Insurance Acquisitions in Maryland

Ambac Financial Group has completed its acquisition of ArmadaCare, a supplemental health insurance program manager, from SiriusPoint Ltd. ArmadaCare will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Ambac with its existing leadership team retained, bolstering Ambac’s accident and health capabilities and distribution footprint.

Marketplace 4 Insurance (M4I), a Southeast-based insurance brokerage platform, acquired Reilly Insurance Agency, a Maryland-based independent insurance agency, expanding M4I’s footprint into the Mid‑Atlantic. Concurrently, Navigant Capital Partners made a growth investment in M4I to support its aggressive M&A strategy and further platform expansion; financial terms were not disclosed.

ALKEME, a Top 35 insurance brokerage headquartered in Ladera Ranch, California, has acquired Becker Benefit Group, a Maryland-based employee benefits agency. The deal is ALKEME's first acquisition in Maryland and expands its benefits practice and East Coast footprint.

Relation Insurance Services (backed by Aquiline Capital Partners) acquired the assets of York Insurance Services, Inc., effective May 31, 2024; terms were not disclosed. York, an insurance agency based in Forest Hill, Maryland, will remain managed by owner Walter "Butch" Tilley as part of the Relation family, extending Relation's geographic footprint and carrier access.

Relation Insurance Services acquired the assets of The Haney Company, Inc., a Silver Spring, Maryland-based insurance agency, effective May 1, 2024; terms were not disclosed. The Haney founders will continue to run the office as part of Relation’s national brokerage platform as Relation expands its offerings for associations, non-profits, and employee benefits clients.

RCM&D, a founding partner of Unison Risk Advisors, has acquired Consolidated Insurance + Risk Management, a Baltimore-area insurance brokerage founded in 1938. The deal closed October 13, 2023 and brings roughly 55 employees into RCM&D as the firm expands its presence and service capabilities in the Baltimore and Mid-Atlantic region.

World Insurance Associates LLC (WIA), a Top 100 insurance brokerage, acquired Allied Partners Insurance, Inc. of Gaithersburg, Maryland on February 1, 2022. Terms were not disclosed; the deal expands World’s presence in the Washington, D.C. / Maryland market and brings Allied Partners’ personal and commercial insurance capabilities into World’s national platform.

Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA), a subsidiary of Marsh, has acquired Hunt Valley, Maryland-based HMS Insurance Associates, Inc.; terms were not disclosed. Founded in 1943, HMS — with more than 120 employees — provides property/casualty, surety, group captive and employee benefits services and will continue operating from its Hunt Valley office as part of MMA.

The Hilb Group, a Richmond, Virginia-based insurance brokerage and portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, acquired Towson, Maryland-based Vinton Insurance Services effective November 1, 2022. Vinton will join Hunt Valley-based PSA Insurance & Financial Services (a Hilb Group agency) as part of Hilb Group’s strategy to expand its Mid-Atlantic employee benefits capabilities and client base.

Risk Strategies, a national specialty insurance brokerage, has acquired Bonds, Inc., a Hunt Valley, Maryland–based surety bond specialist focused on the construction industry. The acquisition (terms not disclosed) strengthens Risk Strategies' surety practice and gives Bonds, Inc. access to Risk Strategies' broader insurance products and national/international footprint.

Relation Insurance Services, a PE-backed national insurance brokerage, acquired the assets of Maryland-based Insurance, Inc., a personal, commercial and employee-benefits insurance agency headquartered in Owings, Maryland. The deal terms were not disclosed; Insurance, Inc. principals Amir Krell and Tracy Sutton will continue to lead the business under Relation.

Hub International Limited acquired the assets of Sandy Spring Insurance Corporation, a subsidiary of Sandy Spring Bank, in a transaction announced June 2, 2022; terms were not disclosed. The Annapolis-based team will join Hub Mid-Atlantic as Hub expands its commercial and personal insurance capabilities in the region.

Hub International Limited acquired the assets of Marketing Management Associates, Inc., a full-service commercial and personal insurance agency based in Landover, Maryland. The Marketing Management Associates team will join Hub Mid-Atlantic to strengthen Hub’s commercial and personal insurance capabilities in the region; terms were not disclosed.

