IMAS acted as the exclusive financial adviser to Maxted Capital Limited, the holding company of Berkeley Insurance Group (“Berkeley”) on the sale of the business to Brown & Brown (Europe), formerly Global Risk Partners.

Berkeley is one of the UK’s largest independent insurance brokers and headquartered in Leicester, with offices in Birmingham, London and Edinburgh. It is a long-established and well-known advisory-led Chartered Insurance broker targeting high-quality mid-market customers. The business offers a strong generalist capability, but is recognised as having particular specialisms in commercial property and construction, financial risks, cyber, private client and corporate client insurance, each of which has a dedicated team.

The Berkeley directors including Tim Maxted (Chairman & Chief Executive) and Jonathan Yeeles (Chief Financial Officer) will remain with the business, which will retain its brand and become part of Brown & Brown’s UK Retail Division. The deal is the first broking acquisition by Brown & Brown in the UK since it rebranded from Global Risk Partners Ltd in September.

IMAS was retained by Berkeley in the first half of 2023 to advise the business and its owners on a sale. IMAS advised Berkeley on all aspects of the transaction, which has received regulatory approval. The financial details of the transaction will not be disclosed.

IMAS acted as the sole financial adviser to Safeonline and its members on its sale to Howden Group.

Safeonline, a London-based cyber and tech specialist broker and Lloyd’s coverholder offers a range of product lines including cyber and tech, financial & professional lines, programmes & binders and contingency and is a member of the Brokerslink network.
Safeonline has a proprietary insurtech platform, iQ, which comprises online quote & bind functionality that distributes to both the UK SME and international wholesale sectors. This online portal provides capacity for SME retail customers and represents a highly complementary distribution model for Howden.

Howden Group is an international specialist insurance broking group with pro forma revenues of £725m and which has recently attracted new investment from Hg, a leading European investor in software and tech-enabled services businesses, valuing the Group at US$5 billion.
IMAS was retained by Safeonline to advise them on the transaction and assist them through the buyers rigorous due diligence process.

IMAS acted as the sole financial adviser to Risk Solutions Group Limited (“RSG”) and its subsidiary Property Insurance Initiatives Limited (“Pii”) on its sale to Stackhouse Poland Group.

Pii is a real estate insurance specialist, established in 2012 and comprises a team who are able to advise on all aspects of property risk, including property owners, terrorism, construction risks, legal indemnity policies, and warranty and indemnity insurance as well as having a key interest in environmental risk insurance.

Brett Sainty, CEO of Pii, said: “Stackhouse Poland is a respected contributor to the UK insurance market, and combining our propositions is a natural fit. The acquisition is an important part of our growth strategy, allowing us to compete at the top of the market on a greater scale.”

Stackhouse Poland is a leading Private Client and specialist Commercial broker. It has a stated objective to grow organically and also through the acquisition of likeminded businesses specialising in the same sectors namely, Private Client, Real Estate, Professional Risks, Marine, Commercial and SME, Community and Private Health & Protection.

IMAS was retained to advise on a transaction that maximised value for RSG while providing Pii’s management team with an environment in which they could continue to develop and progress their careers. This included conducting a targeted and competitive process and assisting the company in developing robust earnings and balance sheet modelling, as well as providing detailed advice on a wide range of commercial and technical points in the negotiations.

IMAS acted as the exclusive financial adviser to Maybury James Limited, the holding company for Peter D James and Stewart Miller, McCulloch & Co, on its sale to Vantage Insurance Services (“Vantage”), the specialist broker and underwriting agent owned by NSM Insurance Group, a US speciality broker.

IMAS was retained to find a buyer for the business that would allow management to continue its development and allow them to realise their investment. We identified Vantage as one of the potential acquirers following their sale to NSM Insurance, providing them with the resources and development interest to pursue acquisitions.

Peter James Insurance and Stewart Miller Insurance both specialise in the classic car sector, providing insurance cover for both classic cars, motorcycles and the classic car commercial and trade sectors.

IMAS acted as the exclusive financial adviser to Aquila on the sale of Vectura Underwriting to Nexus Group. Vectura Underwriting is a specialist Marine Cargo underwriting agent, and also a registered and approved Lloyd’s Coverholder.

