News

Avondale Insurance Associates Joins Unison Risk Advisors™ 

Oct 22, 2024

Expands Wholesale Underwriting and Geographic Footprint

BALTIMORE, BOSTON, CLEVELAND – Oct. 22, 2024 – Unison Risk Advisors™ (URA) is pleased to announce its newest partner, Avondale Insurance Associates, effective Oct. 17, 2024. Avondale is the fifth platform company to join the firm and is the first company to join URA’s non-retail division. This marks the 19th transaction overall since URA’s establishment in 2020.  

Established in 2006, Avondale Insurance Associates is an excess and surplus lines underwriting management company, which supports wholesale distribution for the property and general liability insurance industry. This will remain the sole focus of Avondale’s business moving forward. The firm has office locations in Boston, Chicago, Tampa and New Hampshire, and serves both domestic and international clients and markets. Avondale is proud to represent many of the world’s leading specialty insurers and has long-standing capacity support from Europe, Bermuda, London Company & Lloyds and domestic U.S. markets.  

“We proudly welcome Avondale to Unison Risk Advisors™’ employee-ownership model. Avondale will maintain its independence and continue their commitment to delivering industry leading programs to the wholesale market, while growing URA’s capabilities internationally,” said URA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Klonk. “Together, through collaborations in technology, innovation and creative underwriting solutions, we will magnify URA’s core mission of driving value for our clients through expanded access to solutions and service excellence.”  

“This is a transformational time for Unison Risk Advisors™ as we continue to carefully match firms who want to position themselves for growth and perpetuity, bring distinctive industry talent to our teams, and who fit into our shared culture of service and employee ownership,” said URA President and Chief Operating Officer Robert Cawley.  

Daniel Hinchliffe, Avondale CEO, commented, “We are thrilled to be joining the Unison Risk Advisors™ family. With URA’s long and distinguished history and commitment to employee ownership, this transaction secures Avondale’s independence, allowing us the opportunity to make long-term commitments to our valued wholesale producers and prized insurer relationships.”  

MarshBerry acted as exclusive financial advisor for Avondale and Avoca Insurance Holdings.  

Unison Risk Advisors™ was formed in December 2020 with the merger of Cleveland-based Oswald Companies and RCM&D of Baltimore, followed by the addition of Florida’s NSI Insurance Group in June 2023 and Pennsylvania’s Enders Insurance in October 2024. Unison Risk Advisors™ is now comprised of more than 1,000 employees in over 20 office locations. URA firms serve clients in all 50 states and around the world.  

About Unison Risk Advisors™

Unison Risk Advisors™ is a privately held and employee-owned insurance brokerage and risk management firm, ranking among the top 40 largest brokerages and in the top five largest independently owned firms in the country. Unison Risk Advisors™ serves business and individual clients in all 50 states and more than 85 countries.

About Avondale

Established in 2006, Avondale Insurance Associates is an Excess and Surplus Lines Underwriting Management Company across all property and general liability classes. For more information, visit https://www.avondaleins.com/