Victoria Sherratt
Partner
Victoria Sherratt is head of RPC's UK Property Team and is one of the market-leading experts in Property Insurance.
Having specialised in property insurance for nearly 20 years, Victoria has extensive experience of the UK Property Market.
She advises on the full range of first- and third-party property policies, including Property Owners, Operational PFI , Contractors All Risk and Jewellers Block, dealing with commercial and industrial risks both within the UK and internationally.
She has extensive experience advising on policy coverage and adjustment issues, defence of liability claims and subrogated recoveries ranging from jewellery theft to fires in waste processing, recycling and renewable energy plants.
Known for her commerciality, she has developed longstanding client relationships with leading UK insurers. She has a track record of providing concise, high quality advice to help insurers avoid/resolve disputes and limit exposure, and for delivering results when it matters.
Victoria is recommended by leading legal directories and insurance-focussed market surveys such as the Gracechurch Report.
Directory quotes
"Victoria Sherratt is a staunch defender of her client’s interests and isn’t afraid to give bad news if required." - Legal 500 UK 2024
"She is a sound lawyer technically but it is her commerciality and knowledge of the market which really sets her apart. She is an excellent sounding board and extremely client-friendly and client-focussed." - Legal 500 UK 2023
Ranked – Chambers UK 2022
"Victoria Sherratt concentrates primarily on high-value property insurance disputes, advising a number of key names in the market. She often advises on claims for property damage and business interruption arising out of catastrophic fires and building collapse. Victoria is very responsive, pragmatic and commercial and her advice is well structured and clear. She does not sit on the fence and she seeks to understand the challenges that we are faced with as a business." - Chambers UK 2022
"Victoria Sherratt is very responsive, pragmatic and commercial and her advice is well structured and clear. She does not sit on the fence and she seeks to understand the challenges that we are faced with as a business. She is passionate about the work that she does." - The Legal 500 UK 2022
She often advises on claims for property damage and business interruption arising out of catastrophic fires and building collapse. - Chambers UK 2021
"Victoria is excellent." - Chambers UK 2021
"She has a great rapport with insurers and handles matters calmly." - Chambers UK 2021
Victoria Sherratt focuses her practice in large part on coverage disputes relating to property damage and business interruption claims. Sources say she is an "excellent and really responsive" lawyer who is also "a real fighter." - Chambers UK 2019
Victoria Sherratt manages a broad insurance practice which includes property and business interruption matters and claims involving allegations of fraud. She is also very knowledgeable about handling subrogated recovery claims. - Chambers UK 2018
Victoria Sherratt is highly respected for her work on major property and construction insurance cases. Clients say that she is "very experienced," drawing particular attention to her knowledge of coverage and subrogation issues, further remarking that "she knows her stuff, we work really well together." - Chambers UK 2017
Recommended - The Legal 500 UK 2016
Recommended - The Legal 500 UK 2015
"Tenacious in the best sense. She fights every point for her client in a well-judged and sensible manner." - Chambers UK 2015
Recommended - Legal 500 UK 2014
"Recommended for Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation [...] "commercially focused." - The Legal 500 UK 2013
Highly recommended [...] "quickly grasp[s] issues and provide[s] concise and high-quality advice." - The Legal 500 UK 2012
Memberships
Insurance Institute of London Property Committee
Insurance Institute of London Research Study Committee
Council of the Insurance Institute of London
Chartered Institute of Insurers
London Business Interruption Association
Relevant work
Insurance Act – advising on the effect of Section 11 in practice; advising on "reckless" misrepresentation and retention of premium.
Property owners – represented Inter Hannover in its successful defence of a fire claim under a residential let policy: Ashfaq v International Insurance Co of Hannover Plc [2017] EWCA Civ 357.
Operational PFI – advising on defective design/gradual deterioration/inherent vice exclusions and application of the write back for subsequent damage; advising on allocation of loss over successive policy periods.
Jewellers Block – advising on policy coverage and recovery prospects following a series of high profile robberies. Successful defence of a claim under a Jewellers Block Policy for theft of diamonds pursued in the German courts.
Business Interruption – contributed to the Joint IIL/CILA Business Interruption Policy Wording Review (2012).
Fraud – successfully defended a claim for theft of antiques by establishing fraud at trial.
Multinational – advising on the interaction between a Global Policy and a Local CAR following a roof collapse in the Netherlands.
Defence of liability – defending a multi-million Euro liability class action arising out of a catastrophic fire which destroyed a retail park in Portugal.
Recoveries – successful recovery against the design & build contractors for defective design following implosion of a thermal hydrolysis plant.