Business Moves

AmWINS Acquires Bliss & Glennon, eReinsure

AmWINS Group Inc. has reached a definitive agreement with Fortegra Financial Corp. to acquire Bliss & Glennon, an excess and surplus lines wholesale insurance broker and managing general agency in California, and eReinsure, an online platform for managing the placement of facultative reinsurance.

The acquisition is expected to close following standard regulatory approval.

Bliss & Glennon has offices in California and six other states. Salt Lake City, Utah-based eReinsure provides Internet-based technology solutions for managing reinsurance transactions. The company also has offices in New York City and London.

Following the close of this deal AmWINS will employ more than 3,200 employees in 108 offices across 17 countries.

AmWINS is a specialty distributor of insurance products and services. The firm is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.

USI Insurance Acquires Van Gilder in Colorado

Valhalla, N.Y.-based USI Insurance Services has entered into an agreement to acquire Van Gilder Insurance Corp. in Denver, Colo.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Van Gilder offers business insurance, employee benefits programs, risk management services and personal insurance products for individuals.

By acquiring Van Gilder, USI’s footprint has been extended into the Rocky Mountain region. Van Gilder will change its name to USI Colorado, however the company’s office and employees will remain in Denver and Van Gilder President Donald McG. Woods and Chief Financial Officer Edward M. Harrington Jr. will remain in their leadership roles, according to the company.

USI operates out of roughly 100 offices across the United States.

Horner Insurance Services, South & Western Join Forces

Dallas, Texas-based South & Western General Agency Inc. has merged with Horner Insurance Services Inc. of Memphis, Tenn.

As an MGA specializing in commercial transportation, Horner Insurance Services brings additional markets and expertise to the existing commercial transportation facilities at South & Western.

Based in Memphis, Gene Horner Jr. will lead a combined unit as president of commercial transportation. Existing underwriting staff at Horner Insurance Services will continue to provide commercial transportation products to retail agents throughout the mid-South and Southwest.

South & Western offers specialty insurance products to independent agents throughout the mid-South and Southwest.

Leavitt Group

The Leavitt Group announced a merger of three of their Southern California agencies.

The merger will include the Covina office of Valley Insurance Service, employee benefits agency Leavitt Benefits Insurance Services of Southern California, and the Santa Ana office of Pridemark-Everest Insurance Services.

All three agencies will join in the existing Santa Ana location and will operate as Leavitt Insurance Services of Southern California. The merger will not affect current accounts, and clients will continue to work with the same personnel. Phone numbers will remain the same.

The three agencies have worked together in their region for several years.

The Leavitt Group offers property/casualty insurance, risk management, employee benefits and other services.

JLT Towner, Charter Risk

JLT Towner Insurance Management (USA) LLC, announced its acquisition of Charter Risk Management Services LLC, a Connecticut captive management company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Under the transaction, Thomas F.X. Hodson, Charter’s president and chief executive officer, will lead Burlington, Vt.-based JLT Towner’s Connecticut office.

Charter was co-owned by The Compass Company Consultants LLC, an Albany, N.Y.-based risk management subsidiary of New York City-based Park Strategies LLC. JLT Towner is purchasing Compass’ ownership in Charter and part of Hodson’s interest.

JLT Towner is an independent captive insurance management and captive consulting company.

Gunn-Mowery, Wells Fargo Insurance

Gunn-Mowery, an independent agency in Pennsylvania, announced the asset acquisition of Wells Fargo Insurance’s Camp Hill, Penn., operation. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Approximately 10 Wells Fargo Insurance professionals will join Gunn-Mowery following the transaction.

The combined operations will manage more than $80 million of insurance premiums and will include more than 60 employees in Gunn-Mowery’s regional offices in Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1985, Gunn-Mowery offers commercial and personal insurance, group and individual benefits.