Administrative and Public LawBanking and Financial Markets LitigationCivil Fraud, Asset Tracing and RecoveryCommercial LitigationCompetition LawConstruction and Engineering DisputesContentious Trusts, Estates and Private Wealth DisputesGroup Action LitigationInsolvency LitigationInsurance and Reinsurance LitigationInternational ArbitrationInvestigations and White Collar CrimeProduct LiabilityProfessional Negligence LitigationToxic Tort and ESG
Founded in 2012, Signature Litigation has grown into one of London’s pre-eminent specialist dispute resolution practices. From the outset, we set out to do things differently: a conflict-free, disputes-only platform designed to give clients the undivided focus and strategic agility that complex, high-stakes matters demand.
FIND OUT MORE
Established in 2017, Signature Litigation's Gibraltar office was founded to address growing demand for specialist expertise in commercial litigation and private wealth disputes on the Rock.
FIND OUT MORE
Signature Litigation AARPI houses one of France’s most enviable product liability practices, with the team also handling commercial and corporate litigation, insurance and reinsurance, toxic tort and ESG, civil fraud and asset tracing, international arbitration, administrative and public law.
FIND OUT MORE
Frankfurt has emerged as one of Europe's foremost financial and commercial centres and, increasingly, as a bridge between European and Asian markets. With that growth comes an increasing demand for sophisticated dispute resolution. Signature Litigation established its Frankfurt office to meet this need, bringing our conflict-free, disputes-only platform to the German market.
FIND OUT MOREPartner Emmanuèle Lutfalla comments in relation to the operating loss without any damage and the outcome of the insurance product in case of a major pandemic such as Covid-19. Emmanuèle's comments were published in Le Parisien, 26 March 2020 and can be accessed here.
"While numerous economic sectors suffer the ravages related to the Covid-19 epidemic, insurers remained surprisingly discreet. Monday, the French Federation of Insurance (FFA), which represents 280 companies, announced that the sector will participate financially and make a contribution of up to 200MEUR on the solidarity fund implemented by the government.
Only a few contracts plan the operating loss without damage. “In the aftermath of Sras (2002) and the H1N1 influenza (2009), few companies, such as Allianz and Beazley, have extended their coverage for operating loss to epidemics, but it represents a surcharge to the high cost and sparsely underwritten in the end”, explains Emmanuèle Lutfalla, one of the founding partners of the Paris office of Signature Litigation, specialised in Insurance.
What about the “insurance product in case of a major sanitary disaster” on which the FFA promises to work towards? “It should take the form of a fund such as those existing for the natural disasters and attacks, Ms. Lutfalla points out. This is to be funded by contributions unblocked in the event of a loss of business related to a major epidemic.” However, while awaiting its creation, an insurer advises to “turn, as of now, towards their agent, who will manage each file with goodwill, on a case-by-case basis”."
***
"Alors que de nombreux secteurs économiques subissent des ravages liés à l'épidémie de Covid-19, les assureurs étaient restés étonnamment discrets. Ce lundi 23 mars, ils se sont engagés à soutenir les entreprises dont l'activité est mise à mal par le coronavirus. La Fédération française de l'assurance (FFA), qui représente 280 sociétés, a annoncé que le secteur allait mettre la main à la poche et contribuer à hauteur de 200 millions d'euros au fonds de solidarité mis en place par le gouvernement.
Seuls quelques contrats prévoient la perte d'exploitation sans dommage. « Au lendemain du Sras (2002) et de la grippe H1N1 (2009), quelques rares compagnies, comme Allianz ou Beazley, ont pris la précaution d'étendre leur garantie pertes d'exploitation aux épidémies, mais cela représente une surprime au coût important et au final peu souscrite », explique Me Emmanuèle Lutfalla, cofondatrice du cabinet d'avocats Signature Litigation, spécialisé dans l'assurance.
Quid alors du « produit d'assurance en cas de catastrophe sanitaire majeure » sur lequel promet de travailler la FFA ? « Il devrait prendre la forme d'un fonds comme il en existe déjà pour les catastrophes naturelles et pour les attentats, précise Me Lutfalla. Des cotisations alimenteraient ce fonds qui serait débloqué en cas de perte d'activité liée à une épidémie majeure »."
