Business Moves

Marsh McLennan, HMS Insurance

Marsh McLennan Agency, a subsidiary of global insurance broker Marsh, acquired Hunt Valley, Maryland-based HMS Insurance Associates Inc.

Founded in 1943, HMS provides businesses and individuals in the Mid-Atlantic region with property/casualty insurance, surety, group captive, and employee benefits.

HMS’ more than 120 employees, including President Gary L. Berger, will join MMA and continue to work out of the Hunt Valley office.

MMA has 170 offices across North America.

MagMutual, MDAdvantage

Atlanta-based physician insurer MagMutual Insurance Co. completed its acquisition of MDAdvantage Insurance Co. of New Jersey. The deal received final corporate approval and regulatory approval by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance in December.

MDAdvantage will remain in New Jersey, serving as a hub in the Northeast, and it will write insurance under its current name. Current management and front-end operations are expected to remain in place.

In addition to New Jersey, MDAdvantage also writes in nine additional East Coast states from West Virginia to Massachusetts.

Hilb, OceanPoint Insurance

National broker The Hilb Group has acquired Rhode Island-based OceanPoint Insurance. OceanPoint is based in Middletown, and has additional offices in Barrington, Coventry and Tiverton.

The independent agency has been serving the southeastern New England community for more than 150 years. The agency provides commercial and personal property/casualty products, as well as employee benefits.

Agency principal Doug Mayhew and his team of insurance professionals will join the Hilb Group’s New England regional operations.

The Hilb Group is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., ROC Group

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired the Chicago-based ROC Group. Founded in 1998, ROC Group is an employee communication agency specializing in human resources and enterprise change solutions for clients across the United States.

Jan Burnham and her team will join Gallagher’s employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations under the direction of Ben Reynolds, global managing director, Employee Experience and Communication Practice.

Arthur J. Gallagher, CBS Insurance

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. acquired Abilene, Texas-based CBS Insurance LLP.

CBS Insurance is a retail insurance agency providing property/casualty and health/benefits coverages to clients throughout Texas and the surrounding region.

Peter Lauve, Steve Senter and their partners and associates will remain in their current location under the direction of Bret VanderVoort, head of Gallagher’s South Central retail property/casualty brokerage operations.

Cadence Insurance, Warriner & Associates

Cadence Insurance Inc. has acquired certain assets of Houston, Texas-based Warriner & Associates Insurance Services Inc. and Warriner Solutions LLC.

With roots tracing back to 1992, Warriner & Associates provides specialized insurance coverage and consulting for the for-hire commercial trucking, transportation and logistics industry.

Warriner Solutions provides consulting services in the areas of transportation operations, safety, compliance and executive leadership.

Risk Strategies, Worldwide Assurance

Risk Strategies, a national specialty insurance brokerage and risk management firm, acquired Miami-based Worldwide Assurance Inc., a retail life, health and benefits agency.

Worldwide offers medical and dental plans, long-term care insurance, group term and variable life insurance.

Hub, Chatham Insurance Partners

Hub International acquired Georgia-based Chatham Insurance Partners.

Headquartered in Savannah, the Chatham agency focuses on specialty lines, including hospitality, medical offices, professional liability, contractors, manufacturing and other property insurance.

The Chatham team, which includes Greg Sedlock, Jay Rowe, Eric Horton, Hurley Ryan, Tim Blanco and Jamie Hamrick, will join Hub’s Gulf South operations.

Higginbotham, Burkholder

Higginbotham, a national insurance broker based in Texas, has acquired Burkholder Insurance Inc. in Mobile, Alabama.

The Burkholder agency opened in 1951 and focuses on property/casualty insurance. Paul Burkholder III was named a managing director and will continue overseeing the Burkholder operations.

Risk Strategies, Statewide Condominium Insurance

Boston-based broker Risk Strategies acquired Statewide Condominium Insurance, a Vero Beach, Florida, retail broker focused on the condominium and apartment complex sectors.

Founded in 1996, Statewide specializes in serving condominium operators and home-owners associations throughout the state, offering property, wind, flood, general liability, professional liability, and umbrella coverages.

Hilb, Gillman Insurance

The Hilb Group acquired Georgia-based Gillman Insurance Problem Solvers.

Headquartered in Alpharetta, Gillman has served the Atlanta area since 1993. Its affiliates, APA Insurance Services and 3G Truckin Insurance, offer products across the country.

Principal Ed Gillman will become part of Hilb’s Southeast regional operations.

Patriot Growth

Patriot Growth Insurance Services has signed four Florida agencies to the team.

Metropolitan Insurance Services, Mendez Insurance, Gilliland Insurance Group and Sandsprit Insurance provide property/casualty insurance, and Metropolitan also offers commercial transportation risk protection.

They will now be part of Patriot’s Shapiro Insurance Group, which includes 13 other agencies.

Oakbridge, NorthShore Insurance

Oakbridge Insurance Agency acquired NorthShore Insurance in Chattanooga, Tennessee. NorthShore offers a range of products for wealthy clients.

NorthShore principal Vickie Champion and company will be part of the Oakbridge team.

First Florida, King Insurance

First Florida Insurance Network, based in Palm Coast, is now a part of the King Insurance Partners team.

First Florida is a full-service commercial and personal lines insurance agency founded in 2003.

Johnson & Johnson, Statewide Insurance

South Carolina-based managing general agent, Johnson & Johnson, has acquired the assets of Statewide Insurance Corp. in Arizona.

Statewide Insurance Corp. serves clients across the Southwest, writing specialty and preferred commercial insurance, as well as personal lines insurance.