Business Moves
Met Life
MetLife Inc. is combining its institutional and individual businesses, as well as its auto and home insurance unit, into a single U.S. business organization.
William J. Mullaney, who has served as president of MetLife’s Institutional Business since January 2007, has been named president of the U.S. business organization. In previous roles at MetLife, Mullaney was president of MetLife Auto & Home, served as senior vice president for claims and customer service at Auto & Home, and was responsible for MetLife’s voluntary benefits business.
The changes will be effective Aug. 1, 2009. The integration of the business segments is expected to proceed through the second half of 2009 and be completed in 2010.
The Woodlands Financial Group
Retail and managing general agency The Woodlands Financial Group Inc.(TWFG) opened six new branch locations in Texas, Louisiana and Georgia.
Ronnie Johansen opened a new location in Valley Mills, Texas. Johansen comes to TWFG with 32 years of insurance experience as an independent agent and specializes in property/casualty and life/health lines.
Jeremy Boutelle opened a TWFG office in Lithonia, Ga. Boutelle previously served six years with Allstate. His experience includes P/C, L/H and commercial lines.
Alison Cuevas opened up a new branch in Slidell, La. Cuevas has seven years of insurance experience with AAA. Prior to that, she spent 13 years in the health insurance field.
Matt Dearmond opened a new office in Lake Jackson, Texas. He has 10 years of insurance experience with Nationwide Insurance, specializing in P/C and commercial lines. Prior to becoming an agent, Dearmond worked as a claims adjuster.
Harlivleen Kaur opened a new branch in Plano, Texas. Kaur comes to TWFG with more than three years of experience with Farmers Insurance. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at Dallas specializing in Management Information Systems. She also holds her NASD Series 6 and 63.
Yumi Fulton opened a new TWFG office in Houston, after helping her husband run his agency for more than nine years.
Apex Global Partners
Dallas-based Apex Global Partners Inc. (AGP) expanded its employee benefits operations by opening a new office in Oklahoma City.
In conjunction with the expansion, AGP appointed Brad Williams director of Oklahoma business development for the group’s Oklahoma Employee Benefits and HR Consulting Division.
The Oklahoma City office is AGP’s first in that state. The new office is located at 6440 Avondale Drive, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116.
Progressive
Progressive Insurance launched in Texas an optional car insurance program that offers lower rates on vehicles that are driven in less risky ways.
The behavior-based insurance program, called MyRate, gives drivers a customized rate based on how, how much, and when their car is driven.
Drivers who choose to sign up for MyRate receive a device that plugs into a port in their car and measures how, how much and when the car is being driven. Cars driven less often, in less risky ways and at less risky times of day can receive a lower premium, the company said.
New Texas customers get an immediate first-term discount of up to 10 percent when they sign up for MyRate and install the device. When they renew their policy, customers could save as much as 25 percent or more, or be charged up to 9 percent more, based on their driving habits. There is also a $30 technology expense each policy period for the cost of the device and data transmission.
Drivers will be able to see whether they are on track for a discount or an increase by reviewing their driving data at anytime by logging in to their policy on www.progressive.com.
Pan American Life, USNow
New Orleans-based Pan-American Life Insurance Group completed the acquisition of USNow, which is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and provides limited medical plans.
Since 1995, USNow President and CEO David E. Lindsey has been active in the area of managed limited medical benefits, providing underinsured/uninsured individuals and corporate employees with access to group healthcare.
He founded USNow in 2002, and in 2006 Lindsey revitalized an old relationship with Pan-American Life, focusing USNow’s attention on Pan-American’s U.S. worksite product line. In 2007, Lindsey sold Pan-American Life a 20 percent ownership stake in USNow; the acquisition is now complete with Pan-American’s purchase of Lindsey’s remaining interest.