Insurance & Reinsurance
Andrew acts in relation to risks in the United Kingdom and throughout the world. He specialises in, and has wide experience of, very substantial claims relating to CAR/EAR policies (including DE and LEG clauses), property risks, Business Interruption, Professional Indemnity, Product Liability and Public Liability policies, and War and Political Risks policies, including coverage disputes, fraud, non-disclosure, misrepresentation, moral hazard, co-insurance and issues relating to the scope of notifications and the effect of excess and aggregation clauses.
Andrew has appeared in a number of milestone cases, including: acting at first instance and in the Supreme Court in the Covid‑19 Business Interruption Test Case; acting in the leading case on the effect of non-compliance with a notification provision in a liability policy which is not expressed to be a condition precedent; and at first instance and in the Court of Appeal for Insurers in Sky v Riverstone [EWCA] Civ 1567, the leading recent case on the meaning of “damage”, the scope and duration of cover, and the effect of DE5 in a CAR policy.
Listed as a Leading Silk in Chambers UK (2026) and Legal 500 (2026).
Selected Cases
- Acting at first instance and in the Supreme Court in the landmark FCA Test Case on Business Interruption cover in the context of claims arising out of COVID-19 – see Financial Conduct Authority v MS Amlin et al [2021] AC 649.
- Acting in relation to a group action arbitration by 32 separate claimants in relation to £tens of millions of Business Interruption losses which are alleged to have been suffered as a result of COVID-19. The claim gave rise to a number of points of wide-ranging importance with widespread ramifications for both claimants and the insurance market including the effect of furlough payments and whether multiple indemnity periods applied.
- Acting in a £200 million claim under a CAR policy in respect of alleged damage to the roof of Sky’s global headquarters at first instance and in the Court of Appeal – see Sky & Mace v Riverstone [2023] EWHC 1207 (Comm) and Sky & Mace v Riverstone [2024] EWCA Civ 1567. It is the leading recent case on the meaning of “damage”, the meaning of a time limitation in a “damage occurring” CAR policy, the scope and duration of cover, and the effect of DE5 in a CAR policy.
- Acting in connection with a $1 billion dispute arising out of the collapse of a tunnel in Germany, including as to the applicable law of the primary insurance and reinsurance, difference in cover provisions, drop down cover and the effect of the “top down” principle.
- Acting in relation to claims under Professional Indemnity policies for indemnity in respect of remedial works relating to cladding and fire safety defects under the Developer Remediation Contracts and Self-Remediation Terms, including the effect of exclusions relating to fire safety claims and cladding claims.
- Acting in relation to claims for £tens of millions under Professional Indemnity policies relating to defects in a number of public buildings giving rise to issues relating to the scope of notifications, excesses and aggregation.
- Acting in connection with a c£100m claim under a Professional Indemnity policy in connection with defects in a major IT facility.
- Acting in relation to a $multi-million ICC reinsurance arbitration arising out of bonds issued in connection with the construction of a government facility in the Middle East. Local law and local seat.
- Acting in relation to a $ multi-million coverage dispute arising out of damage to a major public building in Hong Kong, including in relation to the effect of an exclusion clause based on DE3.
- Acting in connection with a $150 million overage dispute (including issues as to the application of DE3/LEG2 clauses) under an EAR policy in relation to the construction of a major international airport in the Middle East. Local law and local seat.
- Acting in connection with $50 million claim under an EAR policy relating to the catastrophic failure of a gas turbine at a power station in the Indian sub-continent, including issues as to extended maintenance cover, the application of DE3/LEG2 clauses and a “follow the settlements” provision.
- Acting in connection with coverage disputes under PI policies amounting to £200 million relating to alleged defects in a number of residential buildings.
- Acting in relation to a £150 million coverage dispute under a PL policy arising out of the collapse of a tunnel.
- Acting in relation to a £75 million dispute concerning coverage under a CAR policy arising out of the construction of a motorway in the UK.
- Acting in relation to a claim for $several hundred million relating to a claim under a Product Liability policy arising out of a major product recall.
Awards
News
- Andrew Rigney KC to speak at Society of Construction Law (Hong Kong) on 10 February 2026
- Andrew Rigney KC to speak at the Society of Construction Law (Gulf) in Doha on 28 January 2026
Events
- Andrew Rigney KC to speak at Society of Construction Law (Hong Kong) on 10 February 2026
- Andrew Rigney KC to speak at the Society of Construction Law (Gulf) in Doha on 28 January 2026
Articles
Qualifications
- 1986-1989: Christ’s College, University of Cambridge (MA, English Tripos).
- 1989-1990: Japan Exchange and Teach (“JET”) Programme: British Government/Japanese Government programme teaching English near Tokyo.
- 1990-1991: The City University (Diploma in Law – with Distinction).
- 1991-1992: Gray’s Inn: Uthwatt Scholar, Moots Award.
- 1993: Gray’s Inn United States Moots Tour.
