Higginbotham Insurance Group Debuts in Lubbock, Texas with Aycock & Fowler Merger

News provided by

Mar 02, 2015, 01:44 ET

LUBBOCK, Texas, March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Higginbotham and Aycock & Fowler announced today the merger of their operations. Higginbotham is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and ranked as one of the largest insurance brokers of U.S. business, and Aycock & Fowler is a broker in Lubbock, Texas. Both are independent insurance firms providing property and liability insurance, risk management and employee benefit services to businesses and individuals.

Higginbotham in recent years has expanded throughout Texas by partnering with like-minded brokers that add geographic scale and service capabilities to its practice. The union with Aycock & Fowler marks Higginbotham's entrance into Lubbock, bringing its number of locations in Texas to 22 and adding 12 employees to its workforce of 650.

Brent Aycock and Jeff Fowler partnered in 2002 to open their namesake agency in Lubbock. Mr. Aycock, a commercial property and casualty broker, and Mr. Fowler, an employee benefits broker, combined their two disciplines to become one all-inclusive insurance service provider.

"The way Aycock & Fowler came together is a lot like the way Higginbotham has achieved growth," said Higginbotham President/CEO Rusty Reid. "We've developed a single source solution by partnering with firms that have expertise and resources we can add to enhance our service to customers. Aycock & Fowler brings a similar mentality, and together, we're primed to grow in Lubbock."

In a joint statement, Mr. Aycock and Mr. Fowler said, "We've been approached with other merger opportunities many times, but none offered our customers a better experience. We're as enthusiastic about tapping into Higginbotham's risk management and financial service experts to increase our service to Lubbock as they are to expand their presence in west Texas."

Mr. Aycock and Mr. Fowler will serve as managing directors and continue operating as Aycock & Fowler with current staff at 9816 Slide Road, where it has resided since 2009.

About Aycock & Fowler
Aycock & Fowler is an independent insurance firm that brokers commercial and personal insurance, bonds, life insurance, individual and group health insurance and retirement plans from highly-rated carriers. The firm opened in 2002 in Lubbock, Texas, and it has built a practice with concentration in grocery store and construction accounts and serves nearly 700 clients altogether. Visit www.aycockandfowlerins.com for more information.

About Higginbotham
Higginbotham is a single source for insurance, risk management and financial services that provides commercial and personal property/casualty coverage, employee benefits, retirement plans, life insurance and executive compensation through more than 250 regional and national carriers. The firm was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, with more than 20 additional offices in the state. Higginbotham ranks as the nation's 30^th largest independent insurance brokerage firm based on revenue (Business Insurance, July 2014). Visit www.higginbotham.net for more information.

SOURCE Higginbotham