Hall Of Fame

Next Generation Partners

Insurance in Belgium

Lydian

Lydian is ‘simply the firm of reference for Belgian insurance law’, boasting ‘very specialised knowledge’. The practice works for a wide range of leading insurers and corporates, advising on reinsurance, corporate insurance, and life and non life insurance, often on high-profile or complex cases. Leading the team is Hugo Keulers, commended for being a ‘vessel of knowledge’, with commercial and dispute resolution expertise complementing his insurance practice. Also at leadership level is Sandra Lodewijckx, a ‘dynamic lawyer with an excellent knowledge of the insurance sector’. Together, the pair ‘represent the insurance encyclopedia’. Noted members of the team include the ‘highly knowledgeable and approachable’ Jo Willems, and ‘great lawyer’ Héloïse Fostier.

Praxisleiter:

Hugo Keulers; Sandra Lodewijckx


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Jo Willems; Héloïse Fostier; Marijn De Ruysscher


Referenzen

‘It is simply the firm of reference for Belgian insurance law.’

‘Sandra Lodewijckx has a breadth of experience and is an excellent advisor on the regulatory side.’

‘Very high specialized knowledge of insurance law. Pragmatic, looking for an amicable negotiated solution rather than long uncertain proceedings. Easily accessible.’

Kernmandanten

AIG Europe Ltd


Allia Insurance Brokers


Probitas 1492 Pty Ltd


Arc Europe SA


Furness Professional Risks Europe SRL


International Professional Risks Europe SRL


AXA SA


AXA XL


Canopius


United Kingdom Freight Demurrage and Defence Assocation (UKFD) Ltd


London Steam-Ship Owners’ Mutual Insurance Association Limited (LSSO) Ltd


International Transport Intermediaries Club Limited (ITIC) Ltd


Great Lakes Insurance SE, (Munich Re Group)


TT Club Mutual Insurance Limited Ltd


Hilton Food Group BV


HDI Global SE


HDI Global Specialty SE


Arval Belgium NV


BNP Paribas Cardif NV


Amlin Insurance SE


Zurich Insurance Plc


Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance (Global) Ltd


Aon Belgium BVBA


Aon Consulting Belgium NV


Ergo Insurance NV


Ethias SA


Belfius Insurance NV


Belfius Bank NV


Baloise Belgium NV


AEGON NV


Qover NV


Allianz Commercial


P&V Verzekeringen CVBA


SEB Life International Assurance Company


ARAG SE – Branch Belgium


Hiscox Europe Underwriting Limited


STIB-MIVB


Liberty Mutual Group


Beluga Insurance Solutions NV


Alta Signa Group BV


DKV NV


Euler Hermes NV


Nationale Nederlanden NV


Alpha/Enstar Insurance plc


Mitsui Ltd


Beazley Furlonge Ltd


KBC Verzekeringen NV


AG Insurance NV


Gallagher


Booking.com Inc


Berkshire Hathaway Specialty


Starr Insurance Company Inc


Trip vzw


Assuralia


Alecto Consulting BV


CannGen Insurance Europe BV


DELA Natura-en levensverzekeringen N.V.


Homeserve France SAS


KU Leuven


Next Wave insurance LLC


OCM -CDZ


Zurich Insurance Plc, Belgium Branch


Zurich Insurance Company Ltd


Fidelis Insurance


RiverStone


Aviva


Sompo


QBE


MSIG


Wakam


Concordia NV


April


SD Worx


Randstad


Highlight-Mandate


  • Acted for AIG in one of the few Covid-19 coverage disputes on the Belgian market under an EIL-policy and obtained a successful judgment in first instance.
  • Acted for AXA XL in one of the largest US Pfas-cases involving one of the largest Belgian chemical companies.
  • Assisting Hogan Lovells Paris with all Belgian aspects concerning (i) the relocation of the Belgian (re)insurance company International Partner Assistance into France through a cross-border conversion, followed by (ii) the (reverse) merger of AXA Partners Holding SA into IPA.

