Insurance

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SANDS is one of the few Norwegian firms to have a dedicated insurance group. We aim to provide a full service to our insurance client base, which consists of domestic and international life- and non-life insurers, reinsurers, captives, pension funds, insurance intermediaries and commercial companies.

We advise on all life- and non-life products, such as pensions, life insurance, capital insurance and life annuities, general insurance, financial lines, liability, property, marine and transportation, M&A insurance, D&O liability, and P&I. Our services include advising on and assisting with claims handling and disputes involving all forms of insurance Products.

Our insurance group is composed of leading lawyers with in-depth experience of insurance, reinsurance and liability matters. Team members have in-house experience from insurance companies, as chairmen of control committees and as members of board of directors of insurance companies. We have informal co-operation agreements with leading insurance intermediaries, actuaries, pension advisers and loss adjusters. We are ranked among Norway's leading lawyers within financial regulatory, insurance and pensions, including by Legal 500, IFLR 1000, PLC Which Lawyer and in the Norwegian Financial Daily's lawyers survey.

We have authored a number of books and articles within the fields of expertise. Several books have been authored in co-operation with the Norwegian Institute of Public Accountants and the Norwegian Actuarial Association. Our books and articles are frequently referred to in judgments, preparatory works of laws and regulations and by other authors of legal literature. We lecture courses, including in-house courses for legal departments, sales personnel and corporate team specialists in insurance companies and financial institutions.

Commercial and regulatory advice

We advise domestic and foreign insurers, reinsurers, insurance intermediaries and pension funds in all aspects of their businesses in Norway. Together with members from other practice groups in the firm, we are able to effectively address and advice on the legal, regulatory, tax and commercial aspects faced by our clients in the course of their business.

Our services include:

Advising on establishment of insurance companies, captives and pension funds
Advising on establishment of branches and insurance business in Norway on a freedom of services basis
Advising on product development, including drafting and advising on policy wording
Advising on portfolio transfers, transactions and restructuring of insurance business
Advising on compliance issues, including consumer protection, corporate governance matters, damage control and cleaning up
Advising on tax matters, from product development via ongoing business activities to M&As, restructuring and closure of business in Norway
Advising on closure of business in Norway, including run-off of portfolios, portfolio restructuring and M&As

Claims and litigation

A large part of our insurance services relate to claims and litigation. We advise and assist in claims handling and disputes involving all forms of insurance products, and also assist insured parties in cover disputes and regular tort claims. We assist insurers and insured parties with investigation of circumstances that may lead to claims, and advise on coverage options, third party liabilities and subrogation of claims in relation to marine and transport insurance, shipping and freight risk. We have been involved in a number of major disputes in civil litigation, including professional liability, product liability, D&O liability and construction related liabilities. We regularly advise insurers on financial institutions risks, commercial crime, computer crime cover and M&A insurance.

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