Wholesale insurance brokerages continue to make acquisitions in2011, with Ryan Specialty Group announcing two earlier this monthand AmWINS announcing three.

Chicago-based Ryan Specialty Group, a wholesale brokerageholding company, said it acquired Concord Specialty Risk Inc. Inaddition, Ryan's subsidiary, R-T Specialty LLC, will acquireAmerican E&S Insurance Brokers from Wells Fargo InsuranceServices.

Charlotte, N.C.-based AmWINS Group Inc. said it bought AmericanSouthwest Insurance Managers Inc. (ASIM), Excel General Agency Inc.and Oakwood Software Insurance Solutions, LLC.

THE RYAN SPECIALTY DEALS

Established in 1980, American E&S Insurance (AES) is thewholesale insurance business subsidiary of Wells Fargo Insurance, asubsidiary of the San Francisco-based bank Wells Fargo & Co.The firm is a full-service wholesaler offering extensive marketaccess and in-house binding authorities. Focused on professionalspecialty products for the excess and surplus market, AES providesa link between independent insurance providers and specialtyunderwriters.

As part of the deal, R-T will acquire all of the operatingassets and related liabilities of AES and eight office locations:San Francisco; Fresno, Calif.; Irvine, Calif.; New York; Denver;Atlanta; Nashville; Seattle.

In a statement, Neal Aton, president and chief executive officerof Wells Fargo Insurance, said the deal would allow his firm tofocus on its retail core operations and niche businesses, includingWells Fargo Special Risks.

With the acquisition of New York-based Concord Specialty Risk,Ryan Specialty said it has acquired a managing general underwriterand consulting firm.

The firm, headed by CEO David S. De Berry and President KennethW. De Berry, brings more than two decades of experience inunderwriting transactional risk insurance. The firm providessolutions for equity funds, investment funds, tax directors,corporate growth managers, auditors, lawyers, investment bankers,and insurance brokers and wholesalers.

Patrick G. Ryan, RSG chairman and CEO, formerly chief executiveof insurance broker Aon, said the AES acquisition was a strategicmove that increases the breadth and scope of its specialtywholesale operation. The Concord Specialty transaction will helpclients and trading partners, he said.

THE AMWINS DEALS

Founded in 1990 by Jim S. Whited and Debra A. Williams,Richardson, Texas-based ASIM is a major independent managinggeneral agent for nonstandard automobile insurance in Texas.Through Statewide Claims Service, ASIM's in-house claims andappraisals division, ASIM serves as an independent third-partyclaims administrator.

Excel General Agency is also a nonstandard automobile MGAservicing independent agents of Texas.

Plano, Texas-based Oakwood is a technology company that providesa complete policy and claim administrations system to automobileinsurance companies, managing general agencies and largeindependent agents.

With the acquisition of Oakwood and its OSIS system, AmWINS saidit has acquired a leading-edge technology platform for theautomobile insurance sector.