CORE INSURANCE
NFP | October 19, 2022
NFP, a leading property and casualty broker, benefits consultant, wealth manager, and retirement plan advisor, today announced it has acquired Mason James Insurance Services Limited (doing business as Bentley Insurance Services), one of the largest brokers in Staffordshire. Bentley has provided complex commercial and personal insurance solutions since 1922. Mike Rostron, managing director at Bentley, will join NFP's commercial insurance leadership team in the UK and continue to drive company growth across Staffordshire and beyond.
"Bentley Insurance Services has a longstanding presence in Staffordshire, a great reputation, strong leadership and well-earned trust in the region, making them a perfect partner for NFP, We are proud to welcome Bentley, a broker that embodies our ethos, to our growing global group."
- John Paul Allcock, UK and Ireland managing director at NFP
This acquisition aligns with NFP's growth strategy and brings another respected, service-orientated broker to NFP's UK operations. With this deal, NFP grows its roster of exceptionally skilled brokers, furthering its commitment to bringing bespoke risk management solutions to more businesses and individuals across the UK.
The last two years have been particularly challenging for organisations and consumers alike, and their insurance needs have evolved, This partnership allows us to offer services to businesses in the Midlands that more effectively meet the challenges our clients face today, said Allcock.
Bentley will maintain its local office presence in Staffordshire, and all existing Bentley customers will continue to be advised and managed by their current broker in the same way they always have. Through NFP, clients will also have full access to enhanced products and a broader range of solutions designed for their specific needs.
We're excited to join the NFP family and collaborate with colleagues that share our commitment to providing client-centric solutions and maintaining a people-first work culture, This incredible opportunity also allows us to offer our clients access to NFP's broad network of integrated insurance, benefits, wealth management and retirement solutions, said Rostron.
About NFP
NFP is a leading property and casualty broker, benefits consultant, wealth manager, and retirement plan advisor that provides solutions enabling client success through the expertise of over 7,000 global employees, investments in innovative technologies, and enduring relationships with highly rated insurers, vendors and financial institutions. NFP is the 9th best place to work for large employers in insurance, 7th largest privately-owned broker, 5th largest benefits broker by global revenue and 13th largest broker of US business (all rankings according to Business Insurance).
About Bentley Insurance Services
Bentley Insurance Services is one of the largest independent insurance intermediaries in Staffordshire and has been dealing with personal and commercial insurances since 1922.
We specialise in providing bespoke insurance solutions for private cars (including high performance and high value vehicles), household insurance, commercial insurance, industrial insurance, self-employed tradespeople and liability.
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CORE INSURANCE
Combined Insurance | November 21, 2022
Combined Insurance Company of America, a Chubb company and a leading North American provider of supplemental insurance sold to employees at the worksite and directly to individuals, announced today that it has opened a new regional office in Columbia, South Carolina.
"While the trend in many industries is to move away from in-person work, Combined believes it's important to offer our team members choice, flexibility, and a collaborative environment, Columbia is a wonderful place to do business. It offers a labor market talent-rich in insurance industry expertise, and the Southeast is a prime region for voluntary business sales growth."
-Rich Williams, President of Combined Insurance
Open, Flexible Space
Combined's new regional office is located in 13,000 square feet on the 23rd floor of the Capitol Center, South Carolina's tallest building and more commonly called the Truist Building. The open floor plan provides an outstanding setting in which to host broker and customer meetings.
Nearly 30 team members in the Columbia area, who previously worked remotely, will call the office home, including a cross-departmental mix of executives, sales and field support leadership, as well as members of the claims, compensation, finance, legal, licensing, marketing and operations teams. The office also provides additional space to accommodate additional staff as needed in the future.
We have created a space where our teammates – not only from the Midlands but across the national Combined footprint – can gather to collaborate and work on behalf of our customers and policyholders, The area's abundant talent across job roles and the benefits industry makes it the perfect place for Combined to grow,said Eileen Castolene, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Combined.
