M&A Calendar: P/C Agent, Broker Mergers & Acquisition Headlines in 2014

Insurance Journal reported on more than 200 deals involving agencies’ or brokerages’ mergers and acquisitions in 2014. Activity was busiest in the first and fourth quarters, with more than 60 announcements each.

Among the noteworthy transactions were Wells Fargo selling 40 smaller regional insurance offices to USI, which also bought seven Willis retail brokerage locations across the country; Brown & Brown buying flood insurer The Wright Group; Marsh & McLennan Agency acquiring Barney & Barney in California and Senn Dunn in North Carolina; and a Texas agent trade association acquiring LevelFirst, a managing general agency, in order to provide markets to members.

The most active buyer by far was Arthur J. Gallagher, with AssuredPartners, Hub International, Marsh & McLennan Agency and USI also announcing multiple deals.

Insurance Journal also reported on more than 80 deals involving P/C carriers and more than 20 mergers involving insurance claims, third party administration, technology and other industry-related firms, which can be found on InsuranceJournal.com.

Insurance Journal offers a special “thank you” to the 2015 Mergers & Acquisitions Report sponsor MarshBerry.

JANUARY

• AmWINS Acquires Bliss & Glennon, eReinsure
• Brightway Buys Florida’s Towne Center
• Bua Agency Buys Weather Insurance of N.Y.
• All Risks Acquires Stonebridge Underwriters
• Hub Int’l Acquires Michigan’s Pinnacle
• Avid Risk, Kellenberger-Landsee Merge
• Marsh to Acquire Scotland’s Central Insurance
• Hilb Group Buys Tampa’s Hockman Insurance
• Lucien Wright, Texas’ Paul Lowe Agency Merge
• Segal Group Acquires Michigan’s Moroni Fantin
• CBIZ Buys Centric Insurance in New Jersey
• California’s EPIC Acquires Georgia’s McCart
• Alliant Acquires Pittsburgh’s Sagewell Partners
• OceanPoint Acquires Raymond Insurance in R.I.
• AssuredPartners, Leonard Insurance Merge
• Bloss & Dillard Buys Agents Insurance Markets
• Corcoran & Havlin, Sciarratta & Doucette Merge
• Cross Buys Willis in Maine, Conn.’s Insurance Exchange
• USI Acquires Ohio’s Quintessential Advisors
• Leavitt Group, Mountain West Partner
• Risk Strategies Buys DataRisk in N.H.
• Brown & Brown Acquires The Wright Group
• USI Acquires Oscar & Associates in N.J.
• Texas’ Talon Insurance, Higginbotham Merge
• Bolton Acquires Rick Gombar Insurance in Calif.
• Risk Strategies Buys Singer Nelson Charlmers
• Willis Acquires Capital Strategies’ Benefits Unit
• JLT Acquires Hong Kong’ Lambert Brothers
• Wells Fargo Sells 42 Insurance Offices to USI
• AssuredPartners Buys Commercial Insurance
• USI Buys Travers, O’Keefe & Associates in N.Y.
• Oklahoma-Based Insurica Acquires Joe West

FEBRUARY

• Program Brokerage Acquires S.C.’s Sirles
• Marsh & McLennan Buys Barney & Barney
• Blackmoor Buys Connecticut Underwriters Unit
• Confie Seguros Buys 1 Stop Financial in Texas
• NSM Acquires Professional Underwriters in Ill.
• Marsh & McLennan Buys N.C. Surety Bond
• Marsh & McLennan Expands in Michigan
• AssuredPartners Buys AirSure in Colo., Texas
• Ohio’s McGowan Accuires N.J.’s Klein Insurance
• Leavitt Group Combines Utah, Nev. Agencies
• MarketScout Buys QBE N. Pointe Bowling Prog.
• R-T Specialty Buys Blais E&S of Texas
• A.J. Gallagher Buys Ala.’s Benefit Development
• Johnson & Johnson Buys H.T. Bailey of Mass.
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires La.’s Kent, Kent & Tingle
• AssuredPartners Buys Bateman Agency in N.J.
• AssuredPartners Buys Va.’s InSight Aviation
• AssuredPartners, Creech & Stafford Merge

MARCH

• Confie Seguros Acquires Ida Tunnell Insurance
• A. J. Gallagher Acquires Tudor Risk Services
• AgentLink Buys Ind.’s Consolidated Brokerage
• Hub Int’l, Corporate Benefit Consultants Merge
• Texas’ Higginbotham, Edgmon Agency Merge
• Ohio’s McGowan Purchases Breed’s Hill in Mass.
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires L&R Benefits in Conn.
• Aronson Buys Shuffain Insurance in Mass.
• A. J. Gallagher Buys N.Y.’s Spataro Insurance
• BB&T to Acquire Woodbury & Co. in Carolinas
• Stratton Buys Willis Retail Pizza Program

