The deal for Van American Insurance Services, effective Jan. 1, 2002, is the beginning of a succession of acquisitions planned for the new year and follows three strategic acquisitions made in the southeastern United States over the last two years, Burns & Wilcox said.

Burns & Wilcox has an existing branch office in Birmingham, Ala. Together with Van American, Burns & Wilcox is positioning itself as one of the largest underwriters and brokers of property, casualty and personal specialty lines business in the Southeast, which includes the Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi markets, the company said.

In addition to supporting Burns & Wilcox's objective of remaining the largest independent specialty insurance wholesaler and MGA in North America, Mr. Kaufman, who is also chairman and chief executive officer of The Kaufman Financial Group, the parent company of Burns & Wilcox, said the acquisition will allow Burns & Wilcox to diversify.

He said that Van American Insurance Services will add a significant amount of employment practices liability and transportation business to what the MGA already has in the Southeast and that it will help the firm to expand its personal lines offerings.

Van American Insurance Services, which was previously owned by Southfield, Mich.-based First Mercury Financial Corporation, specializes in the placement of personal lines, transportation and employment practices liability.

Founded in 1971 as Surface Mining Insurance Services, the company was renamed Van American Insurance Services, Inc. in 1997 after acquiring Creative Underwriters, Inc. In 1998, Van American acquired Innovative Underwriters, Inc., in pursuit of additional personal lines and transportation market business.

Fourteen Van American Insurance Services, Inc., employees will be retained by Burns & Wilcox, and they will relocate to Burns & Wilcox's existing office in Birmingham, the company said.

Founded in 1969, Burns & Wilcox, Ltd., is a subsidiary of H.W. Kaufman Financial Group, Inc. The Kaufman Financial Group is the parent company to a group of subsidiaries, which together serve more than 27,000 agents nationwide through 30 offices in 21 states.

In addition to an MGA network with expertise in all forms of specialty insurance, The Kaufman Group operates national specialty insurance underwriter and brokerage companies Floyd West & Co. and Illinois R.B. Jones, as well as companies in the reinsurance (Burns & Wilcox Re) and premium financing (Royal Premium) segments.