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The Insurance Industry Takes Another Swing at Efficient Dispute Resolution

By Jessica F. Pardi

The widespread use of arbitration in insurance and reinsurance disputes was intended to allow parties to resolve complex disputes quickly and efficiently by having persons with knowledge of the specialized terminology, standards, and practices of the insurance industry act as decision makers. This aspiration has been superseded by protracted and voluminous discovery, continual delays and postponements, extensive briefing, and lengthy hearings. In essence, all of the foibles of litigation have crept into the world of arbitration, leaving the insurance industry once again in search of an efficient method to resolve disputes.

Last year, the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution ('CPR'), in consultation with leading insurers and law firms in the London and American insurance markets, advanced a new International Reinsurance Industry Dispute Resolution Protocol (the 'Protocol') to provide the insurance industry with an alternative to litigation or lengthy arbitration. CPR has been involved in the property-casualty insurance community for more than 20 years and maintains an active Insurance Committee composed of representatives of insurance companies that meet at least twice a year to consider new tools to advocate and support alternative dispute resolution within the insurance industry. CPR also has a Corporate Insurance Coverage Committee consisting of representatives of corporate policyholders, commercial insurers, and coverage and defense counsel. This committee creates and promulgates methods for managing policyholder coverage disputes without litigation.

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