Our insurance practice covers a full range of practice areas within the insurance industry, including insurance regulatory matters and insurance trading, corporate transactions of insurance companies, insolvency cases, and litigation and dispute resolution.
Insurance regulatory matters
We advise on a wide range of insurance regulatory matters including applications for insurance business licenses, sales regulations (including bancassurance regulations), the establishment of compliance systems for insurance companies and insurance agencies, and responses to inspections by supervisory agencies. Many of our attorneys have worked at the Financial Service Agency (FSA) and we have experience in requesting the FSA to amend regulations on behalf of clients. To ensure our clients are kept up to date, we promptly provide our clients with information on amendments to the insurance regulations.
Insurance and reinsurance trading
We advise on various types of insurance and reinsurance trading, including drafting of insurance and reinsurance contracts and other insurance trading documentation, and the formation of captive insurance using offshore jurisdictions. Some of the attorneys in our insurance practice have experience working as in-house counsel of life and non-life insurance companies, which allows for a greater depth of understanding of the insurance business, as well as its legal service needs. With this range of experience, we are able to offer our clients truly practical advice and outstanding service.
Corporate transactions
Our attorneys have advised clients in many large-scale insurance M&A transactions. With highly-specialized attorneys practicing in each area, we offer a broad range of legal services relevant to insurance companies in the areas of M&A, demutualizations, the incorporation of branches of foreign insurance companies and the transfer of insurance contracts. Recently, we have had the opportunity to handle a number of cross-border M&A transactions, both inbound and outbound.
Corporate crisis management (including misconduct notification)
Our experienced attorneys provide comprehensive advice on handling corporate crisis, such as compliance matters and competition law matters, including responses to investigations by authorities.
Insolvency cases
Our attorneys have extensive experience in handling insolvency cases for insurance
companies in Japan. Attorneys from our firm have served as Insurance Administrators for Toho Mutual Life Insurance Company, Daihyaku Mutual Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and Taisho Life Insurance Co., Ltd., and Deputy Trustees for Taisei Fire and Marine Co., Ltd. We have also acted as counsel for trustees and administrators for insolvent insurance companies and for sponsor companies, including both candidates and those selected, and, therefore, have been involved in most of the major insolvency cases for insurance companies in Japan.
Litigation and disputes
We have an impressive record of achieving excellent results for our clients in complex insurance (including both primary insurance and reinsurance) disputes and litigation matters of every kind, such as insurance coverage and tax disputes concerning insurance policies. We also deal with disputes and litigation for policyholders whose liabilities are covered by policies issued by insurance companies.
- Related practice areas
- M&ACross-border M&ACorporate GovernanceInsuranceFinance Regulations/ComplianceAsset Management/FundsFinTechCross-border Financial TransactionsBankruptcyConsumer Contract DisputesInsurance Related DisputesAlternative Dispute ResolutionCivil Disputes Arising from Corporate ScandalsLobbying & Contributing to Planning & Enacting of Public Policy
Major Cases
- 2022
- Represented T&D Holdings and its affiliate in Fortitude Re’s total transaction value of $2.2 billion acquisition of Prudential’s legacy variable annuity business
- 2020
- Nippon Life Insurance Co. - Additional investment in Australia’s MLC Ltd.
- 2020
- Sompo Holdings, Inc. - Acquisition of a stake in Renaissance Inc.
- 2020
- Nippon Life Insurance Co. - Acquisition of additional shares in Australia’s MLC Ltd.
- 2020 - 2022
- Represented T&D Holdings and its affiliate in (i) $1.8 billion acquisition, with The Carlyle Group, of Fortitude Re from AIG and (ii) $2.1 billion co-investment transaction with The Carlyle Group, etc.
- 2019
- Nippon Life Insurance Co. - Acquisition of additional shares in Australia’s MLC Ltd.
- 2019
- T&D Holdings, Inc. - Partnership with Carlyle Group to acquire majority stake in Fortitude Group Holdings from AIG
- 2018
- Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd.: Acquisition of stake in Aflac Incorporated
- 2018 - 2021
- Represented a life insurance company to establish a wholly owned subsidiary life insurance company
- 2018 - 2019
- Represented a domestic client to establish an insurance holding company
Related Publications/Seminars