Business Moves

The Hartford completed its buy of Equitable’s employee benefits business to bolster the insurer’s growth in the small and midsized employer segment. The move will bring in about $500 million in premium in non-medical benefits, as well as Equitable’s employee benefits technology. The acquired portfolio includes group life, disability, paid family and medical leave, supplemental health, as well as dental and vision coverage, plus about 300 employees.

Cybersecurity training and certification organization EC-Council has acquired Cyber Insurance Academy, the credentialing body for the cyber and AI insurance industries.

Cyber Insurance Academy will continue operating under its existing brand and leadership as an EC-Council company. Co-founder Guy Simkin will remain CEO, while co-founder Asaf Armoni will continue as chief technology and operating officer. Cyber insurance will remain the Academy’s focus while its capabilities expand into AI risk, emerging technology risk, and role-based technology education.

California-based specialty insurance broker Alliant Insurance Services has expanded its presence in New England through the acquisition of Melcher & Prescott in Laconia, New Hampshire. Melcher & Prescott will operate as Alliant Insurance Services.

Founded in 1862, Melcher & Prescott provides commercial insurance, employee benefits, and personal life and health insurance to businesses and individuals across New England and surrounding areas.

Irvine, California-based national broker Alliant offers insurance, risk management, reinsurance, and employee benefits. The Melcher & Prescott acquisition is its first in New Hampshire.

Novatae Risk Group, the wholesale division of World Insurance Associates, acquired Specialized Program Solutions (SPS), a managing general agency in Chester, New Jersey.

Founded in 2022, SPS specializes in underwriting, marketing, and program administration for long-haul trucking risks throughout the U.S. Terms of the Aug. 1 transaction were not disclosed.

Iselin, New Jersey-based Novatae Risk Group is a specialty insurance brokerage, managing general agency, and program manager providing brokers and their clients with insurance products and services for complex and hard-to-place risks across property, casualty, workers’ compensation, cyber, professional, management, construction, environmental, garage, inland marine/ocean marine, and more.

CopperPoint Insurance Co., a workers’ compensation and commercial insurance provider based in Phoenix, Arizona, acquired Boston, Massachusetts-based General Indemnity Group (GIG).

The sale includes GIG’s subsidiaries United Casualty & Surety Insurance Co. (UCS), surety placement platform BOSS Bonds, and the technology platform SuretyBonds.Market.

GIG, founded in 2015, is an insurance holding company specializing in commercial and contract surety. GIG provides bonds facilitating construction, commercial, and public sector projects. GIG’s Boston office will remain the headquarters for the company’s surety operations.

Marsh completed its acquisition of Accel Holdings, a diversified independent insurance and advisory firm headquartered in Waverly, Iowa. Accel will operate within Marsh Agency. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

All Accel Group colleagues have joined Marsh Agency and will continue to operate from their current locations.

The Accel Group was founded in 1936 and provides commercial and personal insurance, employee benefits, and agribusiness solutions, as well as wealth management and retirement advisory services.

Porch Insurance Group, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Allied Trust’s insurance carrier and managing general agency.

Allied Trust, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, is a regional insurance carrier operating in Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina and North Carolina. Louisiana represented almost half of Allied Trust’s 2025 premiums and would be a new state for Porch Group’s Reciprocal.