IMAS was retained by Aquila to advise throughout the whole sale process, from stress-testing the business plan and to identifying a range of potential synergistic buyers, through to negotiating the final terms for the transaction. Being a sale of a business by an LLP, the transaction involved a number of features not usually encountered when selling a company to which providing solutions was a key determining factor for the success of the transaction.

IMAS worked with the directors of John Holman & Sons Holdings to structure the business and transaction to ensure that the purchaser achieved a clean transfer of the company and allow the John Holman Group and its subsidiary Sheraton Systems to continue separately under Andrew Holman’s leadership.

With the company having been in Holman family ownership for a considerable period of time, a detailed understanding of the business was required and practical solutions found to separate out assets and liabilities between the two parties. A long standing defined benefit pension scheme added further complexity to the transaction.

IMAS acted as the exclusive financial adviser to ERS in the sale of three premium motor breakdown insurance brands to Essex-based motor broker Right Choice Insurance Brokers (RCIB). The transfer covers around 150,000 vehicles and customers who are insured under the Autonational, AutoAid and Eurorescue brands. ERS will continue to underwrite the direct-to-customer motor breakdown products under a long-term agreement.

IMAS advised Professional Fee Protection (PFP) on the sale of a majority shareholding to CBL Corporation.  PFP is the UK’s longest-running fee protection provider – offering outstanding expertise and market leading support to help accountancy practices strengthen their client relationships and grow their revenue.

IMAS advised the principal shareholder on the transaction to deliver as clean an exit as possible for him whilst providing the continuing management shareholders with a new supportive parent to assist in the company’s growth and development.

IMAS’s preparatory work with the business involved a full assessment and explanation of the business model and accounting policies, as well as restructuring the company to ensure a clean sale with minimal legacy issues.

CBL Corporation Limited (CBL) is a specialist insurer and reinsurer focused on credit and financial risk. CBL has eight offices spread across 25 countries and almost 100 employees. The company has been operating for over 42 years, and is listed on the ASX and the NZX Main Board.

IMAS advised Professional Fee Protection (PFP) on the sale of a majority shareholding to CBL Corporation.  PFP is the UK’s longest-running fee protection provider – offering outstanding expertise and market leading support to help accountancy practices strengthen their client relationships and grow their revenue.

IMAS advised the principal shareholder on the transaction to deliver as clean an exit as possible for him while providing the continuing management shareholders with a new supportive parent to assist in the company’s growth and development.

IMAS’ preparatory work with the business involved a full assessment and explanation of the business model and accounting policies, as well as restructuring the company to ensure a clean sale with minimal legacy issues.

CBL Corporation Limited (CBL) is a specialist insurer and reinsurer focused on credit and financial risk. CBL has eight offices spread across 25 countries and almost 100 employees. The company has been operating for over 42 years, and is listed on the ASX and the NZX Main Board.

IMAS advised Lonham Limited, a specialist cargo and freight liability MGA, on its sale to Chaucer, a subsidiary of Hanover Insurance Group Inc. which has aggregate revenues in excess of $5bn.

IMAS worked with the director shareholders of the Company, maintaining strict confidentiality as the likely purchasers would all be well known to each other and the Company’s competitors.  Identifying a small, carefully selected and agreed number of parties IMAS conducted a very discrete process which resulted in the transaction being completed without market knowledge or speculation.

IMAS acted as the exclusive financial adviser to R3: Financial Services Group on its sale to Police Mutual, creating the UK’s largest financial services group dedicated to the Armed Forces, the Reserves and the Police and other Emergency Services.

IMAS acted as the exclusive financial adviser for the Ellis Bates Group on the sale of Ellis Bates Insurance Brokers Limited, a commercial broker, to Towergate.

IMAS advised Yorkshire Building Society, Britain’s second largest building society with over 3.5m customers and assets of some £33bn, on the disposal of Norwich and Peterborough Insurance Brokers Ltd to Towergate.  The transaction was made relatively complex due to the business having seven branches, four of which were integrated with building society offices.  All parties’ expended considerable effort during the due diligence stage to ensure a smooth transfer of the business.

IMAS advised the Directors of RL Davidson & Co. Limited, a Lloyd’s broker, on the sale of its UK & Commercail London Market operations to Miles Smith Ltd, an independent Lloyd’s insurance broker.

