www.coachandbusweek.com November 4, 2014 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 35

Passenger transport insurance specialist, Belmont International, has rebranded following its acquisition last year by Arthur J. Gallagher, the international division of NYSE-listed Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. – one of the world’s largest insurance and risk management companies. Jade Smith reports.

As of October 27, Belmont International has transitioned to the Arthur J. Gallagher brand, fully

aligning the two businesses with a common identity as they seek to build on their combined success, which has created a top three UK commercial retail insurance broker.

Established in 1988 to service the newly privatised UK bus industry, Belmont grew to be synonymous with insurance in the passenger transport industry and a well-respected commercial insurance broker, with more than 80 employees servicing clients throughout the UK and overseas.

Subsequent to its acquisition of Belmont in September 2013, Arthur J. Gallagher completed the purchase of Giles Insurance Brokers, which had earlier acquired bus and coach insurance specialist SBP Chapman Stevens in November 2008. Upon completion of these deals, the passenger transport specialisms of the two businesses have come together to create a powerful new national niche, providing a natural complement to Arthur J. Gallagher’s existing industry

specialisms.When retiring and selling

Belmont International 12 months ago, former Managing Director and founder Barrie Etchells emphasised that the fit with Gallagher was an obvious one as both businesses were owned and managed by insurance people who shared the same family philosophy.

He promised that the 25-year-old business and its clients were in safe hands, having spent many months carefully selecting the new owner, and assured coach and bus operators that the change would be gradual and well-planned.

With the combined businesses having a long association with the passenger transport sector, Arthur J. Gallagher now offers access to expert risk management

NEWS FOCUS › ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER

Belmont International rebrands to Arthur J. Gallagher

ARTHUR J GALLAGHER & CO. TIMELINE

1920sArthur J. Gallagher founded Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in Chicago on October 1, 1927.

1930s

Gallagher helped create The Hartford Group’s groundbreaking Retrospective Rating Program, rewarding customers who minimized their losses. Gallagher wrote Chicago’s first large deductible fire policy for Bowman Dairy Co.

1940sU.S. enters World War II and all three of Arthur Gallagher’s sons John, James and Robert enlisted in the Navy. At the war’s end, his sons all joined the company.

1950s

Gallagher landed its largest client to date Chicago’s Beatrice Foods Company. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is incorporated.

1960s l Gallagher partnered with Sterling Bassett to form Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc., a new claims management subsidiary to provide services to self-insured clients. l Robert E. Gallagher was named President and CEO of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. l Revenues exceed $1,000,000 in 1968.

TIMELINE CONTINUED OVERLEAF

Arthur J. Gallagher’s Specialist Transportation Team

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NEWS FOCUS › ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER

36 | COACH & BUS WEEK | November 4, 2014 www.coachandbusweek.com

advice and risk transfer via an extensive national footprint of more than 70 client-focused branches across the UK. Belmont’s long-standing partnership with the Confederation of Passenger Transport will also continue under the Arthur J. Gallagher name.

Phil White, Director of Transportation at Arthur J. Gallagher, told CBW: “With the weight of Gallagher behind us, our footprint and scale in both the insurance market and the passenger transport sector is far greater than that which we could have achieved as Belmont.”

Clients will benefit from more local support. Whereas Belmont has always been based at one office in Sevenoaks, Kent, Arthur J. Gallagher already has a strong regional presence with 70 branches across the UK. So while clients might still deal with their trusted broker in Kent, they might find their regional office is handy for support when they need it.

“We’re now less than an hour away from any operator,” said Phil. “Who you deal with won’t change, and that’s the same for the team previously at Giles. But you will also be able to get local support.

“It’s absolutely a case of business as usual. The name has changed – and that’s more or less it. There will be no discernible difference in service, client contacts and support.”

David Hinton, Managing Director of Transportation, said: “Following the acquisition, our top priority has been on delivering a successful integration of the two businesses with minimum interruption to our valued customers. Our alignment will enable us to significantly widen our offering, providing more choice and better value for our clients.