APRIL

• Johnson & Johnson Buys Stateside Underwriting
• Hudson Acquires Motor Transport Underwriters
• McGriff, Seibels & Williams, Caledonian Merge
• PSA Insurance & Financial Buys Council in Md.
• Marsh & McLennan Acquires S.C.’s Capstone
• A. J. Gallagher Buys N.Z.’s Mike Henry Brokers
• A. J. Gallagher Buying Australian Wesfarmers
• AssuredPartners Acquires N.Y.’s MHB Insurance
• Cross Insurance Buys Troy, Pires & Allen in R.I.
• BancorpSouth Acquires La.’s Knox Insurance
• AssuredPartners Acquires CBS Coverage in N.Y.
• Texas’ All-Star Insurance Buys Hogue Insurance
• Eastern Insurance Buys Smith Buckley & Hunt
• A.J. Gallagher, American Wholesalers Merge

MAY

• Minnesota Agencies Maguire and Kelly Merge
• Hub Int’l Acquires E.J. Wells Agency in Mass.
• Wells Fargo, USI Complete Regional Office Sale
• Declaration Brokerage Acquires RBLA of Pa.
• Towne Insurance Buys N.C.’s Southern Insurance
• A. J. Gallagher Acquires Sunderland in Calif.
• Marsh & McLennan Buys Ohio’s Kinker-Eveleigh
• Brown & Brown Buys 2 RV-Focused Fla. Agencies
• Marsh & McLennan Acquires Visicor in Texas
• RSA to Sell Canada’s Noraxis to A.J. Gallagher
• Hilb Group Acquires Florida’s Newman & Crane
• Brown & Brown, Wright Complete Merger
• Gallagher Buys Florida’s MGA Insurance Group
• AVID Risk, Brent Harris Agency Merge in Wis.
• Willis Completes Acquisition of Charles Monat
• THL Private Equity, Beecher Carlson Ex-Execs Form Prime Risk Partners
• Marsh & McLennan Acquires Senn Dunn in N.C.

JUNE

• State Auto Acquires Partners General Insurance
• CoVerica Acquires Forbes-Troxel in Texas
• Lockton Buys UK’s MIS Motorsport
• Brown & Brown Acquires Gaston & Assoc. in N.Y.
• All Risks Acquires Alive Risk
• Integro Buys Lugo & Associates in Calif.
• A. J. Gallagher Buys Md.’s Tri-State General
• Capacity Coverage Unit Buys Mt. Pleasant Agency
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires The Plus Cos. in N.J.
• Aon to Acquire National Flood Services
• Frederick H. DiMeo Buys Part of Hughes AllMart
• Marsh to Take Majority Stake in Panama’s Semus
• Marsh Buys Part of S. Africa’s Alexander Forbes
• Integro Acquires Daugherty Insurance in Calif.
• Broad Insurance Buys Florida’s Hartselle
• Florida Agencies Acentria, Gateway Plan Merger
• AmWINS Buys Cabrillo and Tidewater in Calif.

JULY

• Univest Acquires Sterner Insurance in Pa.
• AssuredPartners Buys W.Va.’s Ramsey Insurance
• Higginbotham Acquires Share of Willis of Texas
• Hub Intl Acquires Canada’s Gibson Insurance
• Corporate Insurance Merges with IMA Financial
• Aon Completes National Flood Svcs. Acquisition
• MarshBerry Acquires Gill & Roeser
• Greater Texas Insurance Merges with BKCW
• USI Acquires BHB Insurance Services in N.J.
• Cross Buys Maine’s Merchant, Needham & Assoc.
• EPIC Buys Jenkins Insurance Services in Calif.
• Markel Ventures Buys Ga. Auto Transport Equipment Firm
• N.M.’s Millennium Merges with Leavitt Group
• A. J. Gallagher Acquires Insurance Point

AUGUST

• Broker-Dealer Buys Alabama Wholesale Broker
• AssuredPartners Buys The Wright Group in Colo.
• Hub Int’l Acquires Fla.’s Ballard Insurance
• Hilb Group Acquires Martin Agency of Ken., Fla.
• Confie Seguros Buys N.Y., Texas, S.C. Agencies
• Norman-Spencer, N.J.’s Northern Star Merge
• Aon Acquires Peru-Based Agency
• Integro Entertainment Unit Buys London’s Stonehouse Conseillers
• A.J. Gallagher Buys Mo. Travel Ins. Agency
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires Minvielle & Chastanet
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires Cowles & Connell in N.Y.
• USI to Acquire 7 Willis U.S. Retail Brokerages
• NFP Acquires 2 Agencies in New England
• A.P. Michaud Buys Greenwood Agency in Mass.
• Integrated Employee Benefits One Risk Merge

