Agents & Brokers News

New York Weighs Easing Excess Lines Rules

New York Superintendent of Insurance James J. Wrynn said his agency will hold a public hearing next month to explore the possibility of increasing insurance capacity in New York by easing access to non-standard market insurers. The New York State …

Webinar to Help P/C Agents Benefit from Health Insurance Boom Under Reform Law

For independent insurance agents, upcoming healthcare reform could be an opportunity to gain a bigger share of the health insurance and benefits market, provided they can properly advise their customers about their options, according to experts. Insurance Journal is partnering …

Business Moves

First Mercury, Valiant First Mercury Financial Corp., based in Southfield, Mich., reported that its principal insurance subsidiary, First Mercury Insurance Co., is acquiring Valiant Insurance Group Inc., a subsidiary of Ariel Holdings Ltd. The purchase price for Valiant, an amount …

Swett & Crawford Goes Global With Cooper Gay

Swett & Crawford, one of the nation’s largest and oldest wholesale insurance brokerage firms, and London-based independent wholesale, reinsurance and specialist broker Cooper Gay, completed negotiations to form a combined entity under a new unified holding company on July 9, …

People

Steven D. Johnson has been named CEO of the Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet). Johnson has held staff leadership roles in five associations over the last 26 years. Most recently, he was executive director of the National Association of Quick …

New Markets

The following markets were selected from the MyNewMarkets database of 25,000 coverages and programs. To find additional markets, or to submit markets, go to www.MyNewMarkets.com. Oil & Gas Risks Market Detail: Towerstone Inc.’s energy practice has recently teamed with Hallmark …

Gulf Oil Disaster Insureds Warned of Claim Notification Deadline

Insureds facing the possibility of losses from the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico were recently advised to submit their written notice to their insurance carriers as soon as possible to make sure they comply with notice provisions …

As the Wholesale World Turns

E&S Brokerage Mergers, Expansions and Start Ups, Oh My! As goes the circle of life, so goes the wholesale insurance broker world. Not even the sixth year of a soft market cycle has deterred industry veterans from launching new wholesale …

People

Steven D. Johnson has been named CEO of the Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet). Johnson is an association professional who has experience with five associations over the last 26 years. Most recently, he was executive director of the National Association …

R-T Specialty Acquires Chartwell Independent Insurance Brokers

R-T Specialty LLC, the wholesale brokerage unit of Ryan Specialty Group LLC based in Chicago, has acquired Los Angeles-based Chartwell Independent Insurance Brokers LLC. Chartwell, founded in September 2004 by Ben Beazley, is a national wholesale/intermediary organization with expertise in …