Business Moves

Lawson-Hawks Acquires Healthcare Property/Casualty Group

Lawson-Hawks Insurance Associates Inc., a regional independent insurance broker based in Mountain View, Calif., has acquired the El Dorado Hills, Calif.-based Healthcare Property/Casualty Group operation of USI Holdings Corp. The Healthcare Property/ Casualty Group specializes in risk management solutions for hospitals, healthcare facilities and physicians in the West.

ACUITY Writing in Arizona

ACUITY, a property/casualty insurer based in Sheboygan, Wis., will begin writing business in Arizona beginning in mid-2006. The addition is part of the company’s overall expansion plans. The company currently operates in 14 Midwestern states.

Arrowhead Wholesale Focused on P/C

San Diego-based Arrowhead General Insurance Agency Inc. has established a new operation, Arrowhead Wholesale Insurance Services Inc. A key element of the new venture is the addition of Magellan Insurance Services Inc. The new company will focus on wholesale opportunities in the property and casualty marketplace with contacts to aggregate retail producers.

George Rothert and Petersen Rothert Change Name

Santa Rosa, Calif.-based George Rothert Insurance Services and Seattle-based Petersen Rothert Insurance Services are now operating under the new name Pacific Coast E&S Insurance Services, based in Sherwood, Ore.

There has been no change in ownership or management of the wholesale E&S broker. Instead, the new name presents a single identity to retail insurance producers in Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada, according to George Rothert.

Pacific Coast E&S Insurance Services is an independent broker, operating strictly as a wholesaler.

ISU International Adds Member

Stratton Insurance Services Inc. of Pendleton, Ore., is the newest member to join ISU International’s national network of agencies. The ISU Group operates a national network of locally owned offices. Each member enjoys the resources of a national brokerage firm while maintaining its independent ownership, according to the company.

Esurance Donates $25,000 to Charities

Esurance, a direct-to-consumer auto insurance company, has donated approximately $25,000 through its charitable matching program in 2005. In 2005, the company also gave associates time off to volunteer for disaster relief efforts and sponsored several non-profit organizations. Esurance offered associates time off for relief work. Esurance’s Dallas associates organized a food drive and plan to volunteer at a local food bank. Associates in the Tampa and Sacramento, Calif., offices also pitched in for Katrina relief efforts. Esurance is a subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd. and provides personal auto insurance.

Nationwide Could Expand in West

Nationwide Insurance sees California and the West as new frontier in which to grow its property and casualty business, according to the San Francisco Business Times. The Columbus, Ohio, insurer will be entering 12 new states in 2006, Doug Robinette, Nationwide’s president, told the paper.

Nationwide’s business has predominantly been east of the Mississippi River. A drive West will put the company closer to its major competitors, such as AllState Insurance Co., which has agents in every state except Massachusetts, the paper said.

In California, the market share of homeowner’s policies for a Nationwide affiliate was one-fifth of 1 percent in 2004, the paper reported.

To expand West, Nationwide will need to expand its base of agents. The company’s efforts have been helped by its 1998 acquisition of Des Moines, Iowa-based Allied Insurance, the paper reported. Allied does business in 31 states. Using those support operations, Nationwide can quickly set up its agents in retail spots without opening back offices in the new western regions.

Horace Mann Lowers Educators’ Rates

Horace Mann Educators Corp. has lowered its auto insurance rates in Idaho an average of 5.4 percent as of Jan. 1, 2006. The rate reductions apply to customers and prospects who are members of the education community, the company said.

“The facts prove that teachers are a better insurance risk with fewer claims, so we are passing the savings along by reducing their rates,” said Doug Reynolds, executive vice president, property and casualty. “We’ve also increased our auto discount for customers who have other lines of business with us, such as life or homeowner insurance or an annuity.” For more information, visit www.horacemann. com.

Correction

In “Issues in Current Return Premium Accounting, the author’s e-mail address was incorrect. The correct e-mail address for Chris Marinescu is chrism@paulmarsoftware.com. Insurance Journal regrets the error.

Topics California