Carole Vernon

Carole is a partner in the insurance division of the London office. She qualified in 1988. Carole specialises in advising primary and excess insurers and reinsurers on policy coverage issues, often relating to international disputes.

She advises on coverage under all types of insurance policies, but in particular has considerable experience of liability and environmental policies; including the interaction of different coverages in global programmes.

She has recently dealt with a wide variety of complex high value claims, including advising insurers on coverage relating to patent infringement liability insurance, coverage for historic negligence in public office, coverage for injuries caused by oil rig explosions in the US and liabilities for defective pharmaceutical and medical products. She is experienced in arbitrations under Bermuda form policies.

In the environmental field she had advised on coverage for waste dump nuisance claims, including odours and noise, toxic fumes and ash during major fire at a fibreboard factory affecting a neighbouring estate of 1,600 homes, and pollution from an onshore oil pipeline.

For many years she has advised insurers of accident and health policies, particularly in relation to sports professionals.

In addition, Carole has significant expertise in acting for primary and excess reinsurers in the defence of claims under public liability, professional indemnity, property policies.

She is a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) and is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute. Carole regularly contributes to our publications and client seminars. She is co-author of Kennedys’ Claims Handling Law and Practice Guide, the fourth edition of which was published in February 2021. 

Carole contributed to the writing of Kennedys' ‘Rewriting the risk: Addressing the challenge of climate change’ report, which was published in July 2022.

Qualifications

• Qualified in England and Wales in 1988.