of the Year" by Law360, Steptoe's team across the US, London, and Brussels is a preeminent insurance and reinsurance practice. The "excellent strategists" on the Steptoe team (The Legal 500 US) are praised by clients for our ability in identifying "potential risks and opportunities that significantly impact outcomes in a positive way" (Chambers USA). Steptoe lawyers have appeared in nearly every state, and in arbitrations throughout the US, the UK and other jurisdictions. Steptoe's extensive courtroom experience and thorough knowledge and understanding of insurance law has rewarded us with handling the most cutting edge and complex issues in the insurance and reinsurance area.
- Chambers USA, Insurance Law Firm of the Year (2018, 2021)
- National Law Journal, Washington Litigation Department of the Year in Insurance (2015, 2018-2019)
- Law360, "Insurance Group of the Year" (2013-2016, 2019-2020, 2022)
- Chambers USA, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer, New York (2024)
- Chambers USA, Band 1, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer, Nationwide (2007-2024)
- Chambers USA, Band 1, Insurance: Insurer, DC (2005-2024)
- Legal 500 US, Insurance: Advice to Insurers (2010-2024)
- Legal 500 UK, Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation (2010-2012, 2018-2020)
- Chambers UK, Insurance: Non-Contentious, UK-wide (2013-2016)
- Chambers UK, Insurance: Contentious Claims, Insurance: Reinsurance, UK-wide (2012-2016)
Steptoe represents major national and international insurers in complex, high value coverage disputes under commercial property and marine policies, as well as first-party property reinsurance exposures. Steptoe excels at finding the best strategic approach, including litigating cases to trial or through motions practice, or reaching a non-litigated resolution when appropriate.
In recent years, our lawyers have been at the forefront in nationwide litigation concerning whether business losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic are covered under first-party policies. Serving as national coordinating counsel for two major property insurers, Steptoe lawyers have won hundreds of individual and many putative class action COVID-19 coverage cases in trial courts and appellate courts and prevailed in avoiding multidistrict litigation (twice). Steptoe’s other recent representations include prevailing on a large builder's risk claim, and addressing significant exposure cyber coverage claims and building collapse claims.
Our nationally recognized environmental coverage practice leads the industry in representing insurers in complex, multiparty coverage disputes arising out of environmental contamination and pollution with potential exposure in the hundreds of millions of dollars. We have secured precedent-setting victories in state and federal courts on a number of issues, including the proper interpretation of the pollution and asbestos exclusions, number of occurrences, application of limits of liability, what constitutes a suit, scope of damages, allocation of costs, late notice, consent to settlements, and the cooperation clause, to name just a few. Steptoe also represents insurers with respect to emerging exposures, such as PFAS.
In addition to environmental exposures, Steptoe has significant experience with other third-party liability matters. For instance, Steptoe has been involved in a multitude of matters involving abuse claims (e.g., Boys Scouts of America, clergy, reform camps) and those involving sports injuries, such as concussions.
Steptoe insurance group lawyers have handled multiple insurance coverage arbitrations under the Bermuda Form. Steptoe has served as lead counsel for insurance companies in multiparty arbitrations and mediations involving coverage claims for $1 billion, $600 million, £350 million, $100 million, and $70 million arising out of five "blockbuster" drugs and medical devices. Steptoe also successfully handled Bermuda Form multimillion-dollar disputes arising from the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.
Steptoe has represented life and health insurers in a variety of contexts, including disputes over the escheatment of life insurance proceeds to states. Steptoe’s reinsurance practice regularly addresses disability and life insurance claims, and Steptoe has been involved in a myriad of disputes under YRT treaties.
Steptoe’s reinsurance team regularly represents cedents, reinsurers, and retrocessionaires in high-profile arbitrations and litigation involving the full range of reinsurance issues in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Bermuda. We regularly litigate the duty of utmost good faith, follow the fortunes, disputes arising from the sale of large blocks of risk, and issues pertaining to the aggregation of risk under catastrophic reinsurance cover. Steptoe handles complex disputes at the forefront of the industry, including: catastrophes and natural disasters; asbestos and environmental; credit risk reinsurance; life reinsurance, oil & gas, utility and nuclear; aviation; surety and financial guarantee; workers’ compensation; disability and long-term care; alternative risk finance programs; broker negligence; professional liability; reinsurance disputes involving Russia; and MGA programs. Our representations have involved virtually every major issue to sweep through the reinsurance industry including: World Trade Center; Enron; Hurricane Katrina; the Financial Crisis and Financial Guarantee Company Insolvencies; Life Reinsurance YRT disputes; unclaimed property; pharmaceutical liability matters, environmental and asbestos exposures; London Market Excess (LMX) spirals; and brokerage bid-rigging issues affecting the purchase of insurance and indemnity cover.
