Houston’s HCC Insurance Holdings said Pioneer General Insurance Co. will merge into American Contractors Indemnity Co., both of which are wholly owned subsidiaries of HCC.

CNO Financial Group’s plan to consolidate three of its insurance companies has received regulatory approvals, according to the Carmel, Ind.-based company.

The number of insurance industry mergers and acquisitions has jumped in the last few months, after two years of minimal activity.

The head of the U.S. Justice Department’s Antitrust Division warned health insurers May 24 that deals that expand the market share of a dominant plan will be heavily scrutinized, if not killed.

Companies appear to have a new hunger for insurance industry mergers and acquisitions, according to an industry expert with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

On the heels of releasing the first of four reports on Pennsylvania’s four Blue Cross Blue Shield plans and possible anti-competitive practices, state regulators face a suit by Highmark for what it calls an “unlawful and unauthorized” examination.

Audra Szollosy, a VP at investment banking firm Hales & Co., wrote a good wrap up of insurance agency merger & acquisition activity in 2009 for Leader’s Edge magazine.  The …  Read →

Trustmark Mutual Holding Co. is buying a Minneapolis, Minn.-based provider of integrated health and fitness management services for about $97 million.

A pair of mergers has led A.M. Best to withdraw the ratings of a pair of Nationwide Financial Services subsidiaries.

The insurance merger and acquisition engine may be firing up.

Insurers and financial institutions appear ready to fund their potential capital shortfalls by divesting non-core insurance businesses at attractive valuations, setting …  Read →