Cooke Insurance acquires Hutchinson & Warren

Charlie Cooke Insurance Agency Ltd. has acquired the shares of Maritime-based insurance brokerage Hutchinson & Warren Insurance Services Ltd. Hutchinson & Warren is a Cdn$9 million broker based in Rexton, N.B., a Cooke Insurance release says.With the purchase, Cooke Insurance will increase its annual insurance writings to more than Cdn$25 million, representing more than 16,000 policyholders in three provinces, the statement adds.Hutchinson & Warrens offices in Rexton, N.B., and the Burnside Industrial Park, Dartmouth NS, will remain open, expanding Cooke Insurances operations to six Maritime locations, employing 48 people. The principals of Hutchinson & Warren will continue to play an important role in the new organization, the release adds.Darren Warren becomes a director of the company, remains a shareholder and takes on the responsibility of vice president for New Brunswick. Jack Churchill will act as general manager for Nova Scotia operations and will be based in Burnside Industrial Park, Dartmouth, NS.Jeff Cooke, president of Cooke Insurance, assured clients suppliers and partners in a statement that existing relationships with both companies will remain unchanged.When Charlie Cooke established Cooke Insurance in Charlottetown in 1972 he believed strongly that integrity and high standards would be a foundation for building strong, lasting client relationships, Jeff Cooke said in a statement.I guess its no surprise that my father turned out to be right on this.