The ‘outstanding, results-driven’ practice at Lydian runs the insurance gamut with the team’s far-reaching expertise covering issues including claims and disputes, insurance product distribution, corporate insurance and ESG work. The unit has also increasingly acting as lead counsel in cases involving international losses. Hugo Keulers co-chairs the practice and is praised for his ‘energy, in-depth insurance knowledge, international network and entrepreneurship’. Fellow practice co-chair Sandra Lodewijckx is an expert in insurance distribution and is praised for her ability to ‘stay on top of new developments‘, while Jo Willems is well positioned to handle strategically important disputes for national and international insurance clients. Marijn De Ruysscher is geared to assist with technical CAR-insurance and liability insurance mandates.

A&O Shearman fields a strong offering with expertise in regulatory issues, including solvency and governance work, and strength in contentious mandates and a proven track in insurance M&A. Experienced litigator Tom Schoors co-heads the practice; his varied caseload includes acting for insurance companies in post-M&A cases. Sylvia Kierszenbaum completes the leadership team and is well placed to advise international and domestic insurance companies on the regulation of insurance activities. Christian Bayart advises on the insurance aspects of employee benefits, while Niels De Waele counts prudential regulations and conduct of business rules among his areas of expertise.

ALTIUS‘ multi-disciplinary practice assists insurance companies, reinsurers and insurance intermediaries across a broad section of matters with advice on regulatory issues concerning M&A, the structuring of insurance distribution channels and employment mandates among the team’s key areas of focus. Contentious work including insurance coverage disputes is an additional strength. Alexander Hansebout and Jérôme Vermeylen jointly chair the practice with the former a key contact for international disputes. Fellow litigator Stijn Van Schel has a proven track record in handling liability and coverage disputes. Cross-border transactions specialist Audrey Zegers is a further key contact.

Warranty and indemnity, construction professional and environmental liability insurance are all key focuses of the insurance team at CMS. In Antwerp, experienced litigator Virginie Frémat co-heads the practice and frequently acts for insurers and corporates in domestic and international litigation. The leadership team is completed by the Brussels-based trio of Carl Leermakers, Benoît Vandervelde and Tom De Cordier; Vandervelde is well versed in financial services and life insurance law. Back in Antwerp, Julie De Pauw‘s far-reaching practice encompasses policy reviews, dispute resolution and liability issues, while Tom Reingraber is a known name for insurance litigation.

Praised for its ‘expert knowledge of complex cases‘, DLA Piper is active across Belgian and European regulatory matters in the fields of consumer protection and prudential supervision, life and non-life insurance product documentation and the drafting of distribution and cooperation agreements. The team is additionally highlighted for its expertise pertaining to large insurance M&A transactions. In Antwerp, practice head Pierre Berger brings an array of regulatory expertise to the table, while in Brussels, Bob Martens‘ contentious expertise is sought out by insurance clients, particularly for professional liability disputes. Alexander Hamels has an in-depth understanding of coverage disputes and supervisory investigations.

Simont Braun has a strong market reputation for its proficiency in insurtech, strong academic roots and cross-practice approach to insurance. Co-head of the team Thomas Derval has a practice that straddles contentious and regulatory insurance expertise. Fellow co-heads Philippe De Prez and Joan Carette frequently leverage their strong fintech knowledge to advise insurance clients on matters such as the digitalisation of product offerings and the granting of financial licences. Rafaël Jafferali is a key contact for cross-border insurance disputes.

The far-reaching practice at Stibbe incorporates expertise in insurance litigation and arbitration, employee benefits and corporate and M&A work. Other areas of strength for the unit include advising of the financial regulatory aspects of the insurance sector, tax mandates, and insurance issues arising from major infrastructure projects and public contracts. Oliver Stevens heads up the ‘very knowledgeable’ team; his longstanding experience in the space includes dealing with financial lines insurance, property insurance and litigation concerning the mis-selling of life insurance schemes. Corporate and capital markets expert Jan Peeters frequently advises on transactional work in the sector, and Marc Fyon has amassed considerable experience in corporate finance work. Complementary pensions expert Jan Proesmans and accredited mediator Sophie Bourgois are further recommended.

Baker McKenzie CVBA/SCRL‘s ‘highly regarded’ practice is well placed to handle a broad range of regulatory matters, strategic transactions, corporate reorganisations and litigation in front of civil and administrative courts of law. Olivier Van Den Broeke and Michael Van Acker co-head the practice, with the latter frequently leveraging his transactional expertise to assist players in the insurance space.

Philippe & Partners‘ insurance team, which is noted for its ‘professionalism and collaboration‘, handles a range of advisory and contentious work in the insurance sector, with the group singled out for its competence in insurance products and distribution services, as well as its ability to assist with insurance-related regulatory, corporate and tax issues. Life insurance specialist Marc Gouden, who divides his time between Brussels and Luxembourg, heads up the practice alongside Pierre Moreau, whose diverse practice extends to group insurance and the development of life and non-life policies; Moreau divides his time between Brussels, Luxembourg and Mons.

Racine is known for assisting Belgian and foreign insurers with issues ranging from professional liability mandates to hospitalisation insurance and coverage issues. The multilingual team is qualified to appear before all Belgian courts. Kathlien Vergels co-heads the team alongside Lieven Van Besien , and liability and insurance law specialist Karen Ronsijn is another name to note.