Professional Negligence ATE Insurance
Temple has a wealth of experience providing ATE insurance for those bringing professional negligence claims.
ATE insurance puts litigants on an equal footing. We bear the risk of paying adverse costs and a client’s own disbursements, so they are free to take on any opponent no matter how large or well-resourced.
Our insured clients range from private individuals acting alone or as part of a group action to large commercial clients pursuing claims against professional advisers.
The Temple Guide to ATE for Professional Negligence Cases
Our straightforward explanation of what’s involved will be of interest to your client as well as you. It’ll save you time. Click here to download it now.
Professional Negligence ATE Insurance Video
If you have not used Temple ATE insurance before and are wondering why you should, find out all you need to know in under 2 minutes.
ATE Insurance in action: New professional negligence case studies
Temple support claimants pursuing substantial professional negligence claims across a range of practice areas, including complex property transactions and family law proceedings.
Click here to find out about three recent professional negligence cases for which Temple provided ATE insurance – a defective exit fee drafting in a £7.5m property finance claim, a failed SPV structuring advice in a £4m property investment dispute and a family law advice/long-term maintenance claim valued at £770,000.
ATE Insurance for members of the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association
We have a strong and historic connection with the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association (PNLA). Members of the PNLA receive preferential ATE insurance rates from Temple Legal Protection. Click here to find out more.
Your questions answered
Litigation insurance for professional negligence cases used by solicitors is commonly known as After-The-Event or ATE insurance. Whichever terminology you favour, it is a bespoke policy put in place with the specific objective of insuring against the risk that your client will have to pay opponent’s costs and own disbursements if their claim fails.
To apply for litigation insurance and disbursement funding if you are a PNLA member on an individual case basis, please complete and send a Commercial Proposal Form to us – along with copies of the pertinent papers (e.g. pre-action correspondence, pleadings etc.). If you would like to speak with an underwriter before sending the case in to us, you will find contact details below and on our people page. Please mention that you are a PNLA member when submitting your proposal.
Temple Legal Protection prioritise the merits of the case, not the basis of the retainer you have with your client. Whilst it is a sign of confidence in a case if a firm is risking all or part of its fees, our underwriters know that in the commercial world, it is a benefit for fees to be paid in the traditional way and that such an arrangement is not indicative of a solicitor’s view of the merits and risk. We regularly insure cases where the client pays his solicitor’s fees as the case progresses.
The litigation insurance policy is purchased after a legal dispute arises.
The best time to send a case to us is as soon as you are reasonably able to assess the merits of the claim. Usually, this is after your investigation and the pre-action correspondence has been completed, and before proceedings are issued. However, cases can be referred to us at any stage.
It is useful to see pre-action correspondence, when available, any insolvency practitioner’s witness statement and exhibits, and information about the opponent’s ability to pay damages and costs.
Yes. Every Temple Legal Protections ATE policy provides disbursement funding if required by your client. Expert evidence is often crucial to the success or failure of a client’s professional negligence claim. With Temple Legal Protections disbursement funding your client’s claim will not be delayed or prevented by the cost of an expert’s report.
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To take the next step please contact our underwriters to discuss your case or requirements. If you are a PNLA member please let us know when getting in touch.
If you would like more information on our litigation insurance and disbursement funding products for professional negligence, or you have any other legal expenses insurance query, please email or call me on 01483 514428. We look forward to hearing from you.
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.
