AON
Buying Benfield Group. Regulatory approvals pending.
>> Agrees to sell AIS Management Group to Mercury
Insurance Group, an auto insurer based in Los Angeles. >>
Aon Ltd. appoints Pauline Colvin to newly created post of chief
risk officer. >> Aon Ltd. redomiciles its protected cell
company, White Rock Insurance (Europe) from Gibraltar to Malta.
Low taxes and comprehensive network of double taxation treaties
cited. White Rock Insurance (Gibraltar) is not relocating.
>> Aon Jauch & Heubener, based in Hamburg, promotes
Sven Erichsen to newly created position of chief broking
officer.
www.aon.com
APEX GLOBAL
Opens aviation insurance office in Charleston, S.C.,
with Paul Gingrich as v.p. to lead the new office.
www.agpins.com
APPALACHIAN UNDERWRITERS
Establishes commercial brokerage division and a new
office in Sarasota, Fla., which will be headed by Mark Arnold,
most recently of Swett & Crawford. >> Also purchases
the business insurance center assets of NFIB, primarily workers
comp policies, from MSC Insurance Agency of Tennessee.
www.appund.com
ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER
Acquires 40% equity in Specialized Broking Associates,
a retail p-c brokerage specializing in energy, construction and
mining industries and in the corporate sector. Headquartered in
Perth, Western Australia, the brokerage will continue in
current location under the SBA Gallagher moniker. >> Buys
Fuller & O’Brien, a retail p-c, workers comp, surety
bonding and risk management brokerage in Albany. Staff
continues in current location under direction of
Gallagher’s Northeastern Region retail p-c brokerage
division. >> Also purchases Roberts & Roberts
Insurance Service, a retail broker for commercial p-c in
transportation, construction and manufacturing, located in
Greensboro, N.C.
www.ajg.com
BEECHER CARLSON
Opens office in Dallas with Steve Levene as managing
director.
www.beechercarlson.com
BENFIELD
Shareholders approve acquisition of Benfield by Aon.
Deal awaits regulatory approvals.
www.benfieldgroup.com
BOLLINGER
Acquires MPPI Insurance Services of Hazlet, N.J. and
New York City.
www.bollingerinsurance.com
BROOKE INSURANCE
Parent Brooke Corp. files for Chapter 11. The
bankruptcy filing’s effect on a prospective buyout of the
franchise by two Kansas businessmen is unknown as of press
time. The proposed deal encompasses Brooke Insurance’s
operations in Phillipsburg and Overland Park, Kan., and the
nationwide network of Brooke agents.
www.brookeagent.com
BROWN & BROWN
Buys Al Phillips Insurance Agency of Nashville, a
general p-c retail agency. Phillips and his staff join Brown
& Brown’s existing Nashville office. >> Also
buys Health Insurance Exchange, an employee benefits
specialist, based in Seattle.
www.bbinsurance.com
COLEMONT INSURANCE BROKERS
Names Sean Burke senior v.p. and financial services
broker. He moves from AmWINS and will work out of
Colemont’s San Francisco office.
new.colemont.com/us
CRUMP GROUP
Crump Insurance Services now offers exclusive general
liability program for residential and commercial subcontractors
with premiums under $25,000 to provide coverage across a broad
range of classes in 11 states. The program is offered in
conjunction with IronBuilt, the specialty construction division
of Ironshore. No tract or multifamily limitations, punitive
damages exclusions, or—in most states—prior works
exclusion.
www.crumpins.com
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GRANT-HATCH
Merges with Seaman-Leavitt Insurance Agency, another
Leavitt Group affiliate, and will do business under the
Grant-Hatch & Associates name in Salt Lake City.
www.leavitt.com
HMS INSURANCE ASSOCIATES
Warfield-Dorsey Company merges with HMS. Both sets of
staff continue to work from their present locations.
www.hmsia.com
LOCKTON
Lockton International receives license for office in
Shanghai as a wholly owned foreign enterprise.
www.lockton.com
MARSH
Forms Marsh & McLennan Agency to serve the
insurance needs of small and emerging U.S. companies. The
agency is a subsidiary of Marsh USA and will begin operating in
the first quarter of 2009 in select U.S. cities. >> Marsh
opens binding authority division headed by Toby Pollard to
place consumer and small to medium-sized business in
Lloyd’s of London, the London Market and European
markets.
global.marsh.com
MCGRIFF, SEIBELS &
WILLIAMS
Alabama’s Samford University names new football
field house “Cooney Family Field House.” The new
structure was made possible by the lead gift from Gary Cooney,
the brokerage’s vice chairman, whose family has a long
history with Samford. The 39,000-square-foot building should
open in time for the 2009 season.
www.mcgriff.com
NATIONAL E&S INSURANCE
BROKERS
John McGovern joins as president and is based in New
Jersey. >> Paul Duggan joins as executive v.p. and is
based in the Michigan branch office.
www.nationaleands.com
TD INSURANCE
TD Banknorth Insurance Agency changes name to TD
Insurance except in New York, where state licensing
requirements mandate “TD Insurance Agency.” The
name change applies to Commerce Brokerage Insurance Services
also.
www.tdinsure.com
USI HOLDINGS
Hires Michael Dinkins as CFO, succeeding Edward Bowler
who had been serving as interim CFO and will return to duties
as senior v.p. of corporate development. Dinkins most recently
was CFO at HRH.
www.usi.biz
VENTURE PROGRAMS
Offers coastal property coverage under new CATalyst
Property Insurance facility. Provides access to all major
property writers, mono-line coverage for hard-to-place
exposures.
www.ventureprograms.com
WELLS FARGO
Robert Williams is new senior v.p. and regional claims
manager for western region based in San Francisco. >>
Wells Fargo acquires EMAR Group, a commercial insurance agency
in Livingston, N.J.
www.wellsfargo.com
WILLIS
Willis Re’s North America Actuarial Practice
leader, Alice Underwood, elected to board of Casualty Actuarial
Society for three-year term. >> Anne Finn appointed
executive director of Willis Management (Malta) Ltd. >>
Phillip Ellis heading newly created division focused on growing
enterprise risk management business for Willis’ Global
Retail and Specialty teams. He will remain at Willis Energy but
as non-executive chairman.
www.willis.com