Business Moves

Unison Risk Advisors, Avondale Insurance Associates

Avondale Insurance Associates has joined Unison Risk Advisors’ (URA’s) non-retail division.

Established in 2006, Avondale Insurance Associates is an excess and surplus lines underwriting management company operating across all property and general liability classes.

Avondale only writes business through appointed wholesale brokers. It does not trade directly with retail brokers.

The firm has full underwriting authority on behalf of a number of U.S. domestic, Bermudian, European and Lloyd’s of London capacity providers. It serves both domestic and international clients and markets.

Avondale, headquartered in Boston, also has offices in Chicago, Tampa and Manchester, New Hampshire. Daniel Hinchliffe serves as Avondale chief executive officer.

Avondale had been part of Avoca Insurance Holdings (AIH), a privately held, independent company founded in Bermuda in January 2009 that owns and operates specialized underwriting management companies.

Unison Risk Advisors was formed in December 2020 with the merger of Cleveland-based Oswald Companies and RCM&D of Baltimore, followed by the addition of Florida’s NSI Insurance Group in June 2023. It now has more than 1,000 employees in more than 20 offices.

The acquisition of Avondale marks the URA’s 19th transaction overall. MarshBerry acted as exclusive financial advisor for Avondale and Avoca Insurance Holdings.

Risk Strategies, George W. Blaisdell Insurance

National specialty insurance broker Risk Strategies reported it has acquired George W. Blaisdell Insurance, an employee benefits agency based in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. The acquisition expands the Risk Strategies Employee Benefits Practice in its New England region.

Terms of the deal were not announced.

Founded in 1988 by its principal, George W. Blaisdell, the agency specializes in group benefit plans for employers of all sizes. It also offers individual health and Medicare supplements, as well as 401k services.

Blaisdell is the second benefits-focused addition to the Risk Strategies benefits team in the New England region this year. In June, Risk Strategies acquired Baker Benefit Group, with operations in Maine and Connecticut.

Additionally, Risk Strategies made two other benefits-focused acquisitions in 2023: Connecticut-based May, Bonee & Clark in April and Massachusetts-based Strategic Benefit Solutions in September.

Risk Strategies, part of Accession Risk Management Group, has more than 200 offices including those in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Grand Cayman, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.

King Risk Partners, Suzio Insurance Center

Florida-based insurance broker King Risk Partners reports it has acquired Suzio Insurance Center Inc., an independent insurance agency based in Meriden, Connecticut.

Suzio Insurance Center was started in 1974 by the late Franklin Suzio and is currently headed by James Suzio. The agency serves Meriden, Wallingford, Cheshire, Southington, and other communities, offering personal, commercial, life and health insurance.

Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Suzio is King’s fourth agency in Connecticut. It also has locations in Wethersfield, Avon and Essex.

NFP, Miller Insurance Group

NFP, an Aon company and property/casualty broker, benefits consultant, wealth manager and retirement plan advisor, acquired Richard S. Miller & Sons Inc. dba Miller Insurance Group (MIG), a property/casualty and benefits agency with multiple offices in Indiana.

Greg Miller, chairman of MIG, will join NFP as a senior vice president and report to Amanda Ruback, P/C managing director in NFP’s Central region. MIG co-owners Christian Barnes, Joe Stiles, Chad Miller and Ben Nehls will join as vice presidents and report to Greg Miller.

NFP said the acquisition aligns with its strategic growth strategy, which includes Indiana. NFP acquired Indianapolis-based First Person, an employee benefits brokerage firm, in 2021, and City Securities Insurance, a full-service commercial P/C insurance consultant, in 2017, and has made significant hires in Indiana.

Founded in 1937, MIG offers commercial property/casualty insurance and employee benefits to corporate clients and personal lines insurance in Indiana.

Ryan Specialty, EverSports & Entertainment Insurance

Ryan Specialty announced it completed the acquisition of certain assets of EverSports & Entertainment Insurance, Inc. (EverSports) from the Everest Group Ltd. group of companies.

EverSports is a managing general underwriter focused on sports, leisure and entertainment (SLE) risks, and is based in Carmel, Indiana.

Founded in 2013, EverSports is a leader in the SLE insurance industry with broad diversification across the various SLE sub-classes (amusement facilities, amateur sports, touring artists, etc.).