SEPTEMBER

• A.J. Gallagher Buys Dezelan Insurance Agency
• Kaufman Financial Buys Marine Broker Oval Int’l
• Hub Int’l Acquires Canadian Commercial Book
• Anchor to Buy Southeast Surplus Underwriters
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires Everett James in Conn.
• Ion Insurance Buys Drescher Agency in Conn.
• R&R Insurance Services, Snyder Agency Merge
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires Hagedorn & Co. in N.Y.
• Insure.net Acquires Stark Agency in Conn.
• AssuredPartners Buys Md.’s Crawford Advisors
• Ames & Gough Acquires Bixby Insurance in R.I.
• Insurica Acquires Okla.’s James, Calif.’s Alliance

OCTOBER

• Risk Strategies, DeWitt Stern Merge
• NSM Buys Specialty Aviation Underwriters
• Lockton Buy’s Scotland’s Griffiths & Armour
• JLT to Acquire Part of Alliant’s Energy Business
• AmTrust Buys Fla. Blue Cross’ Work Comp Unit
• Hub Int’l Acquires FieldEddy in Mass.
• Risk Strategies Buys Crow Friedman in Tenn.
• Confie Seguros Buys AA Insurance, Parietti & McGuire in N.Y.
• Confie Seguros Buys North Texas Auto Agency
• First Commonwealth Buys Thompson/McLay
• White Mountains Buys Stake in Tranzact
• A. J. Gallagher Buys Illinois’ Bennett & Shade
• USI Insurance Acquires Wallace/Scott in Alaska
• Lawley Acquires S. Turtletaub & Sons in N.J.
• Willis, Miller Talk Merger of Wholesale Brands
• Heffernan Buys Pilot Employee Benefits in N.Y.
• Risk Strategies Buys Benefit Development Group
• Horton Group Buys BF&S Insurance in Ill., Mich.
• Fla.’s AssuredPartners Ala.’s Turner & Hamrick
• Assurant to Buy French Broker CWI
• Hub Int’l to Acquire Chicago’s Laurus Strategies

NOVEMBER

• Starkweather & Shepley Buys R.I.’s Universal
• USI Completes Willis Retail Brokerage Mergers
• Hilb Group Buys N.C.’s Lake Norman Benefits
• RT Specialty Acquires Tennessee Underwriters
• Confie Seguros Acquires N.Y., Calif. Brokers
• EPIC Acquires Rusconi and Team
• AssuredPartners Buys Premiere Coastal in S.C.
• A.J. Gallagher Buys Discovery Benefit Solutions
• Marsh & McLennan Acquires Nuwest in Calif.
• CBIZ Acquires Weekes & Callaway in Florida
• Hub Int’l Acquires Fotek Agency in New Jersey
• A.J. Gallagher Buys SGB-NIA Brokers in Calif.
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires Illinois’ The Forker Co.
• Pa.’s C&R Insurance Announces 2 Acquisitions
• Texas Agent Group Buys LevelFirst, Forms MGA
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires The Titan Group in Va.
• FBinsure Acquires Gramlich Agency in Mass.
• A.J. Gallagher Acquires Iowa’s Miller-Harrison
• North Risk Partners, Thune Insurance Merge
• Aquiline Capital Buys Stake in Beach & Assoc.
• EPIC Acquires Atlanta Brokerage Greyling

DECEMBER

• Schinnerer to Acquire SeaFire Insurance in Kan.
• Regions Insurance Buys Fla’.s Teaberry Business
• USI Acquires Holmes Murphy in Missouri
• Hub Int’l Acquires Canada-Based MGA Partners
• S&S Ins. Solutions Acquires Imperial Insurance
• Regions Insurance Buying A.I. Insurance
• Risk Solution in Hawaii Joins Woodruff-Sawyer
• Integro Buys Canada’s Finning Insurance Svcs.
• Willis Completes IFG Ireland Acquisition
• AssuredPartners Acquires First Palmetto in S.C.
• Alliant Insurance Buys The Camps Group in N.Y.
• NFP Acquires Foran Insurance in Mass.
• A.J. Gallagher Buys N.J.’s O’Gorman & Young
• USI Buys Askin, Weber & Reed’s Program Bus.
• Meeker Sharkey, James F. Hurley Merge
• Integro Acquires UK’s Howard Global Insurance
• A.J. Gallagher Buys Independent Benefit Svcs.
• Integro Acquires Ventura Insurance in N.Y.
• A.J. Gallagher Buys Affinity Marketing Group
• Donald Gaddis Acquires Chicago’ Kelly and Elliot
• AssuredPartners Buys Sheehan Insurance in Va.
• Hub Int’l Acquires Iowa-Based Ruhl & Ruhl
• Brown & Brown Buys Global Benefit Strategies