Business Moves – Midwest

NFP, Ameribonds Surety & Insurance

National Financial Partners Corp. subsidiary, NFP Property and Casualty Services Inc. (NFP P&C), acquired Illinois-based Ameribonds Surety & Insurance Services (Ameribonds Surety), effective April 2, 2012.

Ameribonds Surety is a surety and insurance services business headquartered in Mt. Vernon, Ill., that uses a web-based platform to act as an intermediary to place business, predominantly surety policies.

J.M. Wilson, Iroquois Group

Portage, Mich.-based managing general agency, J.M. Wilson, has entered into a partnership with The Iroquois Group. J.M. Wilson and the retail agency network will collaborate to help their shared agencies gain access to a broad range of specialty insurance carriers, allowing them to write and retain more business, according to J.M. Wilson’s announcement.

The Iroquois Group has more than 2,000 members in 39 states.

J.M. Wilson has branch and affiliate offices in eight states and is able to provide coverage for conventional and hard-to-place classes in 24 states.

SIAA

The Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA) signed five new agencies in the Midwest during March.

The new Midwest agencies are: Mraz Insurance Services of Mokena, Ill.; L&K Insurance Products of La Porte, Ind.; M2 Insurance Agency of Aurora, Ill.; 1st Choice Insurance Group of Gahanna, Ohio; and Pinnacle Midwest Insurance Advisors of Plymouth, Minn.

Nationally, SIAA signed 40 new member agencies in March.

Fireman’s Fund, Allianz Global

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. is partnering with Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty to expand its entertainment division and capabilities in North America.

Fireman’s Fund has more than 90 entertainment underwriters, customer service, claims and risk services experts in Burbank and Santa Monica, Calif., Dallas, Minneapolis, Minn., New York City, London, and now Toronto.

A team led by Lynne Pepper, an entertainment underwriter with more than 20 years of experience, will focus on expanding Fireman’s Fund entertainment business across a variety of segments, including film, television, D.I.C.E., special events, music, and contingency coverages. The team, which includes entertainment underwriting veteran Natalie Reynolds and customer service specialist Robyn McMahon, previously worked at Travelers Canada.

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty will handle all aspects of the Canadian entertainment business.