A&O Shearman

A&O Shearman‘s insurance practice has vast expertise across the industry, advising an array of employers, insurers, funds, and regulators on a wide range of insurance regulatory work. Solvency requirements and governance are strengths of the team. Insurance-related M&A is another mainstay of the practice. The practice is led by Tom Schoors and Sylvia Kierszenbaum, both of whom have extensive experience in financial services regulation and advising insurers and asset managers. Christian Bayart heads the employment department of the firm, and is a key part of the insurance practice, advising regularly on employee benefits and occupational pensions. Bart De Bock specialises in insurance litigation.

Praxisleiter:

Tom Schoors; Sylvia Kierszenbaum


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Christian Bayart; Bart De Bock; Niels de Waele


Kernmandanten

Ageas


Antwerp Museum of Contemporary Art


Athora


Delen Private Bank


Financial Services & Markets Authority


ING


NN (Nationale Nederlanden)


Randstad Belgium


SEB Life International


SWIFT


Swiss Life


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised the leading Belgian insurer Ageas in connection with the acquisition of a €730 million stake in Ageas by the bank, BNP Paribas.
  • Successfully managed on behalf of ING, the Dutch multinational banking and insurance group, the reorganization of its independent agents network in Belgium.
  • Advised Delen Private Bank on the acquisition of all the shares in Dierickx Leys Private Bank from various family shareholders, subject to obtaining regulatory approvals.

ALTIUS

The practice at ALTIUS is ‘highly skilled and very easy to communicate with’, with expertise in advising insurance companies, reinsurers, and insurance intermediaries on a wide range of matters. Insurance coverage disputes are a strength of the team, along with providing advice on insurance policies. Alexander Hansebout leads the team, and is a ‘very skilled and reputable lawyer’ with extensive experience in liability and insurance work, as well as the enforcement of foreign judgments. Stijn Van Schel is key to the practice, working with insurance companies on complex liability and coverage disputes. Audrey Zegers is noted for assisting financial institutions and investment funds in domestic and cross-border transactions.

Praxisleiter:

Alexander Hansebout


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Jérôme Vermeylen; Stijn Van Schel; Audrey Zegers


Referenzen

‘The Altius insurance team are highly skilled and very easy to communicate with. They are great at navigating cross-border cases and have a good feel for differences between the various legal systems.’

‘Alexander Hansebout is a very skilled and reputable lawyer. He is extremely knowledgeable without losing sight of practical solutions. His team, like him, are not only lovely individuals but are also very communicative.’

Kernmandanten

AG Insurance


elipsLife


Aviva Plc


Bastion Insurance Company


Mapfre and Mapfre Re


Amplifon


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advising the listed British insurance group, Aviva, regarding all Belgian legal aspects of its 242 million GBP acquisition of Probitas Holdings (Bermuda) Limited, the ultimate holding company of the Probitas Group.
  • Advising German car insurance company, Car-Garantie, on liability disputes and on its information obligations under the Insurance Distribution Directive in Belgium, reviewing and amending its client information documents to align with Belgian standards.
  • Advising Amplifon on its consumer credit and insurance intermediary activities in Belgium, including the set-up of an additional loss and theft warranty service.

CMS

The team at CMS covers all areas of the insurance industry, with expertise in life and non-life insurance, focusing on W&I, cyber, construction, environmental liability, and professional liability. The practice regularly advises leading insurance companies on complex cross-border matters. Team co-head Benoît Vandervelde advises financial institutions on issues related to the compliance of insurance products, and has a focus on life insurance law. Tom De Cordier also leads the team, specialising in data privacy and technology law. Jean-François Goffin is key to the team, along with Pierre-Axel Chabot.

Praxisleiter:

Benoît Vandervelde; Tom De Cordier


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Jean-François Goffin; Pierre-Axel Chabot


Referenzen

‘They have many partners covering very diverse fields, even niche fields.’

