In April of this year, AmWINS Group, Inc., merged with Colemont Insurance Brokers. AmWINS now has more than 1,800 employees in more than 45 office locations in the United States, plus a worldwide presence consisting of more than 25 offices in 16 countries. The combination has resulted in an increased geographic footprint and greater market access for both companies. With their similar corporate cultures, AmWINS and Colemont have come together with complementary—rather than competing—capabilities. By consolidating centers of expertise, the merger means greater potential to develop more and better market solutions than could have been created by the two companies separately.

Both companies believe in working together as an organization and sharing information across product lines to find solutions to market challenges. Their philosophy of cooperation helps them create the right coverage for each situation, an approach that can be summed up in words that Ben Francavilla, president of AmWINS Program Underwriters, repeats almost as a mantra, “Talk to one of us, and you talk to all of us.” He describes the approach as one in which “ideas and needs are communicated across the company to make us more efficient and effective at providing retailers with the best programs and offering carriers an opportunity to partner with a strong, stable company they can trust to make intelligent, responsible underwriting decisions.”

AmWINS continues to successfully administer programs that provide profitable returns for carriers despite difficult market conditions. With organic growth and strategic acquisitions, AmWINS Underwriting is even better positioned to serve as a platform to satisfy the needs of specialized markets. The company’s underwriters have the ability to devise solutions quickly, and the authority to implement them successfully.

Exercising underwriting discipline even in a soft market is not always easy, but AmWINS Underwriting’s secret is to cast a wide net, staying in touch with a diverse set of retailers across a large geographic footprint. That kind of diversity and constant communication, combined with the ability to meet specialized client needs through the various AmWINS companies, gives the organization a feel for changes in retailer needs and market fluctuations.

Francavilla emphasizes the needs-based approach as crucial to success. “Our goal is always to understand our retailers’ needs and bridge the gap between those needs and the offerings of our carrier partners. This is especially important in markets where current needs are changing and new needs are arising. Such shifts are an opportunity for us to work with carriers to develop products that meet rising demands.”

AmWINS Underwriting, a division of AmWINS Group, Inc., is currently comprised of six companies including:

AmWINS Program Underwriters, Inc.—an MGA specializing in affinity and program management that administers more than 18 programs generating in excess of $100 million in premium.

The American Equity Underwriters, Inc.—a national provider of insurance programs for maritime employers with a special expertise in United States Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation (USL&H) insurance.

AmWINS Special Risk Underwriters, LLC—a highly focused property facility that uses exclusive capacity to insure all risks, natural catastrophe or specialized coverages.

AmWINS Transportation Underwriters, Inc.—a provider of leading edge insurance solutions for trucking, public auto and commercial transportation risks.

Specialty Programs & Facilities Managers, Inc.—administering insurance programs for property owners and managers of residential and commercial California, Arizona and Nevada real estate.

Woodus K. Humphrey & Co., Inc.—a specialty MGA that provides insurance for accounts with woodworking exposures.

AmWINS Program Underwriters, a long-time member of the Target Markets Program Administrators Association (TMPAA), salutes Target Markets as a unique professional organization that provides the industry with a forum to build partnerships and create business opportunities. Learn more about AmWINS, its divisions, and the business opportunities it offers at www.amwins.com.