ALIGN GENERAL INSURANCE AGENCY

A specialty property and casualty program manager and MGA with 12+ unique personal and commercial lines programs -- now part of DUAL North America (Howden Group).

Specialty Solutions Enterprise

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Overview

Align General Insurance Agency is a specialty property and casualty insurance program manager and managing general agent (MGA) founded by Kieran Sweeney in San Diego, California in 2003. Starting its underwriting operations in March 2005, Align grew through a disciplined diversification plan to become one of the largest independent general agency platforms in the United States, underwriting more than 12 unique personal and commercial lines programs.

Align operated four distinct agency businesses: Align General Insurance Agency LLC (commercial casualty and personal lines), Catalytic Risk Managers & Insurance Agency LLC (property catastrophe), Deposit Choice LLC (surety bond alternative for renters), and NALICO General Agency Inc. (specialty personal property). It also spun out Personable Insurance as a separate personal auto platform underwriting over USD 100 million in non-standard auto premiums across California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida.

In August 2021, Align Financial Holdings -- the parent of the four agencies -- was acquired by DUAL Group (the underwriting arm of Howden Group Holdings) for USD 800 million. The deal closed in October 2021, combining Align's USD 680M+ in annualized GWP with DUAL's international platform to create a USD 2B+ GWP global underwriting management group. In February 2025, Align was formally rebranded as DUAL North America.

Products & Services

Specialty Casualty Division

Commercial casualty programs including general liability for contractors, construction risks, and other hard-to-place specialty commercial lines. Written through admitted and E&S markets.

Target Users: Contractors, specialty commercial risks, wholesale and retail agents

Commercial Auto Division

Public auto and non-standard commercial auto programs, including standard admitted auto and excess & surplus auto solutions for transportation and public auto risks.

Target Users: Transportation operators, public auto fleets, specialty auto risks

Workers Compensation Division

Specialty workers compensation programs targeting industries underserved by standard markets.

Target Users: Retail and wholesale agents placing workers comp for specialty industries

Catalytic Risk Managers -- Property Catastrophe

Commercial earthquake DIC (Difference in Conditions), wind, all-perils, and terrorism coverage. One of the fastest-growing underwriting managers in the property catastrophe industry at time of acquisition.

Target Users: Commercial property owners seeking catastrophe gap coverage, particularly in earthquake-exposed western US markets

NALICO General Agency -- Personal Property

Specialty personal property programs including manufactured housing and non-standard personal lines.

Target Users: Retail agents placing personal property for non-standard or specialty risks

Deposit Choice -- Surety Deposit Alternative

Security deposit alternative for residential renters -- a surety bond product allowing tenants to replace traditional cash security deposits with a low-cost bond.

Target Users: Property managers, landlords, residential renters

Personable Insurance -- Personal Auto

Spin-off personal auto platform underwriting USD 100M+ in non-standard auto across California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida. Operates as an independent company focused on the independent agent channel.

Target Users: Independent agents placing non-standard personal auto in the western and southern US

At a Glance

Founded: 2003
Headquarters: San Diego, California
Employees: 201-500

Category & Focus

Category: Specialty Solutions
Subcategories: Program Management Non-Standard Auto Property Catastrophe Specialty Casualty Workers Compensation Surety
Insurance Verticals: P&C Personal P&C Commercial Specialty/E&S Workers Compensation
Target Customers: Agents/Agencies, Brokers, Carriers