By Matthew Pascall, Senior Underwriting Manager
(Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 47 seconds)
Well, Brexit “got done!”. What will there be to talk about for the next twelve months? Well, here at Temple, the Commercial Team may well be listening a bit more and talking a bit less. In 2020 we want to listen to our professional clients and better understand what they need for their clients. The challenge in the year ahead will then be to provide a range of ATE/litigation insurance products that meet those requirements.
We started this process by looking at the different types of case we insure and the different firms we work with. You’ll see pages on our website that focus on certain key areas, for example, professional negligence and contentious probate. The aim is to make the information on those pages relevant to solicitors specialising in those areas of law. But to get that right, we need to listen to those specialists – to you!
Although the basic premise of litigation insurance is always the same – if the client loses, we pay the adverse costs and the client’s disbursements – we know that a “one size fits all” approach doesn’t work.
In 2020 we want solicitors to tell us more about what they do and how they think litigation insurance could work better for their clients and the types of case they undertake.
We know that what works for private client claimants of modest means pursuing professional negligence claims, either individually or in groups, doesn’t necessarily work for the same clients pursuing contentious probate claims. We do offer different premiums and differing levels of cover for these cases, but we want to know what more we can do to help your clients – only you can tell us.
We are seeing a great deal more interest in litigation insurance from contentious probate lawyers but know we need to look more closely at how these cases can be better insured. To do this we will be asking contentious probate lawyers what they need to better protect claimants, respondents/defendants, trustees and executors from adverse costs risks. We want to know how we can improve our current premium structures to enable these cases to be insured on a more cost – effective and commercial basis.
Last year we hosted a Roundtable event at which key commercial litigators discussed litigation insurance. We expect to host more such events this year. We learned a great deal listening to litigators casting a critical eye over litigation insurance and hope to learn more this year.
So, when we come calling in 2020 please don’t expect a “sales pitch” or be surprised if our priority at the meeting will be to pick your brains or sound you out. We’re keen to know all about the cases you run and the clients you represent. Please tell us how you think your clients’ adverse costs risks are most likely to arise and can best be contained or mitigated.
Our aim in 2020 is for you to ask us some challenging questions; hold us to account and feel free to spell out what you think will work better for your clients.
We can’t claim 2020 vision, but do have a vision for 2020 – one that you can help us to see the way ahead.
To find out more about what we can we do for you in 2020 with regard to litigation insurance and funding, please call me on 01483 514428 or email .
Matthew Pascall
Legal Director – Head of Commercial
Matthew Pascall
Matthew was called to the Bar in 1984 and joined Guildford Chambers two years later. Spending more than 30 years in practice there, he was listed as a Legal 500 Tier One barrister.
He joined the commercial team at Temple Legal Protection as Senior Underwriting Manager in 2017.
Matthew was appointed to Temple’s Board in December 2022 as Legal Director and Head of Commercial.
His knowledge of the commercial legal sector and litigation practice is invaluable to the business and our clients, providing specialist experience to lead the commercial litigation insurance team.
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