Steptoe routinely represents clients in contentious regulatory matters, and provides counselling in insurance regulation. Our practice excels in complex cases at the intersection of insurance with bankruptcy and contentious regulatory matters, and, as an example, our attorneys have litigated the first contested liquidation proceeding in over two and a half decades in New York and insurance disputes involving mis-selling of financial products in the UK.
In addition to handling claims and other contentious insurance matters, our London and Brussels offices advise on insurance and reinsurance regulation and assist in designing products and drafting wordings. Our lawyers also advise on cross sectoral regulatory matters, such as sustainable finance, cybersecurity and AI regulation, anti-money laundering, data protection, economic sanctions, competition, and corporate governance.
Representative Matters
- Band's Visit Nat'l Tour LLC v. Hartford Fire Ins. Co., 307 A.3d 387, 397 (Del. Super. Ct. 2023). Defeated fraud-based claims regarding policy formation and prevailed on a then-novel legal issue as to the number of occurrences for the COVID-19 pandemic.
- John's Grill, Inc. v. Hartford Fin. Servs. Grp., Inc., 552 P.3d 1045, 1048 (Cal. 2024). Prevailed as co-counsel on California Supreme Court case addressing illusory coverage doctrine.
- Hosp. Serv. Dist. No. 1 of Terrebonne Par. v. Hartford Fire Ins. Co., No. CV 22-689, 2024 WL 732129, at *1 (E.D. La. Feb. 22, 2024). Defeated claim by a hospital seeking communicable disease coverage for COVID-19 losses.
- Yankees Ent. & Sports Network, LLC v. Hartford Fire Ins. Co., 634 F. Supp. 3d 203, 207 (D. Del. 2022), aff'd, No. 22-3121, 2023 WL 6291784 (3d Cir. Sept. 27, 2023). Affirmed dismissal of the COVID-19 business interruption claims of Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES) because Delaware lacked personal jurisdiction over Hartford Fire despite the purported nationwide scope of YES’s broadcasts.
- Brentzel v. AIG Property Casualty Co., 1:20-cv-1055, 2021 WL 3473504 (E.D. Va. 2021), aff’d No. 21-2239 (4th Cir. Oct. 7, 2022). Obtained summary judgment for property insurer on suit limitation grounds in suit brought by socialite claiming millions in losses of property during move.
- D&B Marine, LLC v. AIG Property Casualty Insurance Co., No. 15 CVS 20506 (N.C. Super. Ct., Mecklenburg County Mar. 3, 2022). After defeating bad faith claim on summary judgment, prevailed in three-week jury trial against policyholder seeking coverage for total value of yacht that sunk in Atlantic Ocean, with jury finding that loss did not arise from a covered occurrence.
- Maxum Indemnity Co. v. Polymer80, Inc., No. 2:21-cv-5852 FLA (GJSx), 2022 WL 3013134 (C.D. Cal. April 18, 2022). Prevailed on a Rule 12 motion in a matter involving third-party coverage issues associated with a manufacturer of ghost guns.
- Confidential Arbitration (concluded December 2021). Represented two major property insurers in defending against claims under a builders’ risk policy pertaining to a large office building in a major metropolitan area, with alleged damages exceeding $100 million. After a multi-week arbitration, prevailed in full against policyholders. The arbitrator found for Steptoe’s clients on five different coverage issues.
- Monday Restaurants LLC. v. Intrepid Ins. Co., 2021 WL 2222692 (E.D. Mo. June 2, 2021), aff’d 32 F.4th 656 (8th Cir. April 26, 2022). Obtained dismissal of putative class action complaints in two consolidated cases in which policyholders sought business income coverage for economic losses incurred in complying with COVID-19 orders restricting business operations.
- Represent liability insurer in insurance coverage disputes relating to high-profile liabilities, including claims arising out of the drinking water in Flint, Michigan, the Champlain Towers condominium collapse in Florida, and school and workplace shootings.
