TWO trusted community-based insurance brokers are uniting to form one of the largest independent insurance policy providers in the UK and Ireland.
Kerr Insurance has become part of the Dickson & Co Group, increasing the broker's workforce by 50% and making the Omagh-based family business a significant personal and commercial lines player in the UK and Ireland marketplaces.
The deal is the latest in a series of acquisitions and expansions undertaken by Dickson as part of an ambitious £7m investment by the family that has doubled the size of its operations.
The addition of Kerr Insurance will be the business’s fourth acquisition in the last two years and its 13th overall.
Together, the two brokers will collectively employ more than 150 staff, serving customers across a combined network of 17 sites in the north and two branches in the Republic under the Dickson & Wilson brand.
The expanded group is now forecast to manage more than 50,000 insurance policies across 170 insurance companies with an annual premium value of more than £45 million.
Ashley Dickson, managing director at Dickson & Co, said: “We are excited to welcome Kerr Insurance and its dedicated team to the Dickson family.
“The reputation of the Kerr Group, a company with near 100-year history of serving communities in Northern Ireland, precedes itself.
“While both Dickson & Co and Kerr Insurance will retain their independence, preserving their distinct brand identities, we look forward to expanding our shared product portfolio.”
The investment in the business has also included a development of a new training academy, a state-of-the-art facility used for inducting and training employees as Dickson & Co’s workforce continues to grow.
Roland Kerr, managing director of Kerr Group Insurance, said: “We are thrilled to join forces with Dickson & Co and become a part of this prestigious group.
“Our two businesses share many similarities, both family-owned and run community-based independent brokers: both well-known across Northern Ireland and down South.
“We offer a combined 125 years of experience in the insurance industry, and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”