‘Kindness and availability.’

Kernmandanten

Bolttech


Qover


Humn.ai


Allianz Benelux


AroundTown/Sheraton-Cardo fire


The shareholders of INDEPENDENT RISK INSURANCE ADVISORY SERVICES BV (IRIAS)


AIG


Marsh


Aon


Gallagher


Highlight-Mandate


  • Advised AIG during the underwriting process for a tax W&I policy covering the biggest Belgian transaction of 2023 and currently assisting in the underwriting process for insurance to be given to a EUR 100 million real estate transaction.
  • Assisting AroundTown in insurance law and liability law in connection with the fire at the Sheraton Hotel in the centre of Brussels.
  • Advised Bolttech, an international insurtech, in the development of its insurance offering in Belgium with certain telecom providers, including regulatory licensing, rules of conduct requirements, and contractual documentation.

DLA Piper

DLA Piper’s insurance team acts for a number of leading players in the insurance market, related to coverage advice, dispute resolution, and transactional work. Clients including traditional insurers, re-insurance companies, and intermediaries rely on the expertise of the practice, which often represents them in high-profile litigation. Pierre Berger leads the practice which has continued to grow with the arrivals of Virginie Frémat and Julie De Pauw from CMSJoris Latui from KPMG Law in Belgium, and Delphine Goens from an in-house role, all in September 2024. Another key contact is Alexander Hamels, who ‘combines in-depth knowledge of insurance law and regulation with an excellent understanding of the market’.

Praxisleiter:

Pierre Berger


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Virginie Frémat; Julie De Pauw; Joris Latui; Delphine Goens; Alexander Hamels


Referenzen

‘Pierre and Alexander are very knowledgeable, and have great experience and connections in the insurance sector which allows them to always assist quickly and in an efficient manner.’

‘Alexander Hamels is always quick to respond and assist. He is well aware of the latest insights and practice developments. It is great to have him on the team.’

‘Go to firm for to the point but detailed and well-researched advice on topics related to market and (supervisory) practice, in particular topics that have not been the subject of doctrine or case law.’

Kernmandanten

Airbus


Accenture


Alan SA


Allianz Global Corporate & Speciality SE


Allianz Global Life DAC


Amonis


Aviva


Argenta Assuranties NV


Arena NV


Assuralia


Athora Belgium NV


Axa Belgium NV


Axa Partners


AXA XL Insurance Company


Baloise Belgium NV


Berkley Select


Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance


Berkshire Hathaway European Insurance


Belfius


BDB Europe


Bpost NV


Cigna Life Insurance Company of Europe


Cigna Europe Insurance Company (Europe) SA


Companjon


Credendo


DKV Belgium


Dual International Limited


Edmond de Rothschild


ERGO Insurance


Europaeiske Rejseforsikring A/S


Euroclear NV


FM Global


Fortegra Europe Insurance Company SE


Gothaer Allgemeine Versicherung


Howden Insurance Brokers Ltd


ING Belgium


KBC Insurance


Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE


Lombard International Assurance SA


Lloyd’s Market Association


Marsh Belgium NV


Mercer (Belgium) SA


Michelin


Mithras Underwriting Europe


MS Amlin Insurance SE


Mutuelle d’Assurances des Instituteurs de France


Patronale Life


PetExpert


REEL Europe


RSA


Ryan Specialty


Qover NV


Securex


Society of Lloyd’s


Standard de Liège SA


Starstone Insurance Services Ltd


Swiss Life Luxembourg SA


VALE Insurance Partners Europe B.V.


Volvo Personvagnar AB


Wealins SA


Zurich Global Ventures NV


Zurich Insurance Company ltd


Zurich Insurance Europe AG


Zurich Insurance plc


Highlight-Mandate


  • Provides regulatory and corporate assistance to Ryan Specialty Group with the acquisition of Castel Underwriting Agencies, an MGA platform having thirteen regulated entities in Belgium, the UK, Netherlands and Singapore.
  • Assisting Fortegra with the incorporation of a Belgian insurer, including providing assistance with the licensing process before the National Bank of Belgium.
  • Providing assistance with the incorporation and FSMA registration of an MGA and the development of an embedded insurance offering in multiple jurisdictions.

