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2025 Deal Market View
Litigation and Contingent Risk Insurance
In mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal risks are typically identified as red flags in the due diligence process. These risks include regulatory, licensing, permitting, contractual or title issues, and others. In cases where neither party is willing to bear the risk, a transaction can be prevented from proceeding.
Buyers may negotiate for a specific indemnity clause to cover any financial downside risks, demand an escrow or suppress the purchase price. A seller who prefers a clean exit after a sale may not find these requests palatable.
The outcome of a dispute cannot be guaranteed, nor can it be guaranteed that a known legal issue will not eventually materialise.
Litigation and contingent risk solutions offer a tool to manage the risk exposure of unfavourable outcomes, providing a level of certainty to clients such that, even in the event of an adverse outcome in a dispute, their financial exposure would be limited to a pre-defined extent.
There are five main types of solutions that can help tackle duration and financial uncertainties in these known risks:
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Contingent risk insurance
Identified known risks (ranging from legal issues arising from permits, licenses as well as regulatory issues) may be identified as red flags in the due diligence process and consequently prevent transactions from proceeding as neither party wants to bear the ongoing risk. Contingent risk insurance tackles legal risks which are capable of legal analysis and evaluation. These risks are typically low in probability but high in severity. Such insurance solutions are bespoke and structured for a payout should an adverse consequence occur.
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Judgment preservation insurance (JPI)
Even when one party has secured a favourable judgment or arbitral award, there is a still a possibility that the losing party may appeal the judgment to a higher court or, in an arbitration, make an application to set the award aside. These proceedings take time, leading to duration and financial uncertainty for the company and its stakeholders. JPI removes these uncertainties by protecting the successful party against the risk of the judgment or award being overturned or the quantum awarded being reduced on appeal or setting aside respectively.
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Adverse judgment insurance (AJI)
As a defending party, the risk of facing a catastrophic loss from a judgment may cause cash flow concerns within the company and erode shareholder confidence. The defence-side AJI guards against an adverse award by insuring a large proportion of damages which the defendant is being sued for.
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After-the-Event insurance (ATE)
In costs-shifting jurisdictions, a losing party would need to pay the adverse costs of the opposing party ordered by a court or tribunal. In arbitrations, costs can escalate as tribunals have the discretion to order costs in the winning party’s favour. Disputing parties can be protected from any adverse legal costs exposure through After-the-Event insurance which protects against the risk of having to pay the other side’s legal costs, the party’s own disbursements and part of their own legal fees.
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Arbitral award default insurance (AADI)
AADI covers losses arising from the non-payment of an arbitral award against a host state in bilateral or multilateral investment treaties. This helps the insured claimant mitigate the risk of enforcing an award in international disputes, especially where there may be challenges arising from the differences in legal systems and enforcement mechanisms.
The Aon Team
As a prominent litigation and contingent risk broker in Asia, our team of disputes specialists is well equipped with the necessary skills and resources to help you navigate the duration and financial uncertainties when encountering known risks.
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