Around the P&C insurance industry: April 6, 2016

Chicago-based insurance brokerage Hub International Ltd. said it has acquired the assets of La Quinta, Calif.-based Pickett and Associates Inc., a provider of employee benefits services and insurance. Pickett’s owners, Debra Pickett and Richard Torres, will join Hub California, and report to Hub’s executive vice president, Mike Reilly. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Hub also said it has acquired the assets of Canadian-based commercial lines and personal insurance provider Harmony Insurance Ltd.  Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The Harmony team, which is based in Hinton, Alberta, will join Hub Barton.  

Needham, Mass.-based contents claims management software company Enservio Inc. said it is now offering its Paysurance payments software, which it says is designed to offer carriers and policyholders a choice of payment options.

Valhalla, N.Y.-based insurance brokerage and consulting company USI Insurance Services said it has acquired Terre Haute, Ind.-based insurance agency Forest Sherer Insurance Inc. from Terre Haute-based First Financial Corp. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Forest Sherer employees are to remain at the curent Terre Haute and Evansville, Ind., locations.

New York City-based insurance broker and consultant NFP said it is selling a majority stake in its NFP Advisor Services unit to Greenwich, Conn.-based private equity firm Stone Point Capital LLC. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close in 90 days, were not disclosed. NFP Advisor Services is to be renamed Kestra Financial, the companies said.

White Plains, N.Y.-based middle market agency Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC announced it has acquired New York City-based insurance brokerage and human resource consulting firm Corporate Consulting Services Ltd. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but CCS's employees will remain in its New York office under the leadership of CCS President and CEO Grant Dougherty, and work under the Marsh & McLennan Agency name.

New York City-based risk management nonprofit RIMS said risk professionals from around the world will participate in its 10th annual Community Service Day on April 10th. RIMS ’16 attendees will work with San Diego-based nonprofit Harmonium to paint, landscape and complete other low-maintenance projects for the schools that host the nonprofit’s Klassic Kids program. 

RIMS said a second Community Service Day project will be held on April 12^th at the San Diego Convention Center where volunteers will assemble backpacks filled with food for elementary school children who are on the federal free or reduced-price meal program.

Hackensack, N.J.-based personal lines and commercial insurance broker Confie Seguros said it has acquired Springfield, Mass.-based Axiom Insurance Agency. Terms were not disclosed.

The Tampa, Fla.-based nonprofit Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety said the first "Fortified Home" using the "High Wind and Hail" standards will be built in Tulsa, Okla., in the coming months. The nonprofit said $3,000 from a donation of $15,000 by State Farm will be used to start the constrution in partnership with Tulsa Habitat for Humanity.

Israel-based insurance software provider Sapiens International Corp. said it now offering its Sapiens Intelligence advanced analytics software.

Itasca, Ill.-based insurance brokerage and risk management services company Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. said it has acquired Farmington, Conn.-based managing general agent and wholesale insurance broker Joseph Distel & Co. Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Gallagher said former owner Ken Distel and his employees will continue to operate from their location in Farmington under the direction of Joel Cavaness, president of Risk Placement Services Inc., a Gallagher subsidiary. 

Gallagher also said it has acquired Oklahoma City-based employee benefits insurance broker Capitol Benefits Group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Gallagher said owners Charles Paine, Diane Paine and their employees will continue to operate from their current location under the direction of John Neumaier, head of Gallagher's South Central employee benefit consulting and brokerage operations.

Wheeling, Ill.-based commercial and residential property restoration firm Response Team 1 said it has acquired Philadelphia-based national restoration and remediation firm Venturi Restoration; Raleigh, N.C.-based property restoration company Emergency Reconstruction; and Van Nuys, Calif.-based residential and commercial restoration services provider JFS Construction Group. Terms of the deals were not disclosed The company also said it has also receive an undisclosed investement amount from Providence, R.I.-based private equity firm Nautic Partners.

Stockton, Calif.-based property and casualty insurance provider Golden Bear Insurance Co. said it has opened a Professional Liability division.

The New York City-based Travelers Cos. Inc. announced that it has developed what it says is the first predictive model designed to reverse a sharp rise in chronic pain caused by workplace injuries. The company says its Travelers Early Severity Predictor identifies the likelihood of an injured employee developing chronic pain so that they can avoid it in recovery and reduce the need to use opioids or other painkillers.

Boston-based insurance brokerage Risk Strategies Co. said it has acquired Schenectady, N.Y.-based brokerage Maggs & Associates, which specializes in insurance placement and risk mitigation needs of colleges and universities. Terms were not disclosed, but the company said former owner Thomas Maggs and his staff will join Risk Strategies and continue to operate from its Schenectady office. 

Miami-based auto insurance carrier Windhaven Insurance said it has acquired Texas-based property and casualty provider ATX Premier in an agreement with Altanta-based NationsBuilders Insurance Services Inc. 

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