Voluntary Benefits Sector
Combined offers life, accident, cancer, critical illness and disability insurance, as well as hospital indemnity protection. These products, when offered through the worksite, allow employers to offer employees additional financial peace of mind during these times of rising healthcare costs and economic turbulence.
In today's tight labor market, a competitive benefits package can assist employers in recruiting and retaining talent. In fact, more than three-quarters of employees say voluntary benefits positively affect their decision to work for, or stay with, an employer (Corestream, 2021).
Centennial Year
Today's announcement comes at an important time for Combined, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary in business. The company was founded Nov. 13, 1922 in Chicago.
As we mark our 100th birthday this week, and celebrate our distinctive history, we're proud to start our second century by expanding our office footprint and investing in Columbia, This new office enhances our ability to provide insurance solutions of value and help individuals and families in times of need,Williams said.
About Combined Insurance
Combined Insurance Company of America is a Chubb company and a leading provider of supplemental accident, health, disability, and life insurance products in the U.S.* and Canada. Headquartered in Chicago with a tradition of 100 years of success, we are committed to making the world of supplemental insurance easy to understand. The company has an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau and an A + (Superior) financial strength rating by A.M. Best. We are ranked by VIQTORY as the number one Military Friendly® Employer in 2022 (over $1 billion revenue category), marking Combined's eleventh consecutive year on the Top 10 list.
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AMERICAN EQUITY | November 09, 2022
American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (American Equity) (NYSE: AEL), a leading issuer of fixed index annuities (FIAs), announced that it is entering into a long-term partnership with 26North Partners LP (26North), a multi-asset platform founded and led by Josh Harris, in which American Equity has made a strategic investment. Anant Bhalla, Chief Executive Officer and President of American Equity, will join the Board of Directors of 26North.
A Bermuda-based reinsurer, AeBe ISA Ltd., which is affiliated with 26North, has reinsured approximately $4.3 billion of GAAP reserves of American Equity fixed indexed annuity policies from 2008 and 2010. American Equity estimates that this will generate an initial capital release in excess of $250 million and generate a positive ceding commission, thereby growing AEL’s revenue-generating reinsured liabilities.
“This partnership with 26North is a further step in our AEL 2.0 strategy to deliver significant value to all shareholders. The strategy is aligned with policyholders through our unique go-to-market and investment management approaches and capital-light structure. We continue to refine a capital-efficient business model to deliver superior, sustained returns for our shareholders and further strengthen our robust balance sheet. This deal will enable greater capital flexibility for AEL as we benefit from 26North’s investment expertise to deliver on attractive opportunities across private asset classes. We are proud to add 26North to our outstanding investment partner ecosystem and further advance our transformation into a hybrid, diversified financial services firm.”
-Anant Bhalla, Chief Executive Officer and President of American Equity
Mr. Bhalla continued, Our agreement with 26North complements the strategic partnerships we have struck to support our unique investment management strategy, with each transaction providing access to a specific asset sector. Partnering with world-class investment firms – Adams Street, Monroe Capital, Pretium and now 26North – allows all AEL shareholders to participate in asset management economics, which is fundamental to our AEL 2.0 strategy.
ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY
At American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, we think of ourselves as The Financial Dignity CompanyTM that offers solutions designed to create financial dignity in retirement. Our policyholders work with independent agents, banks and broker-dealers, through our wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, to choose one of our leading annuity products best suited for their personal needs. To deliver on our promises to policyholders, American Equity has reframed its investment focus, building a stronger emphasis on insurance liability driven asset allocation as well as the origination and management of private assets. Our company is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa with satellite offices slated to open in 2022 in Charlotte, NC and New York, NY.
ABOUT 26NORTH
26North Partners LP is an integrated, multi-asset class investment platform, founded and led by Josh Harris. 26North provides investment advice and opportunities to its clients related to a variety of investment strategies, including, but not limited to, private equity, credit, and insurance and reinsurance solutions. Josh Harris and the 26North team bring decades of experience managing third-party capital to help clients achieve their financial goals while leaving a lasting impact on the communities they serve. 26North has more than $9.5 billion in assets under management.
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