Dec 9 (Reuters) - Arthur J Gallagher ( AJG ) said on

Monday it has agreed to acquire insurance broker AssuredPartners

in a $13.45 billion deal, as it looks to bolster presence in the

vast and fast-growing middle-market segment.

Gallagher follows in the footsteps of rival insurance

brokers Aon and Marsh McLennan ( MMC ), which have

struck deals worth $13 billion and $7.75 billion, respectively,

over the last 12 months to expand their foothold in the

middle-market insurance business.

The Insurer, a Reuters publication, exclusively reported on

Sunday that Gallagher was close to sealing the deal for

AssuredPartners.

Gallagher said the net consideration for the deal was about

$12.45 billion after giving effect to an estimated $1 billion

deferred tax asset.

The broad U.S. footprint and middle-market focus of

AssuredPartners make it an ideal merger partner, said J Patrick

Gallagher, Jr, chairman and CEO of Arthur J Gallagher ( AJG ).

The middle-market insurance business provides services

designed for mid-sized firms that make between $10 million and

$1 billion in annual revenue.

Private equity firm GTCR, in partnership with Jim Henderson,

had founded AssuredPartners in 2011. Since then, the Orlando,

Florida-based company has become one of the largest insurance

brokers in the United States.

GTCR sold the company to Apax Partners in 2015. But again in

2019, an investor group led by GTCR agreed to acquire it from

Apax, which held a minority stake in the company.

AssuredPartners distributes insurance across property and

casualty, commercial, employee benefits and personal lines. It

generated $2.9 billion in adjusted revenue for the 12 months

ended Sept. 30.

Gallagher expects to finance the transaction - likely to

close during the first quarter of 2025 - through a mix of cash,

debt and equity. The deal is expected to boost its adjusted

profit by double digit.

Last year, Gallagher acquired Cadence Bank's ( CADE )

insurance brokerage unit for $904 million.