Business Moves
Arch Insurance, Ventus Risk Management
Arch Insurance North America has agreed to acquire Ventus Risk Management, a technology and analytics-driven managing general underwriter that specializes in providing coastal commercial property insurance solutions to small and mid-sized enterprises.
Ventis has 30 employees and offices in Atlanta, Columbia, S.C., Houston, and Richmond, Va. Ventus provides commercial property insurance from several carrier partners.
The parties said that integrating Ventus into the Arch platform will enable third-party capital to provide capacity alongside Arch’s product offerings.
George Reeth, a Ventus co-founder, announced his retirement with the sale of the company.
Co-founder Stuart Mercer will become the CEO of Ventus upon the close of the sale.
The Hilb Group, Jamieson Insurance Agency
The Hilb Group LLC has acquired Vermont-based Jamieson Insurance Agency Inc.
JIA is a property/casualty agency primarily providing business, auto and home insurance to clients throughout Vermont. Agency Leader Jon Jamieson will continue to lead the JIA team out of its three offices in Richmond, Waitsfield and Waterbury.
THG is a middle market insurance agency headquartered in Richmond, Va., and is a portfolio company of Boston-based private equity firm, Abry Partners. THG seeks to grow through targeted acquisitions in the middle market insurance brokerage space.
Satellite Agency Network Group, Halpert Insurance & Financial Services
Satellite Agency Network Group Inc., an alliance of independent insurance agencies in the Northeast, announced that Halpert Insurance & Financial Services of Windsor Locks, Conn., joined the network. Agency Owner Jason Halpert and SAN Chief Operating Officer Frank Waters made the announcement jointly.
Halpert Insurance & Financial Services is a full-service agency offering all lines of personal and business coverages, as well as financial services. In addition to Halpert as principal agent, the agency employs four insurance agents, one customer service representative and two financial advisors.
Hub International Limited, Cosaint Insurance Partners
Hub International Ltd., a global insurance brokerage, has acquired the assets of Cosaint Insurance Partners LLC.
The principal owners of Cosaint Insurance Partners were part of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company’s distribution model and are joining Hub concurrent with Cosaint Insurance Partners’ shift to an independent broker.
Headquartered in Conshohocken, Penn., Cosaint Insurance Partners is an independent insurance agency whose partners provide personal and commercial insurance in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states.
President and chief operating officer of Cosaint Insurance Partners, Robert Bush, and Chairman and CEO Dennis O’Neill will join Hub and report to Martin Hughes, Hub International’s executive chairman of the board of directors.
Alera Group, Austin & Co.
Alera Group, a national insurance firm, has acquired Austin & Co. Inc.
The firm expands Alera Group’s employee benefits and property/casualty expertise.
Austin & Co., located in Albany, N.Y., serves clients throughout the Northeast. Its service offerings include employee benefits, commercial and business insurance, and human resources consulting services.
All Austin & Co. employees will continue operating out of the firm’s existing locations under the name Austin & Co., an Alera Group Company LLC.
Based in Deerfield, Ill., Alera Group provides employee benefits, property/casualty, risk management and wealth management.
Alliant, InvisionBenefit
Alliant Insurance Services has acquired Northern Ill.-based InvisionBenefit.
As part of the company’s Employee Benefits Group, InvisionBenefit will expand Alliant’s Midwest benefits presence while bringing a broad array of benefits, consulting and advisory services under the Alliant banner.
InvisionBenefit serves as a broker, consultant, and administrator, offering employee benefits, human resources consulting, enrollment, and advisory services. In addition to serving clients in the Midwest region, InvisionBenefit has a presence in all 50 states. It is led by Marko Castillo, founder and managing principal.
Castillo, along with the entire InvisionBenefit team, will join Alliant and continue serving clients nationwide from its Lake in the Hills headquarters.
Alliant Insurance Services Inc. is headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif.
Hub International, Truss
Hub International Ltd. has acquired the assets of Truss LLC, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo.
Truss has more than 40 years of commercial insurance expertise in the construction, transportation and healthcare industries, as well as expertise in employee benefits, risk management, surety bonds and HR solutions.
