Business Moves

AmWINS, CRC, Heffernan

Wholesaler insurance brokers AmWINS and CRC, along with independent agency Heffernan Insurance Brokers, are the charter members of a new alliance to accelerate technology improvements in the brokerage, wholesale and specialty insurance segments.

The new group, called the InsurConneXtions Alliance, is working with insurance technology firm Patra.

The initiative will begin its collaboration by focusing on improvements to policy checking, according to the announcement. Policy checking is a process for validating the accuracy of policy documents across carriers, wholesalers and brokers.

California-based Patra is known for its CertVault, which is a cloud-based system for the delivery of certificates of insurance. It serves retail agencies, managing general agents, wholesalers and carriers with insurance processing, contact support and account management services.

After the initial focus on policy checking, the alliance will decide on the next set of services on which to collaborate, along with whether to expand the Alliance.

World Insurance Associates, Lindberg & Associates

World Insurance Associates LLC acquired Lindberg & Associates of Poquoson, Va.

Founded in 2011, Lindberg & Associates is an independent insurance agency that provides all forms of property and casualty insurance and employee benefits programs. The insurance professionals at Lindberg & Associates have expertise in petroleum insurance, trade and artesian contractors, equipment dealers, specialty contractors, hotels, motels and property management.

WIA is headquartered in Tinton Falls, N.J., and is a full-service insurance brokerage providing asset and lifestyle protection with risk management, insurance and benefit consulting services for individuals and businesses. Since its founding in 2012, WIA has completed 70 acquisitions.

Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla provided legal counsel to WIA. Legal counsel for Lindberg & Associates Insurance was not disclosed.

Risman Insurance Agencies, Insurance Associates

Risman Insurance Agencies acquired Insurance Associates Inc. of Burlington, Mass.

Insurance Associates has been a family-owned and -operated business and a member of the community for more than eight decades.

Risman Insurance Agencies, headquartered in Medford, Mass., is an independent insurance agency.

As the company approaches its 100th year in business, the agency has been looking for ways to expand and improve, according to a company press release. In addition to welcoming Insurance Associates, Risman acquired three other area agencies in 2020: Phil Richard Insurance Agency and MassPay Insurance Services, both located in Danvers, and T.F. Ward/Melrose Insurance Group in Melrose, bringing the overall total of agency acquisitions to 17.

With its latest acquisition, Risman Insurance Agencies will have eight locations, including the main office in Medford as well as offices in Tewksbury, North Reading, Danvers, Dorchester and Melrose.

Brown & Brown of Massachusetts, Amity Insurance Agency

Brown & Brown of Massachusetts Inc., a subsidiary of Brown & Brown Inc., has acquired substantially all of the assets of Amity Insurance Agency.

Amity Insurance was founded in 1978 and offers insurance products and services, specializing in risk management solutions for customers in the legal, parking, transportation and construction industries. The firm also provides a variety of personal lines insurance products and services to individuals throughout New England.

Brown & Brown Inc. is an insurance brokerage firm, providing risk management solutions to individuals and businesses.

Following the transaction, the Amity team will continue operating from its existing office in Quincy, Mass., under the direction of Principal Justin Kesner.

McGowan Companies, M.P. Caplice Insurance Group

The McGowan Companies, based in Fairview, Ohio, has purchased the assets of M.P. Caplice Insurance Group LLC and related entities.

M.P. Caplice will be re-branded under the McGowanPro brand.

Located in Hinsdale, Ill., M.P. Caplice writes accountants professional liability and lawyers professional liability in the U.S. In addition to placing standard risk accountants and lawyers coverage, M.P. Caplice specializes in placing “hard to place” accountants and lawyers coverage. Coverage is available in all 50 states.

M.P. Caplice’s staff will remain in place, led by Gary B. Sutherland.

BXS Insurance, Alexander & Sanders Insurance Agency

BXS Insurance Inc., a subsidiary of BancorpSouth Bank, has acquired the assets of Alexander & Sanders Insurance Agency Inc., headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Alexander & Sanders provides risk management and insurance services to professional firms across Louisiana, including design professionals (architects, engineers, environmental consultants, surveyors), CPA firms and law firms.