The relevant business will join Alive Risk, Ryan Specialty’s existing SLE facility.

First MainStreet, Kozlowski Insurance Agency

First MainStreet Insurance L.C. (FMSI), based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has added Kozlowski Insurance Agency, headquartered in Pipestone, Minnesota, with two satellite offices in Luverne, Minnesota, and Brookings, South Dakota.

Founded in 1970, the Kozlowski family has grown the business for over five decades. The agency is currently led by Jon and Shelly Kozlowski.

The addition of Kozlowski Insurance brings 19 employees and marks the largest deal to-date for the First MainStreet team.

Inszone, San Antonio Insurance Services

Inszone Insurance Services acquired San Antonio Insurance Services, a Texas-based agency known for its strong focus on trucking insurance and a broad array of property/casualty solutions.

Founded in 2012 as a mother-daughter agency, San Antonio Insurance Services, was acquired in February 2015 by Greg Stevens. In 2018, Greg’s son, Aaron Stevens, joined the family business.

Both Greg and Aaron Stevens will continue their leadership roles under Inszone Insurance Services.

Oakbridge Insurance Agency, Hull & Associates

Oakbridge Insurance Agency has acquired Tuscaloosa, Alabama-based Hull & Associates, an agency that specializes in finding coverage for student housing in and around the home of the University of Alabama.

Richard Hull is principal at Hull & Associates, which was founded in 1999. The firm’s book consists of 80% commercial lines, including apartments, hotels, restaurants and contractors, and 20% personal insurance, according to its Linkedin page. It works with clients in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida.

As an Oakbridge partner, Hull & Associates will maintain its office in Tuscaloosa and continue its service to the area, Oakbridge reported.

Oakbridge, founded in 2020, has followed a steady growth and expansion plan, offering a partnership model with local and regional agencies around the country.

Inszone, Dan Davis Insurance Solutions, Schmoekel Insurance Agency

Inszone Insurance Services acquired Dan Davis Insurance Solutions in San Jose, California.

Dan Davis Insurance Solutions is an insurance agency that specializes in serving the homeowner association board members, HOA members and community managers segment.

Inszone also has acquired Schmoekel Insurance Agency Inc. in Sacramento, California.

Founded in 1948 by Max Schmoekel, Schmoekel Insurance Agency was initially known as a non-standard insurance agency, specializing in finding coverage for high-risk clients. In the early 1960s, Max’s son, Mark Schmoekel, took over the agency, and expanded its services and continued its growth.

Sacramento-based Inszone is an insurance brokerage firm that provides property/casualty insurance and employee benefits services.

ALKEME, Pinnacle Insurance Consultants

ALKEME acquired Pinnacle Insurance Consultants in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Pinnacle Insurance Consultants specializes in errors and omissions insurance for real estate firms.

ALKEME, based in Ladera Ranch, California, is an insurance agency providing businesses and individuals with commercial and personal insurance, employee and executive benefits, retirement and wealth management services.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Adept Benefits

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. acquired Snoqualmie, Washington-based Adept Benefits LLC.

Adept Benefits is a health and benefits consulting firm serving clients in the greater Seattle area. Megan Narrance and her team will remain in their current location under the direction of Charlie Isaacs, head of Gallagher’s West region employee benefits consulting operations.

Arthur J. Gallagher is an insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois.

InterWest Insurance Services, McDermott-Costa Insurance Brokers

InterWest Insurance Services acquired McDermott-Costa Insurance Brokers in San Leandro, California.

McDermott-Costa Insurance Brokers is an employee owned, regional independent insurance brokerage firm. John Johnson and Mike McDermott will remain in leadership roles.

InterWest is headquartered in Sacramento.

Renaissance, United Agents of Arizona

Renaissance has acquired the agency network business of United Agents of Arizona (UAA).

Chicago-headquartered Renaissance is a network of independent insurance agencies. It is ranked No. 5 on Insurance Journal’s 2024 Top Agency Partnerships list.

UAA is an agency group based in Mesa, Arizona.

The transaction follows Renaissance’s 2023 acquisition of Agency Partners Inc., which brought 54 new agencies in Alabama and Georgia into the network’s fold.