- Represent multiple liability insurers with respect to sexual abuse claims involving the Boy Scouts of America and various religious institutions.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of liability insurer for contribution claim brought by another liability insurer that sought about $16 million in contribution for defense costs incurred in defending common policyholder against construction defect claims.
- Argued and prevailed in precedent-setting case before Maryland’s highest court in which the court held that defense costs for progressive injury claims must be prorated throughout the period in which injury occurred.
- Prevailed on the first substantive decision on COVID-19 business interruption claims, Social Life Magazine Inc. v. Sentinel Ins. Co., Ltd., No. 1:20-cv-03311 (S.D.N.Y. May 14, 2020), as well as repeatedly thereafter in jurisdictions across the country. Twice defeated multidistrict litigation requests related to COVID-19 claims, including one effort in which Steptoe was one of two firms arguing on behalf of the entire industry.
- Prevailed before Ohio intermediate appellate court with respect to lack of coverage for coal tar pitch exposures. GrafTech Internatl., Ltd. v. Pac. Emps. Ins. Co., 2021-Ohio-1399, 162 Ohio St. 3d 1439, 166 N.E.3d 1261 (refusing to accept appeal at Supreme Court).
- Waste Management, Inc. v. AIG Specialty Insurance Co., 377 F. Supp. 3d 700 (S.D. Tex. 2019), aff’d 974 F.3d 528 (5th Cir. 2020). Client issuing pollution coverage policy granted summary judgment that $26 million in criminal defense costs arising out of environmental discharge in Hawaii were not covered under policy.
- Represent multiple insurers in litigation concerning the availability of insurance coverage for concussion-related claims, including claims asserted by former NFL players and players involved in a myriad of other professional, collegiate, and amateur sports, as well as product manufacturers.
- Voided a reinsurance agreement in its entirety due to material non-disclosures by the cedent at point of cession in a $300 million-dollar action for rescission of a reinsurance contract between an Irish reinsurer and Barbadian cedent.
- Successful representation of a reinsurer in a dispute in which the reinsurer objected to having to follow the cedent's fortunes as to regulatory fines and penalties associated with compliance issues imposed on the block of business due to the cedent's handling of the business. The reinsurer sought both declaratory relief from having to pay future compliance costs, as well as millions in damages resulting from the altered financial profile of the block based on the regulatory changes.
- Tesoro Refining & Marketing Co. v. National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa., Case No. 5:13-cv-00931, (W.D. Tex. 2015), 833 F.3d 470 (5th Cir. 2016). Won summary judgment from district court and affirmation from Fifth Circuit in favor of insurer rejecting policyholder claim under commercial crime policy.
- General Ins. Co. v. Walter E. Campbell Co., No. 1:12-cv-03307-WMN (D. Md. 2016). Significant victories for insurers in asbestos-related insurance dispute by obtaining judgment as to the proper interpretation of the “completed operations hazard” definition contained in insurance policies.
- Represented a ceding company in connection with a charge by reinsurers that the placement information with respect to a treaty had been false and misleading.
- Represented ceding company in disputes with several reinsurers over YRT reinsurance premiums.
- Represented a life insurance company in a dispute with underwriters at Lloyd’s of London over late notice, coverage and misrepresentations.
- Represented a ceding company in a dispute under a captive reinsurance program covering workers compensation risks.
- Represented a party to an LPT agreement in arbitration concerning responsibility for ECO/XPL responsibility.
News & Publications
Press Releases
Allison Miller, Experienced Professional Liability Trial Lawyer, Joins Steptoe's Houston Office
April 14, 2025
Publications
Wildfires Heat Up Regulator Discussions
Leader’s Edge Magazine
September 27, 2023
By: Scott A. Sinder
Publications
The Three Months That Almost Killed the Nevada Insurance Markets
Leader’s Edge Magazine
August 31, 2023
Events
Webinars
April 26, 2017
Speakers: Guy Soussan, Algirdas Semeta
Webinars
Brexit: Legal & Regulatory Options for the Reinsurance Sector
July 6, 2016
Speakers: Angus Rodger, Guy Soussan
Seminars & Events
Antitrust for Insurers and Reinsurers
February 24, 2016
Speaker: Angus Rodger
Steptoe
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