Owned by Wyatt Sanders and Justin Sanders, the agency was founded in 1958 and has specialized in professional liability insurance since 1975.

Alexander & Sanders will operate from BXS Insurance’s office in Baton Rouge.

BXS Insurance Inc. is a subsidiary of publicly traded financial services company BancorpSouth Bank and is licensed in all 50 states.

AccuRisk Solutions, Great American Insurance Group

Chicago-based managing general underwriter, AccuRisk Solutions LLC, is acquiring the renewal rights to Great American Insurance Group’s book of Texas occupational illness and injury non-subscription business.

The parties have come to a mutual agreement of terms, and AccuRisk will acquire the rights of the Texas non-subscription business upon the closing of the deal.

Great American Insurance Group is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Relation Insurance Services, Lucht Insurance Group

Relation Insurance Services, a privately owned insurance brokerage that offers property and casualty, risk management, employee benefits and TPA-consulting services through its family of brands across the U.S., has acquired the assets of Muskogee, Oklahoma-based Lucht Insurance Group.

Lucht is a privately owned insurance brokerage firm that provides employee benefits and individual health solutions to companies and individuals throughout eastern Oklahoma.

The acquisition of Lucht builds upon Relation’s prior acquisition of Premier Consulting Partners, also based in Oklahoma.

DOXA Insurance Holdings, AMS Professional Liability, Allsouth Professional Liability

AMS Professional Liability, a wholesale broker in the state of Florida, and Allsouth Professional Liability, a brokerage specializing in professional liability insurance in the southeastern U.S., have been acquired by DOXA Insurance Holdings LLC.

AMS Professional Liability and Allsouth Professional Liability will continue operations under the leadership of Boyd Wolf and David Gough.

AMS Professional Liability, previously Agency Marketing Services, was founded in 1982 as a wholesale brokerage firm and program administrator to assist independent insurance agents with the placement of professional liability insurance.

Similarly, Allsouth Professional Liability was founded in 1990, also focusing on assisting independent insurance agents place professional liability insurance.

MarshBerry represented DOXA in this transaction.

DOXA Insurance Holdings is a Midwest-domiciled holding company that acquires specialty niche-focused insurance distribution companies such as managing general agencies, wholesale brokers, program administrators and retail agencies.

Clegg Insurance Group, iCan Benefit Group

Clegg Insurance Group finalized in late September the acquisition of the property and casualty division of iCan Benefit Group in Boca Raton, Fla., adding more than 1,500 clients to its book of business and expanding further into South Florida.

This is Clegg Insurance Group’s fourth acquisition since its inception nearly a decade ago.

While iCan’s existing clients may notice a new name associated with the business, Clegg Insurance said in a press release that it already operates throughout the state and plans to keep a local office in the Boca Raton – West Palm Beach area to serve the local Palm Beach clientele.

As a result of the acquisition, Clegg Insurance Group’s annual premiums will increase to approximately $15 million per year, moving the agency into a larger insurance brokerage category.

Prior acquisitions by Clegg Insurance include Florida Insurance Partners in Safety Harbor in 2013, Hopf & Hopf, a Tampa-based insurance firm in 2014, and Advanced Insurance Brokerage, an Anna Maria Island insurance brokerage in 2018.

Clegg started the full service independent insurance agency in 2010 and now has offices in Clearwater, Anna Maria Island and Boca Raton, while continuing to look for further opportunities to expand.

With a specialization in property and casualty insurance, Clegg Insurance Group works with more than 100 carriers.

Hull & Company, J.E. Brown & Associates

Hull & Company LLC, a subsidiary of Brown & Brown Inc., has acquired substantially all of the assets of J.E. Brown & Associates Insurance Services Inc.

Following the transaction, the J.E. Brown team will continue doing business under the leadership of Dave Brown and Wendy Heathorn from its Walnut Creek and Yorba Linda, Calif., offices as a new stand-alone operation in Brown & Brown’s wholesale brokerage segment.

J.E. Brown is a managing general agency for retail insurance agents, placing property and casualty insurance for businesses and individuals.

The firm specializes in offering small business and personal lines property and casualty insurance products to customers in the western U.S., primarily in California.

Brown & Brown Inc. is an insurance brokerage firm, providing risk management solutions to individuals and businesses.