Gallagher acquires Florida property/casualty and benefits brokerage

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. said Monday that it has acquired Naples, Florida-based Premier Insurance L.L.C., which does business as Lutgert Insurance, for an undisclosed amount.

Lutgert Insurance, which was founded in 1953, is a retail property/casualty broker and benefit consultant, Gallagher said in a statement. The company has about 85 employees at its seven locations, according to its website.

Gallagher said that Lutgert President Bud Hornbeck, Senior Vice President Steve Benza, Vice President Marc Williams and their associates will continue to operate from their current offices under Peter Doyle, head of Gallagher’s Southeast retail property/casualty brokerage operations, and John Tournet, head of Gallagher’s Southeast employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations.

“Lutgert Insurance has an outstanding team of professionals who will contribute significantly to solidifying our geographic presence in Southwest Florida, as well as building out our private client practice in the state,” J. Patrick Gallagher Jr., Gallagher’s chairman, president and CEO, said in the statement.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is the world’s fourth-largest insurance broker, according to Business Insurance’s latest ranking.