Alvin is a Partner in the firm’s Insurance & Reinsurance Practice.
Alvin primarily practices in the fields of insurance and reinsurance. He has been instructed on a wide range of disputes, including matters involving insurance coverage, construction defects, and professional negligence. He also regularly advises on insurance corporate and regulatory issues, such as schemes of transfer of insurance businesses, licensing of insurance companies and brokers, and issuances of catastrophe bonds.
Alvin was a member of the Singapore Academy of Law’s Subcommittee on Insurance Reform. The Subcommittee reviewed the insurance law of leading foreign jurisdictions and submitted its recommendations in the Report on Reforming Insurance Law in Singapore published in February 2020.
Alvin is also involved in groups and organisations relating to the insurance and financial industries, namely the Professional Indemnity Committee of the Law Society of Singapore, the Insurance Law Association of Singapore, and the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre.
EXPERIENCE
Litigation
- Acted for a group of life insurers on coverage under multiple life policies following suspected fraudulent misrepresentation and non-disclosure of policyholder.
- Acted for a government-owned electricity and gas distribution company in a claim in the High Court for damage to a subsea electricity distribution infrastructure caused by a jack-up vessel.
- Acted for a statutory board and main contractors against the contractor of an adjoining site for damage caused to drainage infrastructure.
- Defending parties involved in telecommunications, sewerage, and transport infrastructure projects against third party claims allegedly arising from ground subsidence and settlement.
- Acted for a property developer for claims against various construction contractors and consultants relating to defective and fallen external facade of a Grade A office building in Singapore.
- Defending the main contractors of a large scale sewerage tunnel infrastructure project and a cross-island expressway project against third party claims.
- Defended a HR software provider against a claim by customer. Counterclaimed for fees owed by customer.
- Advised aviation insurers on coverage under war and all-risk aviation policies relating to aircrafts and engines in Russia.
Arbitration
- Acted for a waste management company in an SIAC arbitration claim against its customer for providing prohibited waste chemicals for treatment and disposal which caused a major explosion in an industrial estate in Singapore.
- Acted for an insurer in an SIAC arbitration claim against a hospital group in relation to a sale and purchase agreement.
- Acted for a supply chain financier headquartered in London in an SIAC arbitration against a general insurer who denied coverage under a credit insurance policy.
- Acted for a provider of engineering, procurement, construction and installation services in the renewable energy power infrastructure sector in an ad hoc arbitration claim against a manufacturer and distributor of food products based in the Philippines.
- Acting for a property insurer to resist an application of its insured under the Arbitration Act 2001 to extend the limitation period to commence arbitration proceedings.
Advisory & Regulatory Matters
- Advised a telecommunications service provider on coverage under a liability policy concerning a contractual dispute in the Supreme Court of Victoria.
- Advised a food manufacturing group on property damage and consequential loss coverage for the 2021 floods in Malaysia.
- Advised on the setting up and operations of a coverholder under the Lloyd’s Asia Scheme.
- Advised NTUC Income on first-in-market longevity arrangement with Swiss Re.
- Advised on reinsurance cover for a motor claim in Sri Lanka and potential reinsurance broker liability.
- Advised an A&H insurer on reinsurance cover under treaties.
- Advised CAR insurers on coverage for damage caused to properties in the vicinity of construction sites in a flood-control project in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Advised insurer on property insurance coverage for a fire incident at a market warehouse in Myanmar.
- Advised a technical facility management company on a claim by a semiconductor manufacturing company arising from a fire incident at a manufacturing plant.
- Advised on multiple issuances of catastrophe bonds via special purpose reinsurance vehicles in Singapore.
- Handled schemes of transfer of various lines of insurance businesses. Managed internal restructuring, tax issues, policyholders’ objections, MAS approvals, and Court applications.
- Assisted with the registration, licensing and regulatory compliance of a healthcare reinsurance broker and its related reinsurance company in Singapore.
- Advised marine mutual insurers on providing kidnap & ransom coverage.
- Advised insurers on regulatory obligations following cyber incidents and suspected data breaches.
MEMBERSHIPS / DIRECTORSHIPS
- Committee Member, Insurance Law Association of Singapore
- Committee Member, Professional Indemnity Committee, Law Society of Singapore
- Neutral Evaluator, Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC)
- Member, Subcommittee on Insurance Law Reform, Singapore Academy of Law
PUBLICATIONS
- Contributor, Report of Reforming Insurance Law in Singapore, Singapore Academy of Law (February 2020)
- Author, Safeguarding Businesses in the Digital Age, Cyber Risk Leaders (20 July 2023)
- Contributor, MAS Framework for Domestic Systematically Important Insurers (D-SIIs), Lexology (29 September 2023)
- Author, Beyond the Exclusionary Rule: Claims for Pure Economic Loss in Singapore, Professional Liability Underwriting Society (14 December 2023)
- Contributor, MAS Seeks Feedback on Streamlining Requirements and Facilitating Access to Selected Simple Insurance Products, Rajah & Tann Asia Viewpoints (5 February 2024)
- Contributor, Year in Review: Insurance and Reinsurance Law in Singapore, Lexology (3 June 2024)
- Author, Building Safeguards: Liability Insurance for Construction Professionals (25 July 2024)
