BY Fraser Tennant
Seeking to expand its stop-loss insurance offering, US insurer Nationwide is to acquire the employer stop-loss segment of property and casualty insurer Allstate Corporation in a transaction valued at $1.25bn.
The acquisition is expected to further strengthen and diversify Nationwide Financial’s portfolio, expanding the company’s ability to sell stop-loss insurance to small businesses while laying the foundation for Nationwide to continue to add capabilities for significant growth in employer benefits.
A Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organisations in the US. It provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance, public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds.
“Acquiring Allstate's employer stop-loss segment will broaden Nationwide Financial’s portfolio, meeting the needs of small businesses, allowing us to serve more customers and positioning us as a leading provider in the stop-loss industry,” said John Carter, president and chief operating officer of Nationwide Financial. “This represents a significant investment in the stop-loss market, adding experienced talent with proven business results, protecting over 13,000 small businesses and complementing our existing offerings in the market while accelerating our opportunity for growth.”
Acquired in 2021 as part of the $4bn acquisition of National General, the sale of Allstate’s Group Health business is expected to generate a financial book gain of about $450m, increase deployable capital by $900m and reduce adjusted net income return on equity by 75 basis points after closing.
“We have reached another milestone in our strategy to maximise shareholder value by combining our health and benefits businesses with companies that have greater strategic alignment,” said Tom Wilson, chair, president and chief executive of Allstate. “Group Health provides stop-loss insurance to small businesses, which will gain access to Nationwide’s complementary product offerings.”
The transaction is subject to standard closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second half of 2025.
“As Nationwide continues to focus on our mission to protect people, businesses and futures with extraordinary care, this acquisition is a strong fit,” concluded Kirt Walker, chief executive of Nationwide. “We are extending our protection solutions to meet the needs of business owners today and into the future.”
News: Nationwide to acquire Allstate's stop-loss insurance business in $1.25 billion deal