Prominent German business newspaper Handelsblatt has picked up on the trend that more and more M&A deals are being insured under - mostly buy-side - W&I insurance policies. I agree with AIG's Dennis Froneberg that this is a significant, and continuing, market changer. Not only on the deal side but also when it comes to claims.
Contrary to the ordinary post-M&A dispute scenario, W&I insurance provides, in particular, the benefit of a direct claim against the insurer but, for the very same reason, also creates new challenges. These challenges require a blend of expertise and experience in the claims scenario of corporate and insurance law as well as arbitration as preferred dispute resolution method.
This market is maturing but at the same time laying grounds for even more tailored special insurance solutions on the tax side, for litigation matters or environmental risks.
„Die W&I-Versicherungen haben den Markt komplett verändert“, sagt Dennis Froneberg, Leiter M&A-Versicherung Nordeuropa der AIG. Er sieht auch schon die nächsten Wachstumstreiber: Ergänzungen – etwa zur Absicherung gegen bekannte Steuerrisiken, Umweltrisiken oder drohende Rechtsstreitigkeiten sowie die Integration von W&I-Versicherungen mit klassischen Produkten wie Produkthaftpflicht- oder Cyberversicherungen.
