NU Online News Service, Oct. 3, 10:56 a.m. EST

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.—Two major global insurance brokers and an international insurer are using three different techniques to grow their businesses through relationships with smaller brokers and agencies.

The three firms sat down with National Underwriter yesterday as insurance brokers and other industry figures gather for the 98^th annual Insurance Leadership Forum of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers held here.

For Marsh, a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, an important part of the firm's growth strategy is Marsh & McLennan Agency, the middle-market brokerage subsidiary of Marsh.

David L. Eslick, chairman and chief executive officer of the subsidiary, says the firm continues to be on course for expansion into the middle-market business since it opened its doors in 2009.

He says since last year, the agency continues to expand and today boasts revenue north of $300 million.

MMA has accomplished its goal of establishing itself in the East and is now aiming at expansion west. That westward expansion was established with the acquisition of RJF Agencies in Minneapolis.

“We are where we want to be,” says Eslick of the firm's pace of acquisition, which now stands at 11 with the acquisition of Prescott Pailet Benefits of Dallas in July.

“This is a strategic build and we are building for Marsh in the U.S.,” Eslick says.

George A. “Shad” Steadman III, vice chairman of Roanoke, Va.-based Rutherfoord, a member of MMA, says the firm was not for sale when it was approached by Eslick.

However, the firm “took a leap of faith” on the entire concept Eslick presented. Today, he says, “we enjoy partnering with our new colleagues.”

Steadman says that while Rutherfoord still concentrates its efforts on organic growth, partnering with Marsh gives the firm tools to engage with a breath of expert brokers within the organization and access to capital they would not have had otherwise.

As one of MMA's platforms for expansion, Rutherfoord can pursue an acquisition strategy it would have had to walk away from in the past.

As far as independence, Eslick stressed that he wants the platforms within MMA, such as Rutherfoord, to remain “nimble, responsive and able to make decisions quickly.”

“It is a very collaborative culture, that is what Dave has built,” says Steadman.

At Willis, Alastair Swift, CEO, global placement, says the company has not shied away from acquisitions, but does not make it a centerpiece of its strategy.

“If it makes sense we'll do it,” he says, but the concentration is first on organic growth and acquisitions “are a bonus for a well-run company.”

The firm has developed relationships with small brokers and agencies by giving them access to markets they would not have had otherwise.

In the United Kingdom, there is the Willis Commercial Market, where brokers partner with the larger firm to gain access to carriers.

In the United States, the firm has adopted that same philosophy, but instead of having a physical relationship with the agencies, it utilizes its information technology platform, Insurance Noodle.

This online insurance exchange serves the same purpose as the United Kingdom concept, giving agencies a pathway to insurers.

Swift says Willis does not broker the business or act as a wholesaler. Instead, it facilitates the exchange of business.

The model has been successful enough that Willis is planning on expanding the access globally.

At Zurich, since 2009 the carrier has been pursuing its Select Broker Strategy where the company closely examines the books of business it has with brokers and engages in critical conversations about whether the broker and company are in a mutually beneficial relationship.

Michael T. Foley, CEO, North America commercial and regional chairman of the Americas for Zurich, says the company has been engaging brokers in a conversation about how important Zurich is to their overall book of business.

Foley says what the company is doing is continuing partnerships with brokers who truly want to partner with Zurich and want to do a substantial amount of business with the carrier. This means, he says, having the mix of business that fits Zurich's appetite and working with the broker so he or she understands that appetite.

What the program has done is “reduce the number of appointments without reducing the number of quality submissions, and we are getting better results and better outcomes,” says Foley.

The result is that the program has developed better relationships “on both sides for a better [relationship] overall.”

Regarding the relationships that Zurich ended, Foley says a poor relationship is not good for either partner, “but if we can have good relationships there's no limit to how many we would aspire to have.”

Updated Oct. 6, 11:54 a.m. EDT to reflect a correction in the name of Zurich's Select Broker Strategy. Foley has an additional title of chairman of the Americas.

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