M&A moves: NFP buys Trinity Risk; A-MAX acquires Best Buy Insurance; Mariner deal
A trio of US intermediaries have announced growth and acquisition moves spanning group captives, personal lines distribution and integrated P&C advisory, as brokers continue to sharpen their offerings and scale platforms in a competitive market.
NFP launches P&C group captive practice via Trinity Risk acquisition
NFP, an Aon company, has launched a dedicated P&C Group Captive practice following its acquisition of Trinity Risk Advisors, LLC, a Charlotte, N.C.-based captive brokerage firm.
Trinity Risk president Alan Wise will lead the new practice as managing director, reporting to Meg McSherry, managing director and head of P&C in NFP’s Atlantic region. Wise previously sold Trinity Consulting, a risk management and employee benefits firm, to NFP in 2015 before founding Trinity Risk.
NFP’s Group Captive practice will target small and mid-size companies seeking greater control over P&C risk and cost volatility by pooling risk with other participants. The team will assess client eligibility and the financial case for group captive participation, match clients with appropriate market programs, coordinate placement and onboarding, and support the transition into captive structures.
Wise said the group captive platform will provide “a collaborative risk‑sharing mechanism tailored to [clients’] risk management needs” and highlighted the educational element for NFP’s producer force, including guidance on captive structures aimed at improving cost efficiency, cash flow and program control.
Personal lines specialist A‑MAX Insurance has acquired Best Buy Insurance, an Arizona agency founded in 1996, marking its first bricks‑and‑mortar expansion into the state.
A‑MAX has served Arizona customers digitally for the past two years. Bringing Best Buy Insurance into the group accelerates that presence by combining its centralized, data‑driven operating model with an established local agency and brand.
The firm said Arizona is a key growth market and that the deal reflects its playbook for geographic expansion.
Integrating Best Buy Insurance will allow A‑MAX to apply its carrier partnerships, centralized technology and performance‑driven sales processes to the acquired operation. The company expects to streamline workflows, broaden carrier access, and improve speed to quote and bind, with the stated aim of translating efficiency gains into service improvements and competitive pricing.
A‑MAX currently operates more than 300 locations nationwide and partners with over 35 carriers, providing access to non‑standard and standard auto, renters', homeowners' and commercial lines. The addition of Best Buy Insurance deepens its Southwest footprint and is positioned as another step in building a scalable distribution platform within the independent agency channel.
National financial services firm Mariner has acquired Cowell Insurance Services (CIS), an Overland Park, Kan.-based P&C agency, adding business and individual risk advisory to its “One Mariner” wealth and advisory ecosystem.
Founded in 2009 by Lance Cowell, CIS has an 18‑person team with experience in commercial and personal P&C, underwriting strategy, claims advocacy and risk management. The acquisition is intended to allow Mariner to offer more integrated solutions spanning investment management, planning and insurance for both business owners and high‑net‑worth households.
Mariner president and CEO Marty Bicknell said P&C is a “natural extension” of the firm’s work helping clients protect what they have built. The deal reflects rising demand for advisory relationships that extend beyond investments to incorporate risk, liquidity and long‑term planning, including succession and generational wealth transfer.
CIS provides commercial program design, excess and surplus placement, risk control and claims advocacy, alongside personal lines products such as home, auto, umbrella, liability and specialty cover. Those capabilities are expected to enhance coverage evaluation, carrier relationships and liability protection in line with clients’ broader financial goals.
Upon closing, the agency will retain its existing team and client relationships while accessing Mariner’s national platform, resources and integrated advisory model.
