Nicola joined Edwin Coe in 2010 and became a partner in 2013. Her practice covers advice to Claimants and Defendants in a wide range of commercial and insurance matters and she represents corporate, SME and high net worth clients in complex insurance coverage disputes, professional negligence, and commercial litigation. She assists policyholders to secure efficient resolution of claims and to maximise recoveries, if necessary, through litigation, mediation or arbitration.
She acts exclusively for policyholders across numerous sectors such as hospitality, retail & consumer, pharmaceutical, construction & real estate, manufacturing, and waste processing on a broad range of matters including:
- Professional Indemnity
- Directors and Officers liability (D&O)
- Property and Casualty
- Business Interruption
- Cyber Risk
- Environmental Risk
- Building Defect Guarantee
- Product Liability
- Critical illness and permanent health insurance policies
She has particular expertise in relation to substantial property claims arising out of fire, thefts, flooding and design defects advising in respect of material damage, under-insurance and business interruption claims. More recently, Nicola has advised policyholders in relation to claims arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A large proportion of Nicola’s practice involves pursuing professional negligence claims against insurance brokers and other professionals including architects, financial advisers, and accountants.
Nicola has a particular interest in relation to cyber insurance cover and claims and regularly speaks and publishes on the subject.
She is a member of the LBIA, PNLA, LSLA and BILA and presents seminars to insurance intermediaries and specialist interest groups, including CILA.
Insurance
- Advising an individual policyholder in relation to his various health insurance policies in the event of permanent ill health and his ability to work again.
- Acting for a number of Claimants pursuing claims for uninsured and under-insured losses and business interruption arising from the explosion of a petrol depot in Buncefield.
- Acting for a Claimant company for material damage and business interruption losses where the insurer denied cover relying on a material misrepresentation argument.
- Representing a professional firm in relation to insurance coverage issues following a substantial client account theft as a result of cyber fraud.
Professional Negligence
- Acting for a leading London street market against its brokers in relation to a fire which caused approximately £8m of damage.
- Acting in relation to a recycling plant which burnt down. Following insurer’s purported avoidance of the policy; the insurance brokers were sued for failing to advise the policyholder of its duty to give full disclosure of all material facts.
- Acting for the Claimant’s waste recycling business in a claim against its insurance broker in negligence for failure to advise on disclosure issues, policy conditions and failure to arrange cover which provided an indemnity in relation to loss of profit.
- Acting for the Claimant property owner in a claim against the broker in negligence for failure to arrange cover for loss of rent and for incorrectly arranging cover on a joint basis.
Commercial
- Acting for a corporate client in relation to a claim for fraudulent misappropriation of £9m of client’s monies.
- Acting for a corporate client in relation to its claim for fraudulent misappropriation of company monies by a former employee and taking injunctive and possessory action to successfully recover the monies.
Expertise
Insurance claims
Assessment of Damage claims
Business Interruption claims
Health and Safety investigations and defence of criminal prosecutions
Claims against security providers
Denied claims on the basis of Breach of Warranty or General Condition
Third Party claims for Uninsured Losses
Industry Sectors: Waste management, print & packaging, manufacturing, retail and leisure, construction, engineering, property, IT, SME’s
Issues arising out of fire, theft, flood, fraud, and cyber risks
Credentials
Ranked in Chambers UK 2024
Ranked in Chambers Global 2024
Recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2024
Member of the London Business Interruption Association
Member of the London Chamber of Commerce
Member of the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association
Member of the British Insurance Law Association
Nicola's Blogs
Blog - 19/03/2024
Storm and Flood Damage – Policyholder Tips
Insurance Litigation
Blog - 25/05/2022
Making an Insurance Claim – The steps c...
Insurance Litigation
Blog - 17/01/2022
Berkshire Assets (West London) Limited v AXA ...
Insurance Litigation
Blog - 06/10/2021
“As clear as mud” – the consequences of...
Insurance Litigation