Retail Agents Left Wondering About Austin Surplus Lines

Austin Surplus Lines, a managing general agency with offices in the Austin, Dallas and Houston areas, apparently has ceased conducting some or all of its contracted business, to the surprise of at least some of its appointed agents.

An independent retail insurance agent who contacted Insurance Journal about the status of policies placed through Austin Surplus Lines said she was surprised to hear from another MGA that the new brokerage would be taking over some of the agent’s business previously contracted through Austin Surplus.

The retail agent, who asked not to be identified, said she has tried unsuccessfully to contact Austin Surplus Lines.

When contacted by Insurance Journal via telephone, ASL President Ken Horn refused to comment on the situation. An e-mail to Horn was not answered.

Other sources, who also prefer to remain unnamed, said carriers represented by Austin Surplus have acted to move their accounts to other MGAs. A number of managing general agents throughout Texas will be taking over the accounts, sources say.

One of those MGAs is Bill Brecht, of Grapevine-based Brecht & Associates. Brecht said he has been contracted by North Carolina-based Atlantic Casualty Insurance Company to take over servicing of in-force policies and renewals previously assigned to Austin Surplus Lines. He said he also is negotiating a contract to take over the Austin Surplus run off business of an additional carrier.

Bill Reynolds, president of Atlantic Casualty, confirmed the business was being transferred to Brecht & Associates but declined to say why.

Brecht said he has added staff – two former employees of Austin Surplus Lines – to help handle the new business. Jody Moraski was an underwriter for Austin Surplus for four-plus years, Brecht said. Julian Quiroga, formerly a field representative for Austin Surplus Lines, is now marketing coordinator for Brecht & Associates, operating out of San Antonio.

Topics Agencies Excess Surplus Insurance Wholesale