Business Moves

Beecher Carlson, Alliance Insurance

Atlanta-based Beecher Carlson insurance brokerage has acquired Phoenix-based Alliance Insurance Group. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

According to Beecher Carlson, the acquisition supports its plan to partner with firms having compatible specialties and which can expand the company’s geographic reach in high-growth areas of the country. Meanwhile, Alliance Insurance Group will be able to leverage the national resources and technical expertise of Beecher Carlson.

Alliance Insurance Group is led by Guy Labelle, one of the original founders and current chairman of the company, and Frank Beranek, president and chief operating officer. Beranek will remain with the firm and continue to conduct business as Alliance Insurance Group from its existing Phoenix location. Labelle will serve as a consultant for the company until his retirement.

Alliance Insurance Group was formed in 1976. The firm is comprised of Alliance Insurance Brokers, Spectrum Wholesale Insurance Services and AI Program Managers Inc. (formerly Maui Insurance). The company produces and serves as the managing general agent for a manufactured home park program.

Alliance Insurance Group also provides specialized programs for apartment owners, real estate developers and property managers, shopping centers, commercial transportation and other coverage lines.

Beranek has more than 40 years of experience. He retired from Aon in 2004 after 32 years with that company.

“Alignment with Beecher Carlson will allow us to deliver to our clients a greater array of solutions, like wrap-ups, captives and other alternative risk transfer solutions where Beecher Carlson has proven expertise and demonstrated success,” Beranek said.

Hub International, Lenhardt Insurance, JRN Benefits

Hub International Ltd., a Chicago-based North American insurance brokerage, has announced two acquisitions. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

Hub International Transportation Insurance Services Inc. (HUB Transportation) has acquired all of the assets of Lenhardt Insurance Agency Inc., an insurance broker specializing in commercial trucking insurance services.

Lenhardt Insurance Agency, based in Billings, Mont., was founded in 1963 by John Lenhardt. His son, Mark, is an insurance veteran with more than 25 years of industry experience.

Additionally, Hub International of California Insurance Services Inc. (HUB California) has acquired the Santa Barbara-based JRN Benefits Inc.

JRN, a $1.2 million revenue broker, provides employee benefits insurance and consulting services and helps employers develop and administer qualified and non-qualified retirement plans and other benefit programs. John R. Nelson and his associates will continue to operate the JRN business.

“JRN will provide HUB California with an additional product line expertise,” said Kirk Christ, president of HUB California.

Networked Insurance Agents

Networked Insurance Agents, a national provider of markets, programs, and placement services to insurance agents, has appointed Cindy DeKay as territorial sales vice president for Metro Los Angeles.

DeKay comes to Networked from Mendota Insurance Co., where she was responsible for appointing and training insurance agencies. Prior to Mendota, DeKay served as a sales manager for Cabrillo General Insurance Agency, where she launched several new programs throughout Southern California.

“I was looking for a fast-paced company that was committed to helping agents achieve high performance sales,” said DeKay. “At Networked I can offer my customers one-stop shopping from over 50 markets, including a complete line of E&S products. Our commercial lines placement specialists are especially successful in working with our customers to write middle market and BOP policies.”

Employers Holdings, AmCOMP

Employers Holdings Inc. of Reno, Nev., has agreed to acquire AmCOMP Inc. for approximately $230 million, including the assumption of $37 million in debt.

The acquisition will expand Employers’ workers’ compensation insurance operations to a total of 26 states and add 900 AmCOMP agencies.

Employers has historically been focused in the Western states while AmCOMP has been in the Southeast and Midwest, thus there should be little to no overlap in markets, officials said.

Employers Holdings Inc.’s insurance subsidiaries are Employers Insurance Co. of Nevada and Employers Compensation Insurance Co.

The subsidiaries of AmCOMP, headquartered in North Palm Beach, Fla., are AmCOMP Preferred Insurance Co. and AmCOMP Assurance Corp.

VRT Insurance Services

Oakland, Calif.-based VRT Insurance Services Inc., a regional brokerage, has opened a full-service Sacramento office. The expansion office will provide commercial insurance, employee benefits, enterprise risk management, directors and officers liability, surety and financial services and workers’ compensation claims management to public entity, financial institutions, construction, technology, life sciences companies and general business firms.

“The Sacramento area has a unique combination of fast growing private companies, publicly held corporations and public entities with extremely specialized, highly-creative insurance requirements and solutions,” said David Alvarado, chairman and CEO.

“We have set up practice teams of brokers that are experts in different industries and true advocates for our clients to get the most comprehensive, cost-effective coverage from insurance companies and underwriters,” Alvarado added.

“Our clients are busy growing their companies and the last thing they want are insurance worries.”

The new office is located at 2356 Gold Meadow Way, Suite 130, Rancho Cordova, Calif.

Topics California