Holmes Murphy & Associates

Holmes Murphy & Associates is an American insurance brokerage and risk-management consulting firm. It operates as an independent, employee-owned-style private brokerage that places commercial property-casualty coverage, employee benefits programs, surety bonds and personal lines for businesses and individuals, and it also provides risk-management advisory and claims-advocacy services. The firm is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, and has grown from a regional Iowa brokerage into one of the larger independent insurance intermediaries in the United States, with offices across the Midwest and additional locations in other U.S. markets. As a brokerage rather than a carrier, Holmes Murphy does not underwrite risk itself; it represents clients in negotiating coverage with insurers and advises them on plan design, captive insurance, alternative risk financing and workplace safety. Its client base spans mid-market and large employers, construction and manufacturing firms, healthcare organizations, financial institutions and public entities, alongside individual and family insurance needs. The firm is privately held and independent, which it presents as a differentiator allowing it to avoid the conflicts of carrier-owned or publicly traded intermediaries. Ownership is concentrated among the firm's leadership and, historically, its employees. Holmes Murphy has expanded through organic growth and by acquiring or affiliating with regional agencies, and it has built affiliated businesses in areas such as captive management and benefits administration. Holmes Murphy is a well-known name in the U.S. independent-agency channel and is frequently ranked among the largest insurance brokers in the country by trade publications. Its brand positioning rests on independence, deep regional relationships and specialized industry practices rather than on mass-market consumer advertising.

Holmes Murphy & Associates traces its origins to 1932, when it was established as an insurance agency in Des Moines, Iowa. Over the following decades it developed into a regional commercial insurance brokerage serving Iowa businesses, and it gradually broadened into employee benefits and risk-management services as employer needs grew beyond basic property-casualty coverage. The firm's modern identity took shape as an independent brokerage that chose to remain privately held rather than sell to a national or carrier-owned intermediary. It expanded its footprint beyond Iowa through new offices and through affiliations and acquisitions of regional agencies, building a presence across the Midwest and into additional U.S. markets. Alongside the core brokerage, Holmes Murphy developed affiliated capabilities in captive insurance and benefits administration, allowing it to serve larger employers with alternative risk-financing structures. By the 2000s and 2010s Holmes Murphy had become one of the larger independent insurance intermediaries in the United States and a recognized name in the independent-agency channel, regularly appearing in trade rankings of top U.S. brokers. The firm has emphasized industry specialization — including construction, manufacturing, healthcare and financial services — and has invested in data, analytics and workplace-safety advisory to differentiate its brokerage offering. Holmes Murphy has also been noted for its workplace culture and employee-ownership orientation, which it uses in recruiting and in its brand positioning as an independent alternative to publicly traded brokers. The company remains active and privately held, headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa.

• 1932

  Founded as an insurance agency in Des Moines, Iowa.

• Expanded from regional Iowa brokerage into a multi-office U.S. independent intermediary.

• Developed affiliated capabilities in captive insurance and benefits administration.

Independent, privately held U.S. insurance brokerage emphasizing regional relationships and specialized industry practices.

• Commercial property & casualty brokerage

• Employee benefits consulting

• Surety bonds

• Personal lines insurance

• Captive insurance management

• Risk management advisory

• 2021.11.01

  Reported2021.11.01

  Coupe Health acquires SPH[1]Coupe Health 收购 SPHprnewswire.com

  Coupe Health announced that it had purchased SPH from Holmes Murphy & Associates. The equity purchase includes the SPH platform and benefits hub, current employees, intellectual property, and client roster.

• 2019.09.24

  Reported2019.09.24

  Cowbell Cyber raises $3.3 million in seed funding[2]Cowbell Cyber获得330万美元种子轮融资prnewswire.com

  Cowbell Cyber secured $3.3 million in seed funding from ManchesterStory Group, Holmes Murphy & Associates, Tri-Valley Ventures and Global Insurance Accelerator.

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1. 1Coupe Health 收购 SPHprnewswire.com
2. 2Cowbell Cyber获得330万美元种子轮融资prnewswire.com