PEOPLE
Westchester, Chubb’s wholesale excess and surplus insurance business, announced July 6 that it has appointed Thomas McLaughlin executive vice president of its casualty practice. McLaughlin will have oversight of product and business development, underwriting operations, and profit and loss performance. He succeeds Dean Andrighetto, who has announced his retirement. McLaughlin will be based in Boston, Massachusetts, and report to Scott Meyer, senior vice president, Chubb Group, and division president of Westchester. McLaughlin joined Westchester in June 2019 as senior vice president, chief operating officer, and Northeast Region manager for its Casualty Division. He has more than two decades of experience in the insurance industry, where he has held a variety of leadership roles. He holds a Bachelor of Science in finance from Boston College, a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar.
MEETINGS/EDUCATION
The Federation of Insurance Women of Texas will host the association’s 77th Annual Convention, Oct. 21-24, at the Embassy Suites in San Marcos. A golf tournament is planned for Oct. 21 at the Bandit Golf Course in New Braunfels. Other events include a first timers’ breakfast, a trade show, an ethics continuing education credit class and several other opportunities to earn C.E.
On July 21, the Actuarial and Underwriting Committee of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association met via Zoom to review the rate adequacy analysis prepared by the association’s actuarial staff. The full board will consider the analysis, the committee’s recommendation and stakeholder feedback when voting to decide the amount of the association’s annual required rate filing at its next meeting on Aug. 3. The rate adequacy analysis was posted to TWIA’s website on July 6 for public review, along with hurricane model assumptions and supporting documentation. The rate indications, as reviewed by staff, are 39 percent for residential and 46 percent commercial.
EVENTS
The Dallas Association of Insurance Professionals, a local FIWT association, will host its 25th annual Bowling Tournament on Sept. 10. Cost to attend is $90 for bowlers and $55 for spectators, with a $5 up charge if paying by credit card. Foursomes can sign up as a team and individuals can be placed on teams. Registration deadline is Aug. 27. Included is a 50-50 raffle for attendees. Proceeds will benefit DAIP’s Education Scholarship Fund. For more information, Robin Greenlee at robin.greenlee@assuredpartners.com or 214-244-7198.
RETIRING
Jan Kearbey retired from Service Lloyds Insurance Company as of July 1, ending a 45-year insurance career. Kearbey was Chief Marketing Officer for Service Lloyds, where she worked since 2002. Kearbey offered her time and talents to the Federation of Insurance Women of Texas as a course developer and instructor for many FIWT classes, including the courses leading to the CIPT designation. Prior to her time with Service Lloyds, Kearbey worked as the claims operations manager for JI Specialty Services, and before that was vice president of MGA operations for the Texas Bankers Association. From 1993-97, Kearbey was executive vice president of the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Training where her focus was on business development. Her start in the insurance industry was in 1976 when she worked for a family owned independent insurance agency in Kansas City, Missouri. Kearbey’s retirement plans include traveling with her friend and fellow insurance retiree Polly Middlebrook, who retired from IIAT in 2019. Kearbey is scheduled to present Communication Differences Between Men and Women in Business, a CIPT update course, on Oct. 22, as part of the events of FIWT’s annual convention.
Donna Biles retired from IIAT on July 1. Biles was in the insurance industry for 47 years, spending the most recent 11 years as the IIAT Advantage Marketing Specialist. Over her career, Biles witnessed women’s roles in insurance increase as underwriters, marketing reps and agency principals. Policy preparation changed from typewriters and carbon paper to electronic forms, the FAX replaced the Telex, desk phones had rotary dials and cords. So much has changed, said Biles in a farewell interview at IIAT. “Having the opportunity to work in various roles throughout my career, including rating, underwriting, marketing, agency principal and producer sales, helped prepare me for service with IIAT. Serving IIAT members for the last 11 years has been a privilege and an honor. My sincere thanks to Marit Peters and the entire IIAT leadership for their support allowing me the opportunity to contribute to such an amazing organization.” Biles was honored by IIAT colleagues and members during the brunch that closed InsurCon on June 25.
