Sandra M. McDermott

Sandra M. McDermott focuses her practice on complex and high-value regulatory, corporate, and transactional matters for insurance companies, agents, brokers, and other insurance-related entities. With a background that includes spending nearly two decades as an inhouse counsel to a major life insurance company, she brings to each matter an exceptionally acute understanding of the inner workings of insurance companies as well as the impact of legal issues and regulatory affairs on their operations and the bottom line.

Sandy has experience assisting clients with a broad array of regulatory issues before various state regulatory agencies, including the New York Department of Financial Services. She regularly guides clients through approvals of new insurance products as well as the creation of warranties, service contracts, and other products not intended to be classified as insurance. She also handles matters related to licensing, holding companies, advertising regulations, and much more. Drawing from her in-house experience and her ability to anticipate the reactions of regulators, Sandy is frequently called upon to advise on the design of new insurance products and programs in order to help companies reach their goals while maintaining compliance with insurance laws and regulations. Sandy also has experience in the area of health insurance. She has counseled numerous clients on issues involving the Affordable Care Act, including matters related to student health insurance, excepted benefits, the employer mandate, and the insurance exchanges.

Areas of Concentration

•Governmental affairs
•Health care
•Insurance
•ERISA
•Commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions

Awards & Recognition

•Team Member, BTI Power Rankings, “The 16 Strongest Firms for 'Go-To Outside Counsel' Insurance Work, ” 2016

Articles, Publications, & Lectures

•Presenter, Reserve Financing Used in Life Insurance Context, ACI Annual Insurance Regulation Conference, New York, NY, March 1, 2016
•Quoted in “Employers Bracing for Penalties Under the Affordable Care Act, ” Albany Business Review, August 18, 2014
•Presenter, “Deconstructing the ACA: What Small to Mid-Size Businesses Need to Know, ” Albany Business Review Seminar, July 29, 2014
•Presenter, “What Every Business Leader Should Know About the Affordable Care Act, ” Women Presidents' Organization Industry Conference, June 5, 2014
•Quoted in “Life Insurers to Seize on W.Va. Victory Over DMF Searches, ” Law360, January 9, 2014
•Co-Author, “Where Do We Go From Here?” For the Defense, January 2014
•Co-Author, “A Call for Forward-Looking Disaster Risk Evaluation and Greater Private Sector Involvement amid Surveys, Estimates and Statistics, ” FORC Journal, Vol. 24, Edition 3, Fall 2013
•Quoted in “Despite Kemper's Rebellion, Death Benefits Changes in Store, ” Law360, November 27, 2013
•Presenter, Affordable Care Act Webcast to the New York State Broadcasters Association, October 7, 2013
•Presenter, “Understanding Significant Issues in Private Healthcare Exchanges, ” The Knowledge Congress CLE Webcast, July 24, 2013
•Co-Author, “Checklist For Your Health Insurance Navigator Program, ” Law360, June 6, 2013
•Author, “Writing AD&D in New York in Light of PPACA, ” Benefits Selling, April 23, 2013
•Co-Author, “New York Department of Financial Services Investigates Life Insurance Industry's Use of Captive Reinsurers While NAIC Approves Use of 'Principle-Based Reserving' to Address 'Redundant Reserves, '” FORC Journal, Vol. 24, Edition 1, Spring 2013
•Co-Author, “New York Regulatory Issues in the Wake of Sandy, ” FORC Journal, Vol. 23, Edition 4, Winter 2012
•Co-Author, “Gaps in the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act Create Uncertainty, ” New York Law Journal, January 12, 2012