How the Ecclesia Group and LIVA are jointly strengthening M&A transactions in Europe, the US, and Asia

This relieves sellers of liability and gives buyers clear certainty about key value assumptions.
We involve insurance companies early on in due diligence, disclosure and warranty catalogues to keep processes lean and stable. In cases of limited disclosure, we use synthetic warranties that enable transactions despite a narrow scope of assurance. We deliberately focus on a small number of product lines, which we serve in great depth and at international speed. In this way, we create a toolbox that makes risks transparent while increasing the pace of negotiations and the likelihood of closing deals. For clients, this means clear risk allocation and a measurable acceleration of the entire transaction process. 

This proximity to teams, clients and insurers significantly reduces response times and ensures precise communication between all parties involved. At the same time, we closely link continental European mandates with London, so that international capacities are available within a very short time. This combination of local presence and global networking makes us particularly fast in tight deal windows. For many clients, it is precisely this interaction that is a key reason why they choose LIVA.
  

What typical risks and issues does LIVA cover in the context of corporate transactions?

Clemens Küppers: We cover financial uncertainties that are uncovered in the course of M&A processes – from balance sheet items and tax interpretation issues to IT and intellectual property risks. Tax policies address identified tax issues that go beyond the W&I standard and often arise from historical arrangements or potential tax audit risks. The area of intellectual property is becoming increasingly important because AI and software developments are creating new points of contention for disputes and nullity proceedings. In the case of environmental risks, we protect buyers from contaminated sites, incomplete documentation chains or ongoing operational risks that can significantly affect purchase prices and covenants. We cover clearly defined legal or valuation issues, such as pending proceedings or interpretation issues arising from key contracts, through contingent risks. Companies often underestimate contaminated sites or structural risks until due diligence brings them to light. That is why early, rigorous risk analysis is crucial to avoid jeopardising transactions with unresolved disputes. Our task is to make these risks transparent, structure them and make them economically predictable through viable policies. Ultimately, the aim is not to slow down transactions, but to give them stability.

Johannes Jacob: Clients benefit from the fact that we clarify queries immediately, rather than having to go through lengthy communication channels, especially when it comes to technical and legal details. Many risks can be insured much more quickly if the right information reaches the underwriter in the right language. In international constellations, this precision ensures significantly fewer iteration loops. This keeps the process focused and efficient, even in complex situations. This creates a high degree of predictability for both buyers and sellers. 

What specific expertise does LIVA bring to the Ecclesia Group? 

This combination of legal precision, transaction experience and insurance logic is particularly crucial when time is of the essence. We often achieve a binding commitment in less than ten days – a clear market advantage. Our international setup enables us to efficiently manage transactions across multiple jurisdictions and time zones. Thanks to the Ecclesia Group's majority stake, we also have better access to data, technology and specialist roles such as tax, title and claims experts – without losing our fast decision-making processes. In this way, we combine specialisation with the market penetration of the Ecclesia Group. For clients, this results in a combination of economic viability and legal resilience. The fact that we are supporting around 20 transactions in parallel demonstrates the high demand for this model. This structure also pays off in challenging restructuring situations.

Johannes Jacob: The strength of our joint approach is particularly evident in continental European mandates, where local legal expertise and international underwriting must interact directly. Our setup enables us to quickly grasp complex issues, both technically and linguistically, and translate them accurately. This speeds up decisions and prevents unnecessary exclusions. Many insurers appreciate this precision because it makes the path to a binding commitment more stable. For Ecclesia customers, this demonstrably increases the success rate for challenging risks. 

What specific expertise does LIVA bring to the Ecclesia Group?

Clemens Küppers: Our team of former lawyers and M&A professionals can comprehensively assess complex risks from a legal perspective and quickly translate them into viable insurance structures.
  

How does the collaboration between LIVA and the units of the Ecclesia Group work in specific cases?

Clemens Küppers: We work as a joint team: Ecclesia contributes customer access, industry knowledge and relationships, while LIVA manages the entire transaction insurance process from structuring to final commitment. From the pitch to risk preparation to market approach, we work closely together and remain the central point of contact even in the event of a claim. We often win mandates that were previously handled by international brokers – speed and specialisation are decisive factors. Our setup between London and Berlin speeds up queries and integrates global capacities without any loss of time. Since 2024, the interfaces have been harmonised, which makes processes noticeably smoother. We strictly represent either the buyer or the seller in order to keep roles clear and transparent. This clarity is essential in tight timelines and creates trust. The result is a stable process in which everyone knows which part of the value chain they are responsible for.

  

Many approvals that used to take days can now be completed in a matter of hours. This stabilises underwriting and improves the quality of queries. For customers, this leads to noticeably more reliable timelines throughout the entire transaction process.

What added value do customers gain from the collaboration between LIVA and the Ecclesia Group?

Clemens Küppers: Our customers receive an integrated offering of industrial insurance, M&A expertise and international placement strength. The Ecclesia Group contributes market presence and negotiating power, while we provide legal depth, speed and precision. This significantly shortens the time it takes to obtain cover and expands capacities – especially for complex risks. Buyers and sellers benefit from clear, documented liability frameworks that are also relevant for financiers. We deploy our modular tax, title, environmental, IP and contingent solutions precisely where the economic case demands it. This combination of muscle, depth and fast decision-making processes is a real quality factor. Many clients now consciously use W&I as a strategic negotiation tool. The result is a setup that identifies risks early on, addresses them in a structured manner and efficiently translates them into robust policies.

For which transactions and client situations is this collaboration particularly useful?

Clemens Küppers: Our solutions are suitable for all types of transactions – from large international deals to smaller succession transactions, as minimum volumes are no longer an issue today. They are particularly relevant for company acquisitions and sales, management buyouts, carveouts and internal restructuring. Distressed transactions benefit particularly strongly from our strict documentation, clear materiality thresholds and synthetic guarantees when sellers can only give limited assurances. For cross-border structures, our network between London, Berlin and other European locations shows its full effect. Tax insurance is particularly suitable for internal restructuring, as this regularly gives rise to interpretation and valuation risks. At the same time, M&A automatically leads to the management level, which creates new consulting opportunities for the Ecclesia Group. Insurance thus becomes a key tool for speed, transparency and continuity. This is precisely what makes our collaboration so valuable in complex situations.

Johannes Jacob: Restructuring in particular shows how important clear prioritisation and clean risk preparation are. If we clarify detailed legal questions early on, the path to a binding commitment remains open. Many processes only succeed within a narrow time frame because we can react without delay. This prevents late exclusions and keeps the transaction stable. For clients, this results in noticeable process reliability.