Integrity Marketing Group acquired Global Premier Benefits, an independent marketing organization (IMO) headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland. The deal gives Global Premier Benefits access to Integrity’s technology, CRM and shared services to accelerate scale and expand agent resources; financial terms were not disclosed.

AssuredPartners, Inc. has acquired Employee One Benefit Solutions, LLC (EONE) of Baltimore, Maryland, marking the firm’s 27th acquisition in 2021. The 54-person EONE team will remain led by Brenndan Mohler and Todd Sullivan and brings more than $25 million in combined annualized revenues to strengthen AssuredPartners’ employee benefits capabilities and regional presence.

BRP Group, Inc., through its indirect subsidiary Armfield, Harrison & Thomas, LLC (AHT), has acquired substantially all of the assets of EBSME, LLC, an ancillary benefits-focused insurance agency based in Mount Airy, Maryland. EBSME generates approximately $1.2 million in annual revenue and will integrate into AHT/BRP Group to strengthen the firm's employee benefits and ancillary benefits capabilities.

Amwins Group, Inc. has acquired CBIZ M.T. Donahoe & Associates, LLC ("MTDA"), a Maryland-based general agent specializing in employee and individual benefits. MTDA will join Amwins' Group Benefits division (Amwins Connect), with MTDA president Michael Donahoe Jr. joining the Amwins Connect leadership team; terms were not disclosed. The deal strengthens Amwins' Mid-Atlantic presence and provides increased access to carriers and brokers across the region.

Relation Insurance Services, Inc. acquired the assets of Adams Insurance Agency, Inc., a Frederick, Maryland-based commercial and personal lines insurance agency. The agency will join Relation's Main Street/small commercial division, Relation Select; Adams' leadership team will remain in place and Relation — a PE-backed national brokerage — will support growth and market expansion into Maryland.

The Hilb Group, LLC (THG) acquired Maryland-based Parallel Risk Advisors, LLC effective January 1, 2021. The small commercial lines P&C consulting firm — whose principals Debbie Dorsch, Jessica Gray and Eileen Hartzell joined THG — will operate as part of THG’s Mid-Atlantic region to expand risk-management capabilities for commercial real estate clients.

Ensurise LLC announced it has merged with the property & casualty brokerage operations of American Heritage Insurance Agency, Inc., effective October 1, 2020. The deal brings American Heritage’s Eldersburg-based team into Ensurise’s Mid-Atlantic agency platform as part of Ensurise’s agency perpetuation and growth plan; American Heritage will continue to operate from its Eldersburg, Maryland location.

The Hilb Group, LLC (THG) acquired Annapolis-based Insurance Solutions (ISI), a full-service employee benefits agency, in a transaction effective October 1, 2020. ISI's leadership team and associates will join THG’s Mid-Atlantic operations and continue to operate from their existing Annapolis location as part of THG’s expanding employee benefits platform; THG is a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group.

Hub International Limited acquired the assets of Bernstein Insurance, LLC, a small Odenton, Maryland-based insurance agency. The principal owner, Jennifer Bernstein, and her son Michael will join Hub Mid-Atlantic as part of the transaction; terms were not disclosed.

MetLife, Inc. agreed to acquire Versant Health, the owner of Davis Vision and Superior Vision, from an investor group led by Centerbridge Partners (including FFL Partners) for approximately $1.675 billion in cash. The deal—expected to close in Q4 2020 subject to regulatory approvals—gives MetLife access to Versant Health's ~35 million members and strengthens MetLife's position in U.S. group benefits and managed vision care.

Hub International Limited acquired the insurance brokerage assets of Charles R. (Rhett) Butler, an independent broker based in Rockville, Maryland. The transaction strengthens Hub's personal and commercial insurance offerings and expands its local presence; financial terms were not disclosed.

Hub International Limited acquired the insurance brokerage assets of Rockville Insurance Agency, Inc. (Gaithersburg, MD) and independent agent Jeffrey Preston Zepp (Ellicott City, MD). Terms were not disclosed; the principals and their employees will join Hub Mid-Atlantic as part of Hub’s effort to expand and strengthen its personal and commercial insurance offerings in Maryland.

