Business Moves

U.S. Risk, Goss Re

U.S. Risk Insurance Group Inc., based in Dallas, has expanded into the specialty reinsurance brokerage marketplace with Goss Reinsurance Brokers Inc. Goss Re will operate as a specialty reinsurance broker for medium to small insurance carriers, captives, self-insurance funds, risk retention groups, and other similar specialty insurance operations. Chris Turner, formerly of Towers Perrin, serves as executive vice president of Goss Re, and James Epstein, formerly of EWI Re, serves as executive director.

McKinney, Higginbotham

McKinney Insurance Group has merged with Fort Worth, Texas-based Higginbotham & Associates. McKinney Insurance Group, commercial and personal lines agency, will take Higginbotham’s name.

Higginbotham’s existing McKinney, Texas, practice – formerly B. Barfield Group – is an employee benefits broker and plan administrator. The two offices will combine benefits and P/C insurance capabilities.

McKinney Insurance Group was founded in 1953. It will maintain its office at 3651 Eldorado Parkway.

CAIC Holding, Main Street America

Houston-based CAIC Holding Co. Inc. (CAIC) has sold its surety division to property/casualty insurance carrier The Main Street America Group, based in Jacksonville, Fla. CAIC is withdrawing from the Texas surety business to concentrate on expansion of its personal lines division.

Two members of CAIC’s surety team have joined Main Street America. Sterling Emens will be Main Street’s director of bond specialty underwriting and Veronica Rivera will be an agency development specialist. Both will be based in Houston.

CAIC specializes in non-resident (Mexico), private passenger, commercial automobile, surety and Texas non-subscriber insurance. In 2009, CAIC expanded its product offerings to include personal lines products, specifically non-standard auto and homeowners.

Gibraltar Group

Insurance and risk management firm, The Gibraltar Group, headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, introduced a new insurance program to address the risks faced by the dairy industry. Businesses served by the new program include dairy farmers, cooperative organizations, transportation companies and food processors. The Gibraltar Group launched its national dairy campaign and www.SaveYourMilkMoney.com at the National Milk Producers Federation’s annual conference in Dallas.

The Gibraltar Group offers educational resources through GibraltarU, which provides companies and individuals with the tools and information to reduce risks and prevent loss experiences.

Brown & Brown, Alamo Insurance

Florida-based Brown & Brown Inc. has acquired the assets of Alamo Insurance Group Inc., of San Antonio, Texas.

Alamo Insurance Group, with annual revenues of approximately $4.3 million, has provided property/casualty insurance, employee benefits insurance, personal insurance, and risk management products and services to clients since 1998. The Alamo Insurance Group team has expertise in a variety of industries, including school districts, governmental entities, entertainment, transportation and construction.

Pat McMahan, Mike Gilpin and their staff will continue to operate from their existing San Antonio and McAllen, Texas, locations under the Alamo Insurance Group name.

Pan-American Life – Benefits

New Orleans-based Pan-American Life Insurance Group has created a new member company, Pan-American Benefits Solutions Inc., to offer limited medical group benefits in the United States.

Pan-American Benefits Solutions-signature products include PanaMed and Common-Sense. Industries served include healthcare professionals such as nurses, hospital and medical clinic employees; and those in the hospitality, transportation, construction and agriculture industries, among others.

Pan-American Benefits Solutions is led by John Foley, senior vice president – Domestic Markets, and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.