Our Sydney office delivers expert legal advice to Australian and international insurers, reinsurers, and risk carriers.
Expertise
As a core focus of our practice, we have attracted some of the best and brightest in insurance law. Since establishment in 2006 Kennedys has become one of the leading insurance practices in Australia.
We are widely recognised with stand-out capabilities in professional indemnity, reputational risk, liability, and property claims.
Beyond effective claims resolution, Kennedys delivers with decisive indemnity advice, policy drafting, risk management, and regulatory assistance.
Insurance
Kennedys Australian experience is vast, acting for leading insurers in myriad matters. Recent case highlights include:
- Acting for a syndicate of five US insurers on complex issues in relation to coverage in a $260M class action for false and misleading conduct pertaining to investment by Councils in relation to share market securities.
- Advising on complex issues in relation to coverage and acting for a fourth excess layer insurer in a class action against a pharmaceutical company on a directors and officers securities claims policy.
- Acting for the insurer of a non-profit organisation against a dismissed CEO claiming substantial damages for breach of contract, defamation and relief under the Corporations Act.
- Acting for the insurer of a barrister in a professional negligence claim concerning the question of barrister’s immunity. The Court of Appeal unanimously found in favour of the barrister.
- Acting for an aged care facility and its insurer facing serious allegations of elder abuse and associated employment issues. We managed this matter speedily, sensitively and proactively in the face of nationwide press coverage.
Reinsurance
Our reinsurance clients have included some of the biggest names in the industry, including most of the major international reinsurers that operate in Australia, as well as London syndicates and runoff operations. Our reinsurance experience includes advising in relation to:
- Comprehensive front-end advice
- Commutations of reinsurance portfolios and related issues with cedants
- Major reinsurance disputes litigated in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and Federal Court of Australia involving domestic and international insurers, reinsurers and reinsurance brokers
- Disputes between cedants and reinsurers over coverage for legal costs and expenses
- Drafting of policy wordings and related issues
- Disputes arising from film slate programmes and associated risk facilities
- Life reinsurance disputes and coverage issues
- Document retention and confidentiality issues involving Royal Commissions and other inquiries
- Effects of legislative changes in financial services and insurance sectors
- Current issues facing the reinsurance industry including pollution exclusions, toxic torts and the impact of global warming and climate change
Results
Kennedys gets results. Our track record is exceptional both in litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
We are regarded as leaders in our field, not just because we serve industry heavyweights, but because we strategise each matter to get the outcome clients want whether it’s the best commercial solution or a robust defence to maintain a spotless reputation. Our results mirror client objectives.