“I am excited by the prospect

of working with the combined resources brought together by Gallagher, including George Bryant and the ex-Chapman Stevens team at High Wycombe; Steve Price, Paul Mclaughlin and Steve Hawkins in Bristol; together with my long-standing colleagues in Sevenoaks, Mark Bunbury, Phil White, Adrian Scott and Christine Steel. We really do have a depth of expertise in the passenger transport sector which is second to none.

“In Arthur J. Gallagher, we found a like-minded, client-focused company that takes a passionate, hands-on approach to service and

is keen to build its industry sector expertise. With a national and international footprint, it is already helping roll-out our knowledge and capabilities, while bringing the commercial benefits inherent in being part of a global broking and risk management group. This is all about taking the business to its next level, guaranteeing its future position and progression.”

The rebrand will be officially unveiled this week at the Euro Bus Expo on November 4-6. To find out more about Belmont’s journey to the Arthur J. Gallagher group, visit stand A8 and meet the team. The same old and familiar faces will be on the stand, along with some from Giles Insurance.

Belmont’s journey to Arthur J. GallagherBelmont International was established in 1988 to service the newly privatised bus industry. Based in Otford, the Sevenoaks district of Kent, the insurance broker was acquired by Arthur J. Gallagher on September 18, 2013 to become part of its UK Retail business.

Shortly afterwards, on November 14, 2013, Arthur J. Gallagher completed its acquisition of Giles Insurance Brokers, which also had a passenger transport specialism as a result of its 2008 acquisition of bus and coach broker SBP Chapman Stevens.

The UK Retail division – Arthur J. Gallagher’s regional network of client-focused branches specialising in commercial insurance solutions for UK businesses – directly controls £1 billion of gross written premium from more than 70 locations across the world.

Belmont has been the preferred supplier of insurance, risk management and financial services products to the Confederation of Passenger Transport’s (CPT) members since 2005 and has worked in partnership with CPT for many more years.

Arthur J. Gallagher is the London-headquartered international broking division of parent company Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., an international insurance brokerage and risk management services firm headquartered in Itasca, Illinois. In its entirety, the group has operations in 30 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 140 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants. n

ARTHUR J GALLAGHER & CO. TIMELINE, CONTINUED

1970s l Gallagher established an international presence in 1974 when it co-founded Lloyd’s broker Gallagher, Hinton & Vereker Ltd. in London.

l Gallagher formed an office in Bermuda to provide access to many offshore alternative markets.

l Gallagher’s employee benefits division wrote Gallagher’s first self-funded employee benefits plan.

l Revenues exceed $10,000,000 in 1976.

1990s l J. Patrick Gallagher named President (1990) and CEO (1996).

l Gallagher formed Risk Placement Services as a U.S. wholesaler.

l Arthur J. Gallagher (UK) Limited is formed.l Gallagher established a joint venture in

Australia.l Revenues exceed $500,000,000 in 1998.

1980s

l Gallagher became the 10th largest broker in the U.S.l Gallagher went public and is listed on the New York Stock exchange (1984).l The Gallagher Way is penned by Bob Gallagher.l Revenues exceed $100,000,000 in 1986.l Gallagher Bassett unbundled its services and began selling to non-Gallagher

brokers. 2000s

l Gallagher recognized as the 4th largest broker in the world.l Gallagher celebrates 75th anniversary in 2002 revenues exceed $1billion.l Gallagher Bassett recognized as the worlds largest third-party claims

administrator.l J. Patrick Gallagher named Chairman of the Board (2006).l Gallagher expanded into the Caribbean.l Alesco team established in London.

2010s

l Gallagher completed 111 acquisitions throughout 2010, 2011 and 2012.

l Gallagher continued its streak of strong acquisitions with its purchases of Bollinger, Giles, Oval, Noraxis, OAMPS, and Crombie Lockwood – greatly extending the company’s reach in the UK, South America, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

l +30% of revenues now outside the U.S.l Gallagher named as one of the World’s Most

Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute.

‘It’s absolutely a case of business as usual. There will be no discernible difference in service, client contacts and support’ - Phil White, Director of

Transportation, Arthur J. Gallagher

‘This is all about taking the business to its next level, guaranteeing its future position and progression’

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