
Hovsep Afarian
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(Chambers Canada)
Hovsep is a top-ranked, “go to” insurance expert, “an outstanding practitioner who pays attention to detail and achieves great results for his clients.”
Bio
A ‘sophisticated advisor, strong leader and compelling advocate in the insurance litigation space’, Hovsep achieves the best results for policyholder clients in complex insurance disputes.
With more than 20 years of experience, he has a distinguished track record of success in some of the biggest insurance claims in Canada involving crime bonds, Errors and Omissions policies, Directors and Officers policies, Commercial General Liability policies, property policies, life insurance policies, marine policies, and environmental liability policies. He has unrivalled expertise in cyber insurance claims and has acted on some of the largest and most significant insurance claims in Canadian history.
Recognized by industry experts for his ‘encyclopedic knowledge of Canadian insurance coverage law’, Hovsep has expertise in every area of an insurance claim from vetting policy language before inception to tenaciously litigation claims. He has appeared before all levels of Court across Canada as policyholder counsel. He is a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.
Select Representative Mandates
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Catastrophic Property Damage and Business Interruption Claim
Successfully recovered $445 million for a catastrophic property damage and business interruption claim.
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Environmental Liability Coverage Claims
Successfully settled complex long-tail environmental liability coverage claims against thirteen insurers.
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International Coverage Dispute involving Global Manufacturer
Successfully represented a global manufacturer in an international dispute against over twenty insurers for losses arising from a failed compressor.
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Nursing Home Class Actions
Representing senior living homes against various insurers for potential liability arising from COVID-19 outbreaks.
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U.K. Insurance Arbitration
Successfully represented a client in a U.K. insurance arbitration arising from alleged defects in one of Canada’s biggest construction projects.
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Precedent-setting Case on Insurance Allocation
Successfully represented a client in a precedent-setting insurance case regarding insurance allocation issues.
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Cyber Insurance Expertise
Assisted financial institutions in placing complex billion-dollar cyber insurance programs.
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Recovery of Insurance Proceeds for Securities Claims
Successfully represented a telecommunications company in obtaining insurance coverage for a series of securities actions claiming billions of dollars in damages.
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Catastrophic Oil Spill Claim
Successfully represented a natural resources company in recovering insurance proceeds for losses arising from one of the biggest oil spills in North American history.
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Largest Fidelity Bond Claim
Successfully represented a financial institution in the largest fidelity bond claim in Canadian history.
Recognitions
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Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2025
We have maintained our leading position in litigation among top Canadian law firms in the 2025 Lexpert Directory.
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Legal 500 Canada 2025
We are ranked in Dispute Resolution, Restructuring & Insolvency, and Insurance by The Legal 500 Canada 2025 guide.
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Chambers Canada 2025 Recognizes LOLG Lawyers
10 of the firm’s lawyers have been named in the Chambers Canada 2025 Guide.
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LOLG Lawyers Recognized in Chambers Canada 2024
10 of the firm’s lawyers have been recognized in the Chambers Canada Guide 2024.
Credentials
- Credentials
- Memberships
- Called to the Ontario Bar, 2002
- LL.B., Osgoode Hall, 2000 (recipient of the prestigious Hallett Scholarship)
- B.A. (Hons.) (summa cum laude), York University, 1997
- The American College of Coverage Counsel, Fellow