Paul Cohen, vice president of Truss, has been named area president for Hub in Kansas City.
Hub is headquartered in Chicago.
Insurance Technologies Corp., Smart Harbor
Insurance Technologies Corp., a provider of websites, marketing, comparative rating and management software and services, has acquired Columbus, Ohio-based Smart Harbor, which provides digital technology products and services to insurance agents.
Smart Harbor is owned by The Shipyard, a digital marketing agency also based in Columbus.
Through this acquisition, Smart Harbor clients will get access to Carrollton, Texas-based ITC’s marketing products and services.
The sale does not include any of the other marketing services operations of The Shipyard.
Alliant Insurance Services, Fred Daniel & Sons
Alliant Insurance Services, headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., has acquired Fred Daniel & Sons, based in Tulsa, Okla.
Fred Daniel & Sons brings nearly 100 years of experience and a legacy of excellence in commercial and personal insurance under the Alliant banner.
Currently in its third generation of leadership, Fred Daniel & Sons provides insurance and consulting services that includes commercial lines, personal lines, and employee benefits.
Owner and President Fred Daniel III, along with the entire Fred Daniel & Sons team, will join Alliant and continue serving clients nationwide from its Tulsa offices.
Next Level Insurance, A&H Benefits
Next Level Insurance Agency, a Dallas-based healthcare consulting and employee benefits brokerage firm, has acquired A&H Benefits, also based in North Texas.
A&H was formed to provide employee benefits to new and current business owners under Ayres Financial Group. Prior to the acquisition, David Ayres had served as the primary owner of A&H Benefits for the last 10 years.
Following the acquisition, Next Level Agency will serve over 250 companies, ranging from start-ups to those with more than 500 employees.
In addition to North Texas, Next Level has service centers in Florida and Colorado.
Risk Strategies, National Insurance Consulting Group
Risk Strategies, a privately held, national insurance brokerage and risk management firm, has expanded its presence in the Southeast U.S. with the acquisition of National Insurance Consulting Group, LLC, an employee benefits and human capital consulting firm.
National Insurance Consulting Group offers benefits consulting, outsourced benefits administration, human capital management software delivery, and outsourced HR.
With locations in Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the firm specializes in creating alternatively funded employee benefits programs for middle market businesses in a variety of industries.
National Insurance Consulting Group crafts alternative funding strategies and insurance-based employee benefits programs.
Risk Strategies is a privately held, national firm with offices across the country.
The company offers risk management services as well as insurance and reinsurance placement for property/casualty, healthcare and employee benefits risks.
The Hilb Group, Mackie Financial Group
The Hilb Group LLC has acquired Tennessee-based Mackie Financial Group LLC.
MFG is an agency primarily providing insurance for employee benefits, Medicare Supplemental/Advantage, individual life and annuities.
As part of the acquisition, MFG will join THG’s operations based in Abingdon, Va., and continue to operate out of its current location in Johnson City, Tenn.
The Hilb Group is a middle market insurance agency headquartered in Richmond, Va., and is a portfolio company of Boston-based private equity firm, Abry Partners.
Abry Partners. Capital Z
Abry Partners has agreed to acquire Lake Forest, Calif.-based Portfolio Holding Inc. from Capital Z Partners LP.
The deal is subject to normal and customary closing conditions. All of Portfolio’s current management team will remain in their roles and will retain significant equity ownership.
Portfolio, which has operations in Dallas, Texas, is a provider of finance and insurance products and services to automotive dealers across the country. Its specialty is managing affiliated reinsurance companies for dealership owners.
Abry is a sector-focused private equity investment firm.
Capital Z is a global private equity firm focused exclusively on the financial services industry.
Alera Group, Benefit Commerce Group
Alera Group has acquired Benefit Commerce Group in Scottsdale, Ariz.
All Benefit Commerce Group employees will continue operating out of the firm’s existing locations under the name Benefit Commerce Group, an Alera Group Company LLC.
Deerfield, Ill.-based Alera Group offers employee benefits, property/casualty, risk management and wealth management services.
Benefit Commerce Group is an employee benefits consulting firm.