Transactions involving agencies and brokerages other than the Brown & Brown, Arthur J. Gallagher and Hub International (see below) deals in the months announced or completed:
January
- California: R.E. Chaix & Associates Buys Katie Freeman Insurance Services
- Georgia’s Britt/Paulk Insurance Agency Inc. Acquires Idaho’s Magnum OPUS
- Atlanta’s Beecher Carlson Acquires Phoenix’s Alliance Insurance Group
- Swett & Crawford Group Acquires Risk Reducers, Little Rock, Ark.
- Lighthouse Underwriters Sells Non-Profit Book to Virginia’s Cooley and Darling
- Pennsylvania’s NSM Acquires Pavement Maintenance Insurance Agency of New York
- New Jersey’s Commerce Bank Sells Insurance Brokerage to Execs
- Ascension, Kansas City, Mo., to Acquire California’s Pan American Underwriters
- Indiana: Wholesaler Skelton & Carnegie Merges with All Sure Co.
- Birmingham’s Casualty & Surety Buys JC Shannon Insurance of California
The buyers included two of the brokerage’s key executives. The sale was in conjunction with the bank being bought by TD Bank Financial Group.
February
- Mississippi-based BancorpSouth Insurance to Buy JMG/IC Insurance of Texas
- Mercator Risk Services Acquires Tennant Risk Services of Hartford
- California’s Hall & Associates Merges with Independent Solutions United
- CBIZ Acquires NAIS in Maryland
- Dallas-Based Republic Companies Acquires Four Corners Insurance Services of Phoenix
- Wells Fargo Acquires Insurance Brokers of America in St. Louis
- USI Acquires Conn.’s Webster Bank Insurance Brokerage
Tennant Risk Services will be branded under the Mercator name as Mercator Pro for professional liability and management liability, while small business risks will be under the name Mercator Commercial Services. The combined firm writes $110 million in premium.
The parties also signed a mutual marketing agreement. Webster is expected to contribute $26 million in revenues to USI.
March
- Argo Group’s Trident Buys New England’s Massamont Agency
- USI Holdings Corp. Acquires Corporate Planning Systems of Washington
April
- California: American E&S Buys Network E&S
- USI Holdings Corp. Acquires Pennsylvania’s Special Risk Consultants
- California: Venbrook Group Acquires Doell & Associates Insurance Agency
- NSM Insurance Group Acquires California’s Insurex Workers’ Comp Brokerage
- BB&T Insurance Services To Acquire Union Bank of California Brokerage
- South Carolina-based First Financial Unit Buys North Carolina’s Somers-Pardue
This will expand BB&T’s insurance operation in California, where its wholesale subsidiary CRC Insurance Services and commercial unit McGriff, Seibels & Williams already operate.
May
- San Diego’s Barney & Barney Merges with Saylor & Hill of Oakland
- ISG’s Pacific Wholesale to Acquire E.L.M. Insurance Brokers in California
- Colorado: Lockton Denver Office Acquires Schwander Insurance Services
The combined entity is now referred to as B&B Co., with offices in San Diego, Orange County and Oakland, and employs more than 300 associates generating $62 million in annual revenue.
Transactions involving agencies and brokerages other than the Brown & Brown, Arthur J. Gallagher and Hub International (see below) deals in the months announced or completed:
June
- USI Holdings Corp. Acquires Benefits Partners of California
- Seattle’s Seabright/PointSure Acquires Nevada’s Black/White & Associates
- Van Gilder Sells Colorado Springs Office To CB Insurance of Central Bank
- NIA Group Acquires Florida-based Taylor Financial Insurance Agency
- Hudson Insurance Group Acquires D&O Agency Hooghuis in New York
Hooghuis has been underwriting D&O business for Hudson for 10 years. In 2004, Hudson purchased 40 percent of Hooghuis. Hudson now will fully integrate the Hooghuis operation.
July
- California: Alpha Risk Insurance Services Acquires Martin Financial Insurance Services
- ABD Insurance Acquires Martin Financial/Insurance Services in California
- Frost Insurance Buys North Texas Agency
- Texas: Woodlands Financial to Acquire Austin Indemnity Lloyds Policies
- Pinnacle Acquires Beach & Gentry Insurance in Tennessee
The acquisition adds to Wells Fargo’s Northern California presence, which now totals 12 offices.
Beach & Gentry was immediately merged with Miller & Loughry Insurance & Services Inc., a subsidiary of Pinnacle Financial Partners. The combined company goes by Miller Loughry Beach.
August
- USI Holdings Corp. Acquires CCS in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
- Massachusetts: Eastern Insurance Acquires Kittredge Insurance Agency
September
- Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Acquires San Diego’s G.A. Pearson Insurance
- Hudson Insurance Takes Over CropUSA Agency
- CRC Insurance Acquires Southern Risk
- Wells Fargo Acquires Char Clark Associates of Spokane, Washington
- Confie Seguros Acquires West Coast Auto Insurance Services in California
- Florida: Comegys Insurance Acquires Jakhotia Insurance Group in Tampa
- Massachusetts: Provider Insurance in Mass. Buys Gorman Agency Accounts
- Wells Fargo Insurance Acquires Herder-Tarricone in New Jersey
CRC Insurance Services Inc. is the wholesale insurance subsidiary of BB&T Corp. Sumter, S.C.-based Southern Risk is an excess/surplus broker that specializes in properties along the East Coast.
Confie Seguros is building a national distribution company focusing on Hispanic markets. It has $300 million to fund acquisitions. With the acquisition of West Coast, Confie Seguros gets $75 million in revenues and more than 80 retail brokerage stores throughout California.
October
- Maryland: Warfield-Dorsey Co., Inc. Merges with HMS Insurance Associates
- Confie Seguros Acquires Alamo Auto Insurance Group in San Antonio, Texas
- Tennessee’s Appalachian Underwriters Acquires Business Insurance Center
- Wells Fargo Wins Bidding for Wachovia
Both have long histories in Baltimore. Warfield-Dorsey was established in 1894; HMS in 1943.
This expands Confie Seguros’ presence beyond California. Alamo has more than eight brokerage locations, bringing to nearly 90 the number of Confie Seguros stores in California and Texas.
NFIB is an association representing small and independent businesses. The transaction consists of approximately 75 percent workers’ compensation policies. Fast-expanding AUI now has 13,000 active agency partners.
Wells Fargo is proceeding with its merger with Wachovia Corp. The combined company will have banks in 39 states and D.C. Wells Fargo also gets Wachovia Insurance Services Inc., with annual revenues of approximately $400 million. Wachovia Insurance Services has 34 offices in 16 states.
November
- Wells Fargo Acquires Michigan’s Doeren Mayhew Risk Management
- Wholesale Broker Advanced E&S Group Acquires Florida’s Symons
December
- New Jersey: Wholesaler Jimcor Agencies Acquires Zaloom Associates
- HCC Insurance Holdings Acquires Virginia’s Arrowhead Public Risk.
- California: Edgewood Partners Acquires Complete Insurance Services
- Birmingham, Ala.-based Medical Liability Insurer Proassurance Buys Houston’s Mid-Continent Agency
HCC also acquired the Criminal Justice division of U.S. Risk Insurance Brokers, Pinnacle Underwriting Partners. The operation is renamed HCC Public Risk,and becomes part of HCC’s Professional Indemnity Agency subsidiary. It is expected to add $40 million of premium to PIA in 2009.
Topics California Texas Agencies Florida New Jersey
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