MERGERS/ACQUISITIONS
Jencap is consolidating some of its operating entities and rebranding them to bear the Jencap name. Effective Aug. 1, M.J. Kelly Company and M.J. Kelly of Arkansas will merge into Jencap Insurance Services Inc., with Jencap Insurance Services Inc. as the surviving entity. In notifying agents, Brian Barrilleaux, M.J. Kelly president, said the move was being made in light of substantial growth of the national Jencap distribution platform. All associates of these entities will become employees of Jencap Insurance Services Inc., and all employees’ licenses will be affiliated to Jencap Insurance Services where required. Addresses, staff and contact information remain the same.
Southern General Agency announced that beginning on July 1, its wholly-owned subsidiary general agencies National Security Underwriters, SGA South and C&W General Agency consolidates under the Southern General Agency brand. The unified organization will be managed by a single management team. In announcing the transition, Jerry Mitchell, Southern General Agency executive vice president, said the change will vastly improve service to agents, insureds and insurance companies. For agents, the consolidation will create a large team of well-experienced, professional underwriters available to provide excellent service. Southern General Agency understands and values the relationships built between underwriters and agents. Agents who wish to do so will continue to do business through the underwriter of their choice. All existing physical locations and staff will remain in place. Email addresses for all locations and staff will be changed immediately to @southerngeneral.com
The European Commission approved the acquisition of broker Willis Towers Watson by Aon plc conditional on full compliance with commitments offered by Aon which include the divestment of central parts of WTW’s business to Arthur J. Gallagher, Bestwire reported on July 9. The divestment is expected to strengthen Gallagher in the reinsurance and commercial risk brokerage and improve its footprint in the European Economic Area. Gallagher will become a credible alternative to the combined entity post-transaction, the EC said. The EC’s decision follows an investigation into the effects of the proposed merger. Earlier Bestwire reported that attorneys for Aon and WTW had said in court documents that the U.S. Justice Department’s proposed 2022 trial date to decide the legality of the merger is “untenable” and could lead to the collapse of the $30 billion megadeal. Justice had proposed that trial not commence until Feb. 28, 2022. The DOJ has filed an antitrust lawsuit seeking to block Aon’s acquisition of WTW. In the complaint the DOJ alleges the merger threatens to eliminate competition, raise prices and reduce innovation for American businesses, employers and unions. The insurance brokers are seeking an earlier trial date and are prepared to begin trial as early as Aug. 23, they said in court documents.
TDI
A TDI bulletin issued on July 12 alerts agents to changes in licensing requirements passed during the recently ended legislative session. The continuing education requirement for ethics increased from two hours to three hours per license period for licenses expiring on or after Sept. 30, 2022. Another change will convert all active life and health insurance counselor licensees issued before June 1, 2021, to general lines licensees with a life, accident and health qualification. Insurance service representative licenses will convert to the general lines agent license with a property casualty qualification. The changes bring new requirements to keep the licenses in good standing. New law removed the subagent classification; all agents must be appointed by an insurance company to engage in the insurance business in Texas. Other changes include: Companies are no longer required to report and register each branch location. A clearance letter is no longer required in a nonresident agent’s application for a comparable license for Texas residents. Nonresident public insurance adjusters no longer need to provide a certificate or letter of authorization from their state of residence or provide an annual affidavit stating they are familiar with Texas laws. HB 4030 allows TDI to stop accepting provisional applications unless application processing time is 21 days or greater in the last 90 days. HB 4030 automatically suspends, cancels, or revokes a nonresident Texas license if the home state suspends, cancels, or revokes the home state license. Bulletin #B-0019-21 invites agents to subscribe to email and text messages from TDI for future alerts and provides a hyperlink to the alert system.
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