Local Insurance Groups Create New Alliance
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Two local collaboratives of insurances agencies have combine forces to create Alliance Main Street LLC.Alliance Berkshire LLC, headquartered in Northampton, and Main Street Insurance Agencies LLC, in Great Barrington, is a partnership of 11 independent insurance agencies representing 28 carriers serving clients from the Berkshires to Boston. Its members have offices in 17 communities.
Richard J. Webber, president of Alliance Berkshire and treasurer of Webber & Grinnell Insurance Agency, is now president of Alliance Main Street Insurance Group.
"Together, our 11 agencies have greater power and can better serve the insurance needs of each of our agency's clients," said Webber.
He and Colleen Herlihy, president of Main Street Insurance and chief financial officer of Herlihy Group, announced the partnership.
"As a member of the Alliance and one of 11 agencies on the same team, we gain some of the benefits of being big even as we maintain our individual identities and retain the benefits of being small and local," said Herlihy.
The partnership was created, Webber said, because of sweeping changes in the insurance industry and deregulation that have resulted in a more competitive environment that makes it more difficult for smaller, independent agencies to gain access to some insurance markets.
Alliance Main Street, with $120 million in premiums, pools the insurance accounts of the members when negotiating with major insurance companies.
Each of the principals of the 11 agency members is an owner of the new group and can seek out and negotiate the best products and services from carriers they choose to represent.
Alliance Berkshire was founded in 1996 and Main Street Insurance Agencies in 1998.
Each agency's location and president are: Canary Blomstrom Insurance Agency, Feeding Hills, Sandra L. Brodeur; Colt Insurance Agency, Pittsfield, W. Kelly Collins; Halstead Insurance Agency, Fitchburg, Anthony P. Trapasso, Jr. ; Herlihy Group, Worcester, Jim Herlihy; Jubinville Insurance Agency, South Hadley, Cary R. Jubinville, CPCU, CIC, MSLIA; Mackintire Insurance Agency, Westborough, Robert P. Mackintire; Marsh-Kemp Insurance Agency, Worcester, Thomas S. McLear; O'Connor & Co. Insurance Agency, Dudley, Dan O’Connor; Smith Brothers-McAndrews Insurance Agency, Adams, Bernard A. Pinsonnault; Webber & Grinnell Insurance Agency, Northampton, William D. Grinnell; and Wheeler & Taylor Insurance Agency, Great Barrington, George A. Ryan Jr.
Alliance Main Street members also operate in Leicester, Rutland, Sheffield, Sterling, Stockbridge, Sutton and Webster.
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