Philippe & Partners

Philippe & Partners specialises in insurance and liabilities litigation, advising clients on insurance products, distribution services and regulatory and governance work. The Brussels office of the firm works closely with the Luxembourg practice, widening its cross-border offering. Marc Gouden and Pierre Moreau lead the team, with expertise in Belgian and cross-border work. Gouden is adept at handling distribution and life insurance work, while Moreau focuses on life and non-life policies and group insurance.

Praxisleiter:

Marc Gouden; Pierre Moreau


Kernmandanten

AG Insurance


AGCS (Allianz Global Corporate Solutions)


AIG Europe


Allianz Benelux


Allianz Corporate Global


AR-CO


Athora Belgium


Axa Belgium


BNP Paribas Cardif


BNP Paribas Fortis


Europ Assistance


Fonds des accidents médicaux


NN Insurance Belgium


NN Non-life, Belgian branch of NV NATIONALE-NEDERLANDEN SCHADEVERZEKERING MAATSCHAPPIJ (Netherlands)


P&V Assurances


Highlight-Mandate


Simont Braun

The ‘very responsive’ practice at Simont Braun advises insurance clients across a wide range of matters, focusing on regulatory, tax, and M&A related issues. The team is particularly adept at handling litigation related to life insurance. Practice head Philippe De Prez is ‘readily available and responsive’, with extensive knowledge of FinTech and financial services. Also at leadership level is Thomas Derval, with experience assisting clients in complex insurance litigation claims. Rafaël Jafferali is key to the team, specialising in cross-border insurance disputes.

Praxisleiter:

Thomas Derval; Philippe De Prez


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Rafaël Jafferali


Referenzen

‘Our office is located overseas and we speak only English. The team at Simont Braun was very responsive, able to understand our unique position within the insurance market, and timely guided us through the process of establishing business operations in Brussels. We spoke with another law firm that was unable to move as quickly or provide the experienced guidance on what we should expect that Simont Braun could.’

‘Thomas Derval drafted informative, clear, and concise instructions and insight for what we needed to know in a timely manner. Philippe De Pez was readily available and responsive, as we fought against time zone changes, and a quick deadline to establish our business.’

‘Thomas Derval was very dedicated to our case. Thomas and his team were creative problem solvers. They were thorough with the handling of numerous shared documents.’

Kernmandanten

Cofidis


NewB


Aion Bank


La Mondiale Europartner


TCA Assurances


Test Achats


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisted NewB in setting up the first Belgian bank and insurance project with an innovative sustainable and ethical model.
  • Assisting Aion Bank, Belgium’s first next generation digital bank, with the launch of a complete offer of new products and services.
  • Assisted the US-based International Sureties group with its registration as a Belgian insurance intermediary and with passporting its activities across the entire European Economic Area.

Stibbe

For one client, ‘the combination of very good collaboration, expertise, pragmatism and quick responses’ sets the practice at Stibbe apart from its competitors, with extensive knowledge of insurance litigation and arbitration. High-value M&A transactions in the insurance sector are another strength of the team, along with providing advice on the regulatory aspects of the sector. Team head Oliver Stevens is ‘smart, thoughtful and pragmatic’, with years of experience representing financial institutions and insurance companies in complex litigation. Sophie Bourgois focuses on insurance litigation, and is ‘very knowledgeable and a very efficient advocate’.

Praxisleiter:

Oliver Stevens


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Sophie Bourgois


Referenzen

‘For very complex insurance and liability questions, we were always able to quickly turn to Stibbe. They always manage to capture the complexity of such questions in the context of a public company and collaborations with various private parties. Their advice is clear, to the point, pragmatic and exactly what we need to get started.’

‘Oliver Stevens is the ideal partner to defend our interests in difficult negotiations as well as to obtain constructive solutions, taking into account the sensitivities and interests of all parties. His vast experience and knowledge of the practice is a huge asset.’

‘I recommend Sophie Bourgois. She is very knowledgeable and a very efficient advocate.’

Kernmandanten

Brussels Airport Company


MS Amlin


Aldi


AG Vespa


Federale Verzekeringen


Highlight-Mandate


  • Successfully represented the operator of a major international transport hub in an ad hoc arbitration and obtained compensation for its Covid-19 business interruption losses.
  • Representing a chemicals company in a 9-digit coverage claim before the Brussels Business Court, based on a pollution liability policy and concerning PFAS-like pollution found on one of the company’s overseas plants.
  • Assisted Goed (the care services branch of the Christian Mutuality comprising several legal entities and ca. 200 branches in Flanders and Brussels employing a total of ca. 1,300 employees) in transferring its employee-related insurance policies within the framework of multiple restructurings.

Baker McKenzie BV/SRL

The insurance practice at Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL is noted for its ‘out of the box thinking, and client-oriented and resourceful approach’, with vast experience across insurance regulatory matters, insurance litigation, and re-organisations in the insurance sector. The firm regularly represents insurance clients in civil and administrative courts. Olivier Van Den Broeke co-leads the practice, with over 10 years' experience advising financial institutions and fintechs on high-profile insurance regulatory matters. Michael Van Acker also acts as head of the practice, with vast experience across both insurance and finance.

Praxisleiter:

Olivier Van den Broeke; Michael Van Acker


Referenzen

‘Out of the box thinking, and client-oriented and resourceful approach.’

‘High level of service. Very competent.’

Kernmandanten

AG Insurance NV


Alexander Peter Wealth Management


Amazon Insurance


American Express


Assuralia


Baloise Belgium NV


Cardif Lux Vie


Cigna Life Insurance Europe NV


Conservatrix N.V.


Credendo


Dekabank


FCA Capital


Febelfin


Fidelity


Generali Luxembourg


Imperium Insurance


Insurem Insurance Limited


KBC Verzekeringen


Lombard International Assurance


Novus Underwriting


Quilter International Ireland


Highlight-Mandate


  • Assisting Baloise Belgium NV with the optimisation of a 1 billion EUR run-off life insurance portfolio in Belgium by entering into a reinsurance transaction with Reinsurance Group of America International.
  • Representing Ingram Micro in a complex milestone insurance litigation against insurer Athora in front of the Brussels Court of Appeal and Belgium’s Constitutional Court.
  • Advising Credendo in over 25 jurisdictions on the insurance aspects of the cross-border offering of its unfunded risk participations in relation to loan facilities, bonding facilities and documentary credit facilities offered by banks to corporates or to other banks for refinancing purposes.

Racine

Racine‘s practice leverages vast expertise across insurance and civil liability work, representing Belgian and foreign insurers. Professional and medical liability insurance, as well as coverage disputes, are within the remit of the practice. Leading the team are Kathlien Vergels and Lieven Van Besien, while Grégory Mouthuy specialises in insurance and liability law. Also of note are Karen Ronsijn and Bruno Verkest.

Praxisleiter:

Kathlien Vergels; Lieven Van Besien


Weitere Kernanwälte:

Grégory Mouthuy; Karen Ronsijn; Bruno Verkest


Kernmandanten

AG Insurance


AonBelgium


MS Amlin Insurance SE


Afes International Belgium


Axa Belgium


Dekra


DKV Belgium (member of Ergo-group)


Ethias


HDI Global SE


KBCVerzekeringen


Legal Village


NN Non-Life


Sedgwick


Van Ameyde Belgium


Argenta Assuranties


HDI Global Specialty SE


Helvetia Global Solutions LTD


TVM Belgium


Markel Insurance SE


Highlight-Mandate