Lars Gerspacher

Partner, LLM (Maritime Law)

Lars Gerspacher specialises in insurance and reinsurance law, and transport and trade law, with a particular focus on aviation and shipping. He often represents clients in international arbitration proceedings, and is always on hand to assist insurers and reinsurers in setting up their business in Switzerland and to advise them subsequently in their transactions.

  • Representing insurers and reinsurers in litigation or arbitration proceedings in relation to various lines of business (such as marine, aviation, D&O liability, E&O, fidelity and other financial lines)
  • Drafting policies and reinsurance contracts for insurers and reinsurers and advising them on compliance with regulations set by the Swiss Financial Market Authority (FINMA)
  • Setting up insurance and reinsurance businesses in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and drafting the required business plans for submission to the relevant regulators
  • Lars is recognised as being one of the leading practitioners in Insurance & Reinsurance law, as well as in Transportation law, in the International Who's Who Legal. Lars is also recommended by the latest Legal 500 as Leading Individual in Insurance and Transport
  • Lars was admitted to the Swiss bar in 2000. He read law at the University of Zurich and obtained his LLM in Maritime Law from the University of Southampton in 2003
  • Languages: German and English

Presentation23.05.2022

AIDA Swiss Chapter Event on Sanctions

Practical stumbling blocks.

Lars Gerspacher

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Presentation11.09.2019

gbf Aviation Law Workshop 2019

Subrogation in aviation matters in the aftermath of BGE 144 III 209

Lars Gerspacher

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Publication01.06.2019

Reinsurance Wording Forum

Presentation on ex gratia payments in insurance and reinsurance matters.

Lars Gerspacher

Third-party liability multinational coverage dispute

We successfully represented a Swiss insurer in a large multinational third-party liability coverage dispute arising from the selling of genetically modified corn in the US.

Lars Gerspacher

Cyber insurance

Advising the insurer against its insureds arising from cyber attacks against a watch manufacturer and a bank.

Lars Gerspacher

Cargo insurance

Advising cargo insurers in a coverage dispute arising from alleged water contamination of the insured bulk cargo fuel oil.

Lars Gerspacher

Third party product liability insurance with US and UK exposure

Representing insurers in a coverage dispute against the manufacturer of chemical products being sold in the US and the UK.

Lars Gerspacher

Event cancellation insurance and COVID-19

Representing the insurer against the policyholder in a coverage dispute arising from cancelled fairs.

Lars Gerspacher

D&O, FIPI and Crime Insurance dispute

Acting as coverage counsel for insurers in various insurance matters against private banks arising from the alleged payments of retrocessions.

Lars Gerspacher

Third-party liability multinational coverage dispute

Representing various insurers in a large multinational third-party liability coverage dispute arising from the selling of herbicides in the US.

Lars Gerspacher

Reinsurance dispute arising from COVID-19

Advising a group of reinsurers under various property treaties in relation to business interruption.

Lars Gerspacher

Release from supervision

We fully ran off all remaining claims of a Swiss licenced insurer and closed thereafter the company. This is one of the very few successful cases in Switzerland.

Lars Gerspacher

Nando Stauffer von May

Dominik Skrobala

Credit insurance

Advising credit insurers in a complex leasing structure in connection with aircraft non-payment insurance policies.

Lars Gerspacher

Marco Novoselac

Laurent Chassot

Philip Chrystal

Master international liability insurance policy

Advising insurers against its insured, a designer and manufacturer of pumps, in connection with various liability disputes in the US.

Lars Gerspacher

D&O Insurance coverage matter

Acting for the D&O insurer against its policyholder in a coverage dispute arising from the alleged wrongful investing of the company’s assets.

Lars Gerspacher

Business interruption insurance arising from COVID-19

Defending the interests of a property insurer before the Commercial Court of the Canton of Zurich against hotel owners trying to challenge the pandemic exclusion clauses.

Lars Gerspacher

Insurance carrier professional liability insurance

Representing a Swiss insurer in a large professional liability insurance matter arising from alleged bad faith conduct in the US against one of its insureds.

Lars Gerspacher

Nando Stauffer von May

Piracy

Advising hull & machinery war risks insurers in relation to a piracy event occurring on a Swiss vessel off the coast of Nigeria in 2018.

Lars Gerspacher

Financial institutions professional indemnity insurance

Advising insurers in a coverage matter arising from claims brought by clients against its bank (the insured) in connection with the wrongdoings of external asset managers.

Lars Gerspacher

Sale of a reinsurance company

We assisted the seller of a reinsurance company in the drafting of the Share Purchase Agreement and the regulatory submissions.

Lars Gerspacher

Capital reduction for a direct insurance carrier in run-off

We obtained authorisation from the Financial Market Authority (FINMA) to reduce the share capital of a primary insurer below the capital requirements stipulated by the Supervisory Ordinance.

Lars Gerspacher

Nando Stauffer von May

Professional liability of trust companies

We advised two insurers in a large professional liability case arising from the performance of trust services to a high net-worth individual.

Lars Gerspacher

Nando Stauffer von May

Sports association and EU competition law

We advised the E&O liability insurer of a sports association in a coverage claim arising from a complaint of two athletes against the sports association at the EU Commission alleging a breach of EU competition law.

Lars Gerspacher

Alleged theft

We represented a cargo insurer in a coverage dispute which went up to the Supreme Court of Switzerland (case no. 4A_659/2016). This case involved issues regarding the statute of limitations and the missing proof of the insured event.

Lars Gerspacher

Nando Stauffer von May

Arbitration between trading company and producer

In an arbitration under the ICC Rules in Paris we represented a South-East Asian producer against a Swiss trading company.

Lars Gerspacher

Roger Thalmann

Nando Stauffer von May

Obtaining licence for a foreign direct insurance carrier

We drafted the business plan for a foreign direct insurer and obtained licence from FINMA to write aviation, property and liability business in Switzerland.

Lars Gerspacher

Arbitration in relation to the construction of a sailing yacht

We represented the owner of a catamaran in an arbitration under the Swiss Rules concerning the defective construction of the vessel.

Lars Gerspacher

Roger Thalmann

Sole Arbitrator in a coverage dispute

Lars Gerspacher acted as Sole Arbitrator in ad-hoc arbitration proceedings. The matter concerned a coverage dispute in relation to the sale of corrugated iron sheets.

Lars Gerspacher

Sole Arbitrator in a matter regarding the supply of fans

Lars Gerspacher acted as Sole Arbitrator in arbitration proceedings under the Swiss Rules. The case related to the sale of fans for a gas cleaning system under the Vienna Convention for the International Sale of Goods.

Lars Gerspacher