Alliance & NAII Talking Merger Again

Alliance & NAII Talking Merger Again

By Mark E. Ruquet

NU Online News Service, July 16, 2:41 p.m. EDT - The Alliance of American Insurers and the National Association of Independent Insurers are again talking about a merger that would create an organization that could potentially represent close to 1,000 property-casualty firms.

Statements by the Des Plaines, Ill.-based NAII and the Downers Grove, Ill.-based Alliance confirmed that the two are talking about merging, but "a formal proposal for the merger of the two organizations has not yet been developed."

Any merger, the statement continued, would have to be approved by the membership of both organizations.

Both associations said they have worked closely with one another in the past on issues and that merging would create "a stronger voice for the property-casualty industry."

Joe Annotti, NAII vice president of public affairs, said talks are serious and ongoing, but could not comment further.

Mr. Annotti and Charles E. Schmidt, assistant vice president-public affairs for the Alliance, said that if talks are successful a target for the merger is set for Jan. 1, 2004.

The merger is subject to approval of each association's membership.

NAII has 725 members representing 31.2 percent of the property-casualty market. The Alliance numbers are more than 340 members representing nine percent of the p-c market.

The two organizations last discussed merging in 1999, but talks were called off in January of 2000. Neither association would discuss why the talks failed.