Texas-based insurance firm Higginbotham has entered Ohio with the acquisition of Community Insurance Group.
With the acquisition, Higginbotham – which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year – now has a presence in 16 states. Rusty Reid, chairman and CEO of Higginbotham, credits the Texas firm’s longevity to careful, strategic growth.
“At Higginbotham, we’re committed to transparency and authenticity – and we look for partners who share those beliefs,” Reid said. “The hallmark of a Higginbotham partner is a strong business backed by genuine care for the customer and their community.”
Community Insurance Group has served clients in western Ohio for more than 25 years. The agency offers coverage lines including personal, commercial, agribusiness, life, and employee benefits.
“The name says it best,” Reid said. “Community Insurance Group – they are advocates for their community and their clients, always looking to better serve them. That is a culture and value we share, and we are proud to count their team as a partner.”
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“The process of deciding to join forces with Higginbotham was a pleasure,” said Jeff Sargeant, president of Community Insurance Group. “We needed to ensure our ability to serve our clients for the long term, but we didn’t want to lose our identity. With Higginbotham, we found a national company that can support our growth while sharing our community-minded perspective.
“Here in the Midwest, we like to deal with people one-on-one, but we also want sophisticated solutions and access to all the markets. With this new partnership, we can provide both. We can be that small-town business, but with global support and economies of scale behind us.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Sargeant said. “Our employees, our associates, are part of an employee-owned group. When you call our office, you’re still going to get our team. Nothing’s changed that way. But now we have a powerful service team behind us.”
Community Insurance Group is the latest addition to Higginbotham’s expanding roster. Last month, the company acquired Texas-based insurance and risk management firm Iscential. In December of last year, it acquired Missouri-based Connell Insurance.
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