Insurance

Dickinson Wright’s Insurance practice addresses a broad range of legal needs across the insurance industry. We represent insurers in coverage and bad-faith disputes at trial and on appeal; provide coverage advice and opinions; counsel insurers on antitrust and other industry issues; defend insureds in high-value covered litigation; handle regulatory compliance and receivership matters; and advise insurers on business formation and transactions.

Our clients include property and casualty insurers providing commercial general liability, homeowners, automobile, no-fault, and personal injury protection coverage; workers’ compensation carriers; legal malpractice, medical malpractice, directors and officers liability, and other professional liability insurers; specialty lines insurers; health insurers; life insurers; title insurers; guaranty associations; and captive insurers.

Our Services

Litigation

Dickinson Wright attorneys represent insurers in high-stakes individual and class action coverage and bad-faith matters, including claims of institutional bad faith and disputes involving punitive damages. Because litigation can be costly, time-consuming, and potentially damaging to an organization’s reputation, we work with clients to address issues early and develop effective risk-avoidance strategies. When litigation becomes necessary, clients benefit from our practical approach to resolving disputes and our first-chair trial and appellate experience.

Coverage Advice and Opinions

Dickinson Wright attorneys provide coverage advice and opinions across virtually all lines of insurance. We often help resolve disputes early by conducting a prompt and thorough initial review, identifying the controlling issues, and applying our experience and knowledge of insurance law.

Antitrust

Insurance providers may pursue greater efficiency and growth through mergers and acquisitions or collaborative business arrangements. These transactions may also raise antitrust concerns and attract government scrutiny. We advise clients on regulatory compliance and risk avoidance in connection with domestic and international mergers, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and collaborative activity among competitors.

Regulatory Compliance and Receiverships

Dickinson Wright attorneys advise insurer clients on entity formation, demutualization, initial and expanded certificates of authority, change-of-control proceedings, regulatory approvals for financing transactions, declaratory ruling requests, and market withdrawals. We also represent insurers in informal and formal receivership proceedings, including rehabilitations and liquidations.

Business Formation and Transactions

Dickinson Wright attorneys advise insurers on a range of corporate and transactional matters, including:

• Corporate and financial advice involving business structures, formations, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, and public and private placements of equity and debt instruments
• Insurance products, including drafting and obtaining approval of policy forms and preparing agreements for affiliate transactions
• Negotiating and drafting agency and broker agreements, including fronting, reinsurance, and managing general agent program agreements

Title Insurance

Dickinson Wright attorneys help title insurance companies and agents, as well as their customers and insureds—from homeowners to corporations and financial institutions—protect their real property interests and resolve title-related disputes. We work with underwriters to manage risk and resolve title claims and advise title agents on legal issues involving title examinations, underwriter relationships, and regulatory compliance. We regularly handle matters involving:

• Lien priority and validity
• Title ownership
• Equitable and conventional subrogation
• Easements
• Property boundaries
• Mechanic’s liens and judgment liens
• Policy coverage
• Wire and title fraud
• Agent liability and defalcations
• Recovery of losses from errors and omissions carriers
• Bankruptcy estates