Memberships
- London Court of international Arbitration (LCIA)
- Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR)
- Technology and Construction Bar Association (TECBAR)
- Society of Construction Law (SCL)
- Society of Construction Law (SCL) (Gulf)
- London Bar Association (LBA)
- Professional Negligence Bar Association (PNBA)
Recommendations
“…phenomenal…works incredibly hard…is always on top of every detail and legal argument… one of the best legal minds I’ve worked with…”
Chambers & Partners, 2026
“…not only exceptionally personable but also one of the most outstanding practitioners I have had the privilege to work with….incredibly responsive, all over the detail…exceptional with clients.”
Chambers & Partners, 2026
“eminent silk”, “sought after by clients around the globe”, “a great advocate”, “exceptional”, “absolutely brilliant and really authoritative”, “exceptionally bright and a real team player”, “fiendishly clever” “unbelievably hardworking”, “great to work with”
Chambers & Partners, 2026
“Very clever, great in court, works very hard, gifted communicator with clients and very collaborative and user-friendly.”
Legal 500, 2026
“Andrew is a force to be reckoned with”…”very, very strategic and really good on his feet. He has an ability, through his good humour, to win over the tribunal. He knows when to inject humour into a case, and tribunals love it.”…”The quality of Andrew’s advocacy is outstanding.”
Chambers & Partners, 2025
“Andrew is simply fantastic. He is extremely responsive, and his advocacy skills are second to none.”…”Andrew is extremely user-friendly. He’s technically very strong and his advocacy skills are top notch, truly excellent. He presents the client’s point in a really professional and eloquent manner.”…”incredibly bright and stupidly hard-working.”
Chambers & Partners, 2025
“Andrew is one of the very best in his field. His breadth of experience across the energy and construction and engineering sectors is incredibly impressive. His strategic approach and thinking is always at the very highest level; all done in a collegiate style.”…”Astonishingly bright and hardworking, he is unbelievably easy to work with and his strategic advice is always right on point.”
Legal 500, 2025
“Andrew is a phenomenally effective cross-examiner, able to get the most difficult witnesses under control and responsive. He is extremely good at opening and closing submissions, where he gets to the point in a way that engages the tribunal at all times.”…“A brilliant advocate, extremely hardworking, impeccably-mannered, and a thoroughly decent human being.”
Legal 500, 2025
“He’s actually one of the cleverest barristers I know and work with, combined with a genuine charm. He has an encyclopaedic brain.”….”Andrew Rigney is simply second to none. His advocacy is brilliant, and his ability to distil complex issues into clear and concise advice and advocacy is very impressive.”…”He has fantastic knowledge and commercial understanding with excellent client skills.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Andrew Rigney is my first choice of counsel on any case. He is absolutely brilliant – hard-working, easy to work with and astonishingly able.”…”He really nails cross-examination and his success rate is incredibly high.”…”He’s a solicitor’s dream, frankly. He’s responsive, brilliant and enormously effective.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Andrew’s intellectual strength goes without saying…a superb advocate with his quiet understated style belying a razor-sharp cross-examiner. He has turned a judge 180 degrees to his way of thinking with persuasive but straightforward and very well-constructed arguments…the most client and solicitor-friendly KC at the construction Bar”…“Exceptional advocacy …not afraid to roll up his sleeves.”…“excellent with clients and provides practical and commercial advice, always having the client’s objectives in mind. Really at the top of his game.”…“His ability to present complex legal arguments in a clear and concise manner is truly impressive. His willingness to go above and beyond to ensure a positive outcome does not go unnoticed… sees things that others don’t, and his work ethic is second to none.”
Legal 500, 2024
“…extremely bright, exceptionally hardworking, incredibly charming and an absolute pleasure to work with. He has a rare quality in his dealings with the tribunal so as to command respect at all times, yet at the same time conducting cross-examination robustly and aggressively …His work is meticulous, considered and precise, … solicitors and lay clients really value what he has to say… detail oriented and an excellent communicator; the sort of silk who you want to introduce to clients as you know they will warm to him… grasps the technical detail of energy disputes incredibly quickly, … his advocacy is impressive…Great to work with and meticulous in his analysis. a real team member… are no airs and graces.”
Legal 500, 2023
“Sought after by clients around the globe…a brilliant mind with a great eye for detail. A delight to work with…fiercely intelligent, can recite case law in his sleep…an exceptional and superb advocate…very impressive when cross-examining expert witnesses … absolutely at the top of his field… incredibly responsive and very on top of the detail… a true gentlemen – very hard-working and charming while also being a very effective cross-examiner…”
Chambers & Partners, 2023
“Exceptionally intelligent, extremely hard-working, impeccably mannered, a brilliant advocate, a wise strategist, and a thoroughly decent human being…”… “Extremely personable, focused and brilliant, supportive and thoughtful of instructing counsel, a pleasure to work with.”… “Attentive, thoughtful, commercially-minded, intelligent and very easy to work with, he commands great respect from his peers.”
Legal 500, 2022
“An eminent” and “go-to” silk with an “unbelievable interest in the detail of a case”. “He is phenomenal…exceptional team player..” “ Andrew is fantastic….very experienced advocate….pleasure to work with” “… an exemplary KC with.. incredible legal skills and commercial acumen” “…an incredibly effective advocate” and “fantastically user-friendly”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