Alera Group has acquired FNL Insurance Group, a Timonium, Maryland-based employee benefits and health care insurance firm. FNL will join Alera through Silberstein Insurance Group (an Alera company) and continue serving its small- and mid-sized employer clients in the Baltimore and mid‑Atlantic region; terms were not disclosed.

Harbour Benefit Holdings, Inc. acquired Benefits Administration, LLC (formerly Benefits Administration Corporation, Inc.), a Baltimore-based third-party administrator specializing in health, welfare and retirement services for union trust organizations. The deal expands Harbour's national footprint and client base, adding BAC to its family of companies alongside Zenith American Solutions, Pacific Federal and Innovative Software Solutions; financial terms were not disclosed.

AssuredPartners, Inc. has acquired Early, Cassidy & Schilling, LLC (EC&S), an insurance agency based in Rockville, Maryland. The 32-person agency, founded in 1927 and generating approximately $10 million in annualized revenue, will join AssuredPartners to strengthen its Maryland operations.

Alera Group acquired Georgetown Insurance Service, Inc., a Silver Spring, Maryland-based property & casualty and employee benefits agency, effective March 1, 2020. Georgetown Insurance will continue serving its clients and join Alera’s national network to expand Alera’s P&C presence in the greater Washington, D.C. area; terms were not disclosed.

NI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: NODK) completed the acquisition of Westminster American Insurance Company from private shareholders for $40 million, closing on January 1, 2020. The deal expands NI Holdings' geographic footprint and adds commercial multi-peril underwriting capacity; Westminster is headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland and will continue to be managed by President John Scott, Jr., who received a $5.0 million retention bonus payable over five years.

The Hilb Group, LLC (THG) acquired Maryland-based Martens Johnson Insurance Agency, Inc., effective January 1, 2020. Martens Johnson — a full-service insurance agency focused on commercial transportation in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. metro areas — will continue operating from its current office under Agency Leader Bryan Johnson as part of THG's transportation practice expansion.

Pittsburgh-based First National Insurance Agency (FNIA) has acquired Baltimore-based independent broker Coffey & Company, Inc. The deal gives FNIA a significant presence in the Baltimore market and provides Coffey & Company shareholders and founder Wayne Coffey an ownership continuity outcome.

Hub International Limited acquired The Insurance Exchange, Inc., a Rockville, Maryland-based independent insurance agency. Terms were not disclosed; Joseph Brown, President and CEO of The Insurance Exchange, will join Hub Mid-Atlantic as the agency is integrated to expand Hub's footprint and retirement/benefits capabilities in the Mid-Atlantic.

Alera Group (through Alera Group Agency, LLC) purchased substantially all assets of The Avon-Dixon Agency, LLC from Shore Bancshares, Inc., with Shore Bancshares receiving approximately $25.2 million in cash. The deal, completed Jan. 3, 2019, will integrate Avon-Dixon into Alera's national network while preserving local client service.

AssuredPartners, Inc. has acquired the employee benefits business of Bluepoint Financial, LLC (formerly Schaefer Financial Group) based in Bethesda, Maryland. The Bluepoint team, led by Marc Schaefer and Brian Hutt, will remain in place as AssuredPartners expands its employee benefits presence in the Washington, D.C. area.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG) acquired Construction Risk Solutions, LLC, a Hunt Valley, Maryland-based retail insurance broker specializing in property/casualty, risk management and surety services for the construction industry. Terms were not disclosed; John Wagner and his associates will continue to operate from their current location under Gallagher's Northeast retail property/casualty leadership, strengthening Gallagher's construction industry capabilities in the region.

Sandy Spring Insurance Corporation, a subsidiary of Sandy Spring Bancorp, has acquired The Advantage Group, Inc., an independent insurance agency based in Westminster, Maryland. The Advantage Group will continue operating under its current name (with eventual rebranding to Sandy Spring Insurance), and the acquisition expands Sandy Spring's capabilities—particularly contractor insurance expertise—and its geographic reach into Western Maryland.

The Hilb Group, LLC (THG) acquired The Pennoyer Group, Inc. from its shareholders, effective January 31, 2013. Pennoyer, an insurance agency based in Crofton, Maryland (with an office in Bel Air), provides personal and commercial insurance and a specialty real estate agent professional liability program; THG said the deal furthers its strategy of acquiring mid-market agencies on the East Coast.