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José Umbert
Partner
London
145 Leadenhall Street, 3rd Floor
London, EC3V 4QT
TEL: 020 3805 6295
{ mail } jumbert@zelle.com
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Practice Areas
Bar and Court Admissions
Education
Past Professional Experience

José M. Umbert

(he/him/his)

José is an English solicitor and a licensed attorney in California and Spain. José represents clients in complex insurance and recovery matters. He acts for (re)insurance companies in first-party coverage cases involving property damage and business interruption losses at energy, construction, and industrial facilities. José also represents (re)insurers in third-party liability coverage matters, and in subrogation and recovery actions. He handles disputes in the U.S., many countries in Latin America, Spain, and other jurisdictions. José has written and presented on a number of (re)insurance coverage issues.

Representative Matters

First-Party (Re)Insurance

Represented insurer in Hurricane Harvey flood losses at cement plants and port terminal

Acting for insurers in Hurricane Harvey flood claim at construction project

Advised on coverage for water damage loss at government building in Puerto Rico

Acted for reinsurance market in power loss in Argentina

Advised reinsurers on coverage for multiple construction claims at naval shipyard in Brazil

Acted for reinsurers in fire and BI loss at hydroelectric plant in Colombia

Representing reinsurance market in claim for damage to turbines at power plant in Guatemala

Advised reinsurers on coverage for explosion at Guatemalan mining facility

Acted for reinsurers in Hurricane Odile loss to resort in Mexico

Advised reinsurers on coverage for construction claim at hydroelectric project in Peru

Represented reinsurers in loss at solar thermal plant in Spain

Acting for reinsurance market in power loss in Turkey

Liability (Re)Insurance

Advising reinsurer on coverage for global warming litigation in California against insured oil company

Acting for reinsurance market in liability claim for fire at industrial complex in Spain

Representing insurers in claim for pipeline failure in California

Acting for reinsurers in marine liability claim in Argentina

Subrogation / Recovery

Representing reinsurers in subrogation claim following fire at Colombian power plant

Acting for London insurers in recovery claim for machinery breakdown at Peruvian mine

Representing reinsurers in subrogation action for loss at mine in Chile

Advised reinsurance market on recovery for defective construction of hydroelectric plant in Costa Rica

Acted for reinsurers in subrogation claim for pipeline loss in Mexico

Articles & Presentations

"Insurer Implications As 3 Climate Suits Return to State Courts," Law360 Insurance Authority, April 26, 2022, co-author

"California Wildfires - Underwriting Considerations," November 1, 2021, co-author

"COVID-19 Insurance Issues To Watch In Civil Law Countries," Insurance Law360, March 2, 2021, co-author

"Climate Change Litigation Goes Before the Supreme Court," January 5, 2021, co-author

"Climate Change and Insurance: Insurers' Subrogation Claims," Insurance Law360, July 12, 2019, co-author

"Climate Change and Insurance: Lliuya v. RWE Makes History," Insurance Law360, March 22, 2019, co-author

"Climate Change and Insurance: Litigation Risks for Insurers," Insurance Law360, January 23, 2019, co-author

"Stressed about CATs? The London Market Is Ready," CAT-Law Navigator, April 11, 2017, author

"The “El Niño” Effect In Peru, Can Anything Be Done?," LatAm Insurance Navigator, March 23, 2017, co-author

"Atmospheric Rivers Making Landfall in California and Causing Major Flooding," CAT-Law Navigator, February 8, 2017, author

"Handling (Re) insurance Claims in Mexico," Lloyd's Market Association Masterclass, June 14, 2016, co-presenter

"Claims in Latin America:  Critical Issues for International (Re)Insurers," Lloyd's Market Association Masterclass, May 5, 2016, co-presenter

"California Fair Claims Settlement Practices," multiple in-house client seminars, 2016 & 2017, co-presenter

"Adjusting International Claims," Zelle Insurance Webinar Series - Catastrophes, November 14, 2016, co-presenter

"Natural Disasters in Latin America: Reinsurance Issues," Insurance Law360, November 6, 2015, co-author

"A Primer on Insurance Dispute Resolution in China," Insurance Law360, July 14, 2015, co-author

"Latin American Business Series - Legal Tour of Latin America," Lloyd's Market Association Masterclass, July 7, 2015, co-presenter

"A Primer on Insurance Underwriting in China," Insurance Law360, June 10, 2015, co-author

"Latin America Business Series – Introduction: The Common Themes," Lloyd's Market Association Masterclass, April 29, 2015, co-presenter

"'Loss' In Translation: Insurers Beware," Insurance Law360, February 19, 2015, co-author

"Primer On Civil And Common Law For The Int’l Insurer," Insurance Law360, October 31, 2014, co-author

"Insurance In Brazil: A Reinsurance Perspective," Insurance Law360, August 14, 2014, co-author

"Primer On Underwriting Insurance Risks In Argentina," Insurance Law360, June 19, 2014, co-author

Professional Affiliations

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