What can I do for you
Andrew Tobin is a leading London Market insurance and reinsurance disputes lawyer having more than 25 years of experience advising on matters in over 40 jurisdictions. He advises insurers, reinsurers and policyholders on complex, high‑value disputes in the UK and internationally and heads Mills & Reeve’s specialty insurance practice. He is particularly recognised for his expertise in political violence, political risk and trade credit insurance.
He is known for providing clear, pragmatic and commercially focused advice on matters involving significant financial exposure, novel or untested policy wordings and complex cross‑border issues. Clients value his sound strategic judgment, calm handling of high‑stakes disputes, market knowledge and ability to deliver outcomes efficiently.
Andrew advises on a wide range of UK and international insurance, reinsurance and commercial matters, including:
- Policy coverage of all kinds
- War, terrorism and political violence insurance
- UK and international property and business interruption
- Energy, mining and engineering
- Reinsurance (facultative, treaty, excess of loss, or proportionate)
- Management of overseas claims, claims control & co-operation
- Marine and cargo coverage
- Specie, jewellers’ block and fine art
- Construction all risks
- Life, accident and health and contingency insurance
- General and professional liability
- Subrogation
- Letters of request, the Hague Convention, Evidence (Proceedings in Other
Jurisdictions) Act 1975 - Regulation
Andrew frequently manages complex, multi‑jurisdictional matters, working closely with overseas counsel to achieve the best commercial outcome.
Supporting your ambitions
With long and broad experience of the London insurance market, Andrew brings a deep understanding of both the law and the market’s practices, relationships and commercial realities. He combines technical expertise with a practical, strategic approach focused on achieving clients’ objectives.
Andrew represents clients robustly in litigation or arbitration where required, and pragmatically in mediation where that best serves their interests.
Andrew is a recognised leader in political violence insurance and acted for the successful reinsurers in both New York and London proceedings in Hamilton v Afghan Global, Anham and ors[2024] EWHC 1426 the first standalone political violence policy dispute to be determined by the English courts, setting an important precedent. Value $41m.
Other reported cases include:
Munich Re v Commonwealth Insurance Co [2005] Lloyd's Rep IR 99 (reinsurance, retrocession, conflict of laws, forum non-conveniens)
Standard Bank Plc v Via Mat International Ltd [2013] EWCA Civ 490 (Court of Appeal, specie, warehousemen liability, $20m missing silver in China) Midnight Marine Ltd & Another v Thomas Miller Speciality Underwriting Agency Ltd (The “Labhauler”) [2018] EWHC 3431 (arbitration, marine P&I coverage)
Atlantica Holdings & Ors v (1) Sovereign Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna JSC and others [2019] EWHC 319 (fraud, letters of request, Hague Convention, Evidence (Proceedings in Other Jurisdictions) Act 1975.).
Before joining Mills & Reeve in 2019, Andrew practised for 19 years at two leading international insurance law firms. Andrew trained and practised originally as a barrister.
Andrew is an author of "War Risks and Terrorism Insurance" (Insurance Institute of London, 2008).
What do others say
"Andrew Tobin is a litigator who is thorough and perceptive, exercising lateral thought." - Legal 500 2026
"Andrew Tobin is a very fine lawyer with a keen eye on commercial priorities” - Legal 500 2025
"Andrew Tobin is an authority on political risk, trade credit and political violence matters." Legal 500 2024
“Andrew Tobin is very personable and easy to work with; he has the ability to make complex matters of law sound relatively simple. He is very responsive and makes himself available at short notice, and I’m confident of obtaining the best possible outcome on anything he’s involved with.”- Legal 500 2022
"Andrew Tobin is an outstanding member of the team ... His warm, affable manner is matched with an astute, independent mind which combines legal insight with commercial good sense... The practice has breadth but Andrew's work in the political risk and credit spheres has been of particular note." - Legal 500 2021
"Solid, dependable, responsive and fully engaged in seeking the targeted outcome desired for his clients." - Legal 500 2020
What else should you know
Andrew is Chairman Emeritus of Lloyd's Flyfishing Society. He enjoys tennis and walking his cocker spaniel in the countryside.
Andrew has a BA Russian & East European History at UCL's School of Slavonic & E. European Studies, MA in Modern History at UCL, and studied Russian language and culture at St Petersburg University, Russia in the 1990s.