Two area insurance agencies eye expansion via partnership

A pair of Baton Rouge-based insurance agencies—McInnis Tyner Inc. Insurance Agency and Integra Insurance—are teaming up to expand operations in Louisiana and Texas. “This is going to give us the opportunity to grow our agency tenfold,” says McInnis Tyner President Charles McInnis Jr., adding that customers will not notice any changes in day-to-day operations. Financial terms of the deal, which has been more than a year in the making, were not disclosed. While McInnis says he now has an ownership stake in Integra, he describes the deal as more of a strategic partnership than an acquisition. “We’ve acquired some small companies in the past few years, but this is something that’s a little larger and a lot more strategic,” McInnis says. “Partnering with Integra … allows for rapid geographic reach as well as specialty expertise in areