Business Moves

CCA, J.S. Edwards and Sherlock, Central Insurance Cos.

Combined Agents of America LLC, based in Austin, Texas, announced that member agency J.S. Edwards and Sherlock Insurance Agency was awarded the Blue Streak Circle of Achievement Award by Central Insurance Companies.

Blue Streak is a personal lines service, recognition and relationship program provided to agencies representing Central that
have maintained consistently high professional standards and a proven track record for producing profitable personal lines for Central. The Blue Streak Circle of Achievement is presented annually to an agency for exceptional performance in producing new business.

J. S. Edwards and Sherlock recently presented the award based on its outstanding performance during 2004. CAA member agency Evans, Ewan & Brady Insurance Agency Inc., Georgetown, Texas, is also a Blue Streak agency.

Cunningham Lindsey U.S. (CLUS), headquartered in Dallas, Texas, announced it has organized a Fast-Track Unit to provide expedited claims handling services to insurers. This service is in addition to CLUS traditional field adjusting services, and will be handled from CLUS Catastrophe Response Center (CRC) in Dallas.

“We wanted to provide an additional service to the industry that could help expedite the claim process for insurers and their customers in the face of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation,” said Vice President Karl Nann. For more information on this service, or traditional catastrophe services, contact: Karl Nann at (214) 488-6603, (678) 491-9192, or Knann@CL-NA.com. The CRC can be reached at (888) 738-8714 (phone) or (888) 738-8713 (fax).

Texas Mutual, TEC, Lone Star Auto Dealers

Texas Mutual Insurance Company announced purchasing group dividends to Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC) and the Lone Star Auto Dealers purchasing group.

TEC received $21,709, representing the first purchasing group dividend it has earned from Texas Mutual.

The Lone Star Auto Dealers purchasing group received $262,472, which covers three policy periods, from Jan. 1, 2002, through Dec. 31, 2004.

Scarbrough, Medlin and Associates Inc. administers the TEC purchasing group. For more information, call (214) 423-3333.

The Wicker-Parker Insurance Agency of Abilene established the Lone Star Auto Dealers group, which is open to any new car or truck dealership in Texas. Any licensed insurance agent can place a qualifying client into the group, with approval from a Texas Mutual underwriter.

Each member receives a premium discount, based on an estimate of the group’s total written premium. The group also benefits from an industry-specific safety plan as well as expert claim and loss prevention services from Texas Mutual.

The group dividends are separate from the $50 million of individual dividends that Texas Mutual awarded to qualifying policyholders in July.

Texas Mutual noted that past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. The Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividend plans.