IMAS advised the Directors of COBRA Holdings PLC on the sale of COBRA Corporate Solutions Ltd, a specialist corporate insurance broker, to its management. This is the culmination of a strategic review conducted by IMAS with the Board of COBRA Holdings PLC.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Sutton Meears & Co Limited, a commercial insurance broker, on the sale of the business to Stackhouse Poland Limited, a general insurance broker.

IMAS advised COBRA Holdings PLC on the sale of the business and certain fixed assets of the group’s commercial insurance broking operations in Caterham and Alton to ASG Risk Management Ltd, a subsidiary of Aston Scott Group plc, a leading commercial insurance group. This is the result of a strategic review conducted by IMAS with the board of COBRA Holdings PLC.

IMAS advised the directors of JB Insurance Brokers Limited, a commercial insurance broker, on the sale of its business to Aston Scott Group plc, a commercial insurance broking group.

IMAS advised Mosaic Private Equity and the shareholders of Fish Administration Holdings Limited, the market leader in the scheme-led Independent Living insurance market providing specialist schemes to meet the requirements of disabled and elderly people, on its secondary buyout to Inflexion Private Equity

IMAS advised the shareholders of Crowe Livestock Underwriting Limited, a specialist underwriting agency for the livestock industry, on the sale of the company to Amlin PLC, a specialist insurance and reinsurance underwriting group listed on the London Stock Exchange.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Preferential Group, a specialist travel insurance broker, on the sale of the company to The Collinson Group Limited, an international travel and financial services group.

IMAS advised the shareholders of SBP Group Limited, a specialist commercial insurance broker, on the sale of the company to Giles Holdings Limited, a commercial insurance broking group.

IMAS advised Griffiths & Armour (Holdings) Limited on the disposal of its specialist employee benefits consultancy, Griffiths & Armour (Financial Services) Limited, to Charles Stanley Group PLC, a stockbroker and investment management group listed on the London Stock Exchange.

IMAS advised the shareholders of HWS Holdings Limited, a Lloyd’s broker, on the sale of the company to Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc, an international group of risk specialists and employee benefit consultants which is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Argyll Insurance (Holdings) Limited, a commercial insurance broker, on the sale of the company to Jelf Group plc, an AIM listed corporate financial services adviser

IMAS advised the shareholders of PWS Holdings Plc, a Lloyd’s broker, on the sale of the company’s assets and goodwill to THB Group plc, an AIM listed Lloyd’s broker.

IMAS advised the shareholders of FMW Risk Services Ltd, a commercial insurance broker, on the sale of the company to Oval Ltd, a commercial insurance broking group.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Talbot Insurance Brokers Ltd and Talbot Financial Services Ltd, insurance and financial services brokers, on the sale of the companies to Venture Preference Ltd, a commercial insurance broking group.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Castlebank Insurance Brokers Limited, a commercial insurance broker, on the sale of the company to Venture Preference Ltd, a commercial insurance broking group.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Keith Johnson & Co. Ltd, a commercial insurance broker, on the sale of the company to Oamps Ltd, a generalist and specialist insurance broker which is part of the Wesfarmers group, a conglomerate and one of the largest groups in Australia.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Allied Cedar Insurance Group Ltd, an underwriting agent and specialist insurer, on the sale of the company to Amlin plc, an international specialist insurance and reinsurance group listed on the London Stock Exchange.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Roland Smith Ltd, an affinity insurance broker, on the sale of the company to the Police Mutual Assurance Society, a mutual life assurer.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Williamson Moore Ltd, a commercial insurance broker, on the sale of the company to Oval Ltd, a commercial insurance broking group.

IMAS advised the shareholders of PetPartners plc, a niche personal lines insurance broker, on the sale of the company to Agria djurförsäkring, a Swedish mutual insurance company

IMAS advised the directors of C J Coleman Holdings Ltd, a Lloyd’s broker, on the sale of its majority stake in the subsidiary company, Croton Stokes Wilson Ltd, a Lloyd’s broker, to the management.

IMAS advised the shareholders of Agency Underwriting Ltd, a specialist underwriting agency, on the sale of the company to The Towergate Partnership Ltd, a national commercial insurance broking group.

IMAS advised the shareholders of ghbc Ltd, a commercial insurance broker, on the sale of the company to The Towergate Partnership Ltd, a national commercial insurance broking group.