Liberty Global Transaction Solutions is expanding the type of insurance available to M&A buyers in Asia-Pacific, with a new product that covers not only deal-related issues but also risks that may arise after an acquisition is completed.
The new offering, Liberty Acquisition Protect, will launch first in Singapore and Sydney. It will initially cover transactions in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand.
The product combines Liberty GTS’s existing transaction liability cover with a set of renewable operational insurance options for the post-deal period. These include cyber, environmental, directors and officers (D&O), and crisis management cover.
This approach differs from traditional warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurance, which typically covers losses when a seller’s warranties about a business prove to be inaccurate. Under the new structure, buyers can also insure against certain risks that may arise after the deal closes.
Liberty said the product was designed to address risks during integration, when businesses combine systems, management processes, and governance structures following an acquisition.
“Post-acquisition integration periods create heightened governance and decision-making risks. For example directors and officers can benefit from D&O cover to protect from claims arising from management decisions and actions in the post-acquisition period. We also know that integration periods create heightened cyber vulnerability through system changes, data and network integration,” said William Lewis, head of APAC at Liberty GTS.
The insurer is targeting M&A buyers, including private equity firms, with a packaged solution that combines protection for past deal-related risks and future operational exposures. The product also includes tax liability insurance alongside W&I and the additional coverages.
“Liberty Acquisition Protect is a game-changer for private equity firms, offering a readily available risk solution for each acquisition, a predictable cost structure, and a seamless way to de-risk both the past and the future of the asset. This is an exciting innovation, and we are pleased to be able to offer this vastly improved transactional liability product to our clients,” Lewis said.
The launch expands Liberty GTS’s W&I transaction liability offering by extending coverage beyond the seller warranty period into the operational phase after completion.
The product enters a market where deal activity is picking up across Asia-Pacific, with both the number and value of transactions increasing in recent years, alongside wider use of transaction insurance by private equity firms and strategic buyers.
At the same time, claims linked to these transactions remain elevated, with around one in five firms holding W&I insurance making claims within the first year after deal completion.
