Insurance
Asia-Pacific Guide 2025 : New Zealand
Band 3
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+64 9 353 9700About
Provided by MinterEllisonRuddWatts
MinterEllisonRuddWatts’ dedicated insurance team has significant international experience in the insurance industry. The team’s clients include major insurers and brokers, government entities, companies and individuals.
The team provides a full range of cost-effective legal services, bring industry understanding to the challenges clients face, and keep clients at the forefront of relevant legal and regulatory changes.
Advising on ‘front end’ needs, including policy drafting and advice, corporate advisory, reinsurance and agency agreements, the team is also experienced in bringing and defending litigation relating to complex and high value insurance issues.
The team regularly advise on claims relating to professional indemnity, directors and officers liability, reinsurance, general public liability, product liability, statutory liabilities, and property damage. The team is actively involved in current issues such as drafting new forms of policy for major insurance, cyber insurance and warranty insurance claims.
- Acting for Marsh, on a variety of claims, disputes and advisory matters, including E&O resolution and litigation legal services.
- Acting for Medical Assurance Society (MAS), on a variety of claims, disputes, and advisory matters for both the general, and life and health insurance businesses.
- Acting for a large New Zealand local government entity on all its insurance claims arising from potential liabilities for defective building works.
Chambers Review
MinterEllisonRuddWatts possesses an established insurance practice with experience advising multinational insurance brokers, underwriters, insurers and insureds on a range of issues. Its key clients include Marsh, Aon and PIC Insurance Brokers. The insurance team applies its wide range of experience and knowledge to large-scale insurance disputes and complex issues involving individuals, financial institutions, corporates and public entities. The team is frequently instructed on earthquake and property damage claims. The firm also offers a front-end practice, well versed in the design, drafting and interpretation of insurance policies.
Work Highlights
- MinterEllisonRuddWatts advised a major international aircraft leasing firm in an insurance claim against QBE Australia and other insurers for the loss of and/or damage to six wide-body jet aircraft that were being operated in Russia at the time of the invasion of Ukraine.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"With excellent financial services and life insurance expertise, MERW is able to assist across the full range of matters we have from commercial to regulatory to dispute resolution issues."
"With excellent financial services and life insurance expertise, MERW is able to assist across the full range of matters we have from commercial to regulatory to dispute resolution issues."
Notable Practitioners
Andrew Horne heads MinterEllisonRuddWatts's insurance practice from its Auckland office. He specialises in contentious insurance issues, which he has litigated on behalf of leading insurers and brokers from around the world, up to and including Supreme Court level, for over 25 years.
"Andrew is a vastly experienced dispute resolution and insurance lawyer with excellent industry knowledge."
Nick Frith is an Auckland-based partner. He often acts for insureds on contentious and non-contentious claims and recovery matters both domestically and internationally.
"Nick Frith is extremely professional and knowledgeable. He is commercially astute, and his level of service is outstanding."
Ranked Lawyers at
MinterEllisonRuddWatts
New Zealand
Members
Provided by MinterEllisonRuddWatts
Head of Department
Nick Frith
Clients
Provided by MinterEllisonRuddWatts
AIA
Aon
Auckland Council
Fulton Hogan
Marsh
Medical Assurance Society
PIC Insurance Brokers
Southern Cross Insurance
Tower Insurance
Youi