Business Moves

National

Neptune Flood, Charles River Data

Private flood insurer Neptune Flood reported it acquired Charles River Data, a Boston-based data science consulting group.

Charles River Data was founded by data scientists from Google and BCG GAMMA to offer custom data science solutions on a project-level or ongoing basis. Its team members have worked on geo-analytics, financial modeling, statistical and causal analysis, image recognition, natural language processing, personalized marketing, optimization and other machine learning tools.

Trevor Burgess is CEO of Neptune Flood. Mike Dezube, CEO of Charles River Data, spent eight years as a data scientist at Google before co-founding Charles River Data with Gleb Drobkov, most recently a consultant at BCG X. Dezube joins as Neptune’s chief data science officer and Drobkov will be chief strategy officer.

Florida-based Neptune offers private flood insurance for residential, commercial, and condominium properties throughout the country.

PCF Insurance Services, All Star Insurance, Encore Advisors

PCF Insurance Services, an insurance brokerage operating in 40 states, has acquired All Star Insurance in Venus, Texas, and Encore Advisors, based in Norcross, Georgia.

Utah-based PCF offers commercial and personal lines along with benefits and workers’ compensation plans.

Encore Advisors, founded in 2007, is considered a boutique benefits brokerage for clients that have less than 1,000 employees.

All Star Insurance has specialized in trucking industry insurance needs since 2017.

East

Hub International, William R. Cargill Insurance Agency

Insurance broker Hub International Ltd. has acquired the assets of William R. Cargill Insurance Agency Inc.

Based in Topsfield, Massachusetts, Cargill Insurance is a family owned and operated insurance agency providing coverage for home, auto, personal umbrella, boat and life insurance, and commercial and general liability insurance.

Founder William “Bill” Cargill, Jr. and the Cargill Insurance team will join Hub New England.

Cargill Insurance will be referred to as William R. Cargill Insurance Agency, a Hub International company.

Hub International is headquartered in Chicago.

Midwest

Hub International, True North Group

Hub International Ltd. acquired the assets of True North Group Insurance Services LLC (True North Group).

Located in Howell, Michigan, True North Group is an independent insurance agency that focuses on commercial insurance and employee benefits. The True North Group team will join Hub Midwest East.

True North Group will be referred to as True North Group Insurance Services LLC, a Hub International company.

Arthur J. Gallagher, Acumen Advisors

Insurance broker Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Acumen Advisors Inc.

Acumen is an employee benefits consultant serving small and mid-size businesses throughout Iowa. Andrew Morf, Kirby Moss and their team will remain in their current locations under the direction of Tom Lannen, head of Gallagher’s Midwest region employee benefits consulting operations.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is based in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.

South Central

USI, Hignojos Insurance Agency

USI Insurance Services has acquired Odessa, Texas-based Hignojos Insurance Agency.

Founded in 2009, Hignojos Insurance Agency is an independent brokerage firm specializing in commercial and personal risk insurance programs.

Higginbotham, Barnard Insurance Group

Higginbotham acquired Barnard Insurance Group of Wichita Falls, Texas.

Family owned and operated since 1931, Barnard is an independent agency with services that include personal, life and health, and commercial coverage.

Barnard specializes in oil and gas (energy), construction, hospitality, manufacturing, technology, transportation, and health care.

Higginbotham is based in Fort Worth, Texas.

Inszone, Brazos Valley Insurance Agency

Inszone Insurance Services has acquired Waco, Texas-based Brazos Valley Insurance Agency.

Brazos Valley Insurance Agency was established on Jan. 1, 1988, through the merger of two early 20th-century agencies: Dumos & Goble Insurance Agency and Smith-SoRelle Insurance Agency. The agency offers personal and commercial insurance.

Sacramento, California-based Inszone is an insurance brokerage firm that provides property/casualty insurance and employee benefits solutions.

Alera Group, Trimble-Batjer

Alera Group has acquired San Angelo, Texas-based Trimble-Batjer.

Founded in 1883, Trimble-Batjer provides surety and bonds, business solutions, employee benefits and insurance coverage for auto, home, health and life. The agency specializes in construction, oil and gas, farm and ranch, life science and manufacturing. The Trimble-Batjer team will continue serving clients in their existing roles.

Alera Group is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.

Southeast

Arbol Inc., Centauri Insurance

A subsidiary of New York-based Arbol Inc., a firm that specializes in climate risks for businesses, including parametric insurance products, has acquired Sarasota, Florida-based Centauri Insurance from Applied Underwriters.

Centauri will become part of Arbol’s newly launched Lilypad Insurance, subject to regulatory approval. Lilypad plans to offer homeowners’ and other property insurance in coastal areas in Louisiana and other states. Centauri is licensed in 10 states, including Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.

The Centauri team will move to Lilypad, and operations and policies for Centauri Specialty Insurance Co. and Centauri National Insurance Co. will continue without interruption. Ricardo Espino, who was with Centauri for a number of years, is now CEO of Lilypad.

Centauri was formed in 2006 and has specialized in catastrophe coverage.

Omaha-based Applied Underwriters acquired Centauri in 2021.

Higginbotham, Adams Benefits

Texas-headquartered Higginbotham reported it has added Adams Benefits of Boca Raton, Florida.

Adams Benefits has been in operation since 1975, advising south Florida businesses on human resources and regulatory compliance.

Blair Adams III is president and Meaghan Haines is vice president.

West

Inszone, Van Oppen & Co. 2, Tri-Cities Insurance Professionals

Inszone Insurance Services acquired Van Oppen & Co. 2 in Wyoming.

Founded in 2008 by Rick van Oppen, the firm specializes in serving the needs of the architectural, engineering and environmental sectors.

Inszone Insurance Services also acquired Tri-Cities Insurance Professionals LLC, a multi-member managed broker agency located in Pasco, Washington.

Tri-Cities Insurance Professionals was founded by Craig Baumgartner, Gerald Tobias, Darwin Walter and Jorge Torres.

Hub International, Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services

Hub International Ltd. has acquired Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services Inc., which has locations in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California.

The firm provides contractor development and bonding programs, aligned risk management and special project consulting, and insurance brokerage services.

President and CEO Ingrid Merriwether and the Merriwether & Williams team will join Hub Central & Northern California.

Merriwether will become president of Hub Aligned Risk Management Services.

Merriwether & Williams will be referred to as Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services Inc., a Hub International company.

Topics California Florida Texas