People & Places

Markel names president of AUMA: Markel Corp. announced that AudreyHanken will serve as president of the AmericanUnderwriting Managers Agency and the Markel American business unit.Prior, Hanken worked for 17 years with Markel, most recentlyas product management director. She has 20 years of industryexperience.

New Day promotes SVP, AVP: New DayUnderwriting Mangers named John Heft senior vice president, director of real estatepractice. Heft will identify and develop new and existing retailbrokerage relationships, and provide insurance and optimal riskmanagement solutions to retail broker partners and their clients.Prior, Heft worked for 6 years with New Day. He has more than 20years of environmental underwriting experience. New Day also namedMaureen Efthyvoulou assistant vice president ofunderwriting support and compliance. Efthyvoulou will supervise compliance and claimsprocessing of the account management team. Prior, she worked as anaccount manager at New Day for 7 years. Efthyvoulou has more than30 years of industry experience.

Lockton hires SVP, VP: Locktonnamed Erick Silverstein senior vice president of the national casualtyinsurance practice. Silverstein will also lead the nationalaccounts team for the Southeast U.S. region, based out of Atlanta.In his new role, he will provide support and guidance to clients inthe Southeast and nationally while strengthening relationships withinsurance underwriters. Prior, Silverstein worked for 8 years ascasualty practice leader at BeecherCarlson. He has more than 25 years of P&Cexperience. Lockton's Chicago office also hired HeidiHepburn to be vice president and account executive. She willwork in the company's newly expanded trade credit and politicalrisk division, overseeing the production, placement and servicingof Lockton's trade credit and political risk business. Prior,Hepburn ran her own trade credit and political risk insurancebrokerage. She has nearly 30 years of industry experience.

Beecher Carlson promotes senior manager:BeecherCarlson named Sharon Brainard senior managing director. She will manageEast Coast operations for the national casualty brokerage practice.Prior, Brainard worked as a senior casualty team member atBeecher Carlson for 5 years. She has more than 18 yearsof industry experience.

Read on for Neace Lukens' Acquisition of Matrix Benefitsand Consulting and New Programs at Great American InsuranceGroup, QBE, Norman-Spencer, Zurich and Hagerty

Mergers & Acquisitions

Neace Lukens acquires Matrix Benefits andConsulting: Neace Lukens, an AssuredPartners company, bought Matrix Benefitsand Consulting Group out of Ft. Wayne, Ind. Neace Lukensacquired Matrix in an effort to expand the company's reach in NortheastIndiana. Matrix employees will now report to the Neace LukensIndianapolis office.

New Programs

Great American introduces abuse and molestationcoverage: Great American Insurance Group announced itsnew coverage option for abuse or molestation with expenses coveredoutside of limits. The Specialty Human Services Division will offercoverage to independent agents who market to social serviceorganizations. The coverage option pays specified claim and legaldefense costs outside policy limits and provides a broad definitionof abuse including any actual, threatened or alleged conductand error or omission in sexual and non-sexualsituations. For more information contact Jeffrey Cruey, CPCUdivisional senior vice president specialty human servicesdivision.

QBE offers small- and medium-sized businessEPLI: QBE introduced its employment practices liabilityinsurance for small- and medium-sized business. The enhanced EPLIofferings include access to online loss prevention services aswell as training and human resources tool centers—whereemployee handbooks, forms and policies can be customized. It alsoincludes an employment liability attorney toll-free help line.

Norman-Spencer launches First Marine: Norman-SpencerAgency announced First Marine, a new A+ rated, nationally admitted P&C coverage product.First Marine coverage options include: boat dealer inventory;docks, piers and wharves; marina owners legal liability (MOLL);protection and indemnity (P&I); owned watercraft; property,inland marine, crime, general liability, commercial auto; andumbrella. It also provides coverage enhancements including personaluse of boats in inventory by owners and officers, loaner boatcoverage, dock debris removal up to $250,000, replacement cost orACV options available for piers, wharves and docks, medicalpayments on P&I with no deductible, and crew coverage availableunder P&I.

Zurich and AGC-CA introduce member program: TheAssociated GeneralContractors of California (AGC-CA) and Zurich announcedtheir collaboration on a comprehensive insurance program for all AGC-CAmembers. Under the agreement, Zurich will provide AGC-CA memberswith insurance solutions for workers' compensation, generalliability, auto and property coverages, and comprehensive safetyand risk management services.

Hagerty opens to Canadian markets: Hagerty Canada, asubsidiary of Hagerty Insurance Agency, announced it is nowavailable to all Canadian brokers. This move is underwritten byAviva Canadaand allows Canadian brokers to sell Hagerty's coverage toowners of classic vehicles. Hagerty will offer its Agreed Valuecoverage to Canadian customers. Agreed Value includes no appraisalrequirements, flexible usage with no mileage restrictions,multi-car liability, claims-free discounts at renewal, and abilityfor clients to pick their own repair shop in the event of aclaim.