Willis Unveils New Lawyers Professional Liability Coverage

Dec 16, 2009 (Datamonitor via COMTEX) -- Willis Programs, a unit of US-based Willis Group Holdings, has announced that its LawyerGuard unit has launched a new insurance program designed to address the professional liability coverage needs of law firms with one to 20 attorneys in general practice areas.

The underwriter for the LawyerGuard program is Catlin Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Catlin Group. The program will be offered on an admitted basis in all available states and the District of Columbia. To date, form and rate filings for the new program have been approved in 37 states.

Willis Programs said that the program offers numerous coverage enhancements, including mutual choice of counsel, a reduction in deductible for claims settled through mediation, high limits for disciplinary proceedings and loss of earnings coverage, express malicious prosecution coverage, and free unlimited extended reporting periods for the disability or death of an individual attorney.

The policy also provides coverage for activities not only taken as an attorney, but also as a member of a professional association, as an arbitrator/mediator, notary, lobbyist, title agent or as a publisher of research papers. Punitive damages also are covered under the policy unless deemed uninsurable in a particular jurisdiction. In certain situations, the insured law firm is also eligible for crisis event coverage to offset the costs of a public relations firm to lessen the potential adverse impact on its reputation from covered events.

In addition to underwriting the new Willis program, Catlin Insurance Company will become the new carrier for the existing Willis-DRI program beginning on January 1, 2010.

David Hampson, president of Willis Programs, said: "We are very excited about the launch of the new lawyers' professional liability insurance program for non-defense attorneys. This is a significant complement to our existing lawyers' professional liability program designed for defense firms of all sizes, which is sponsored by DRI, the largest international membership organization of defense attorneys. The combination of these two programs will make LawyerGuard an even more significant player in the national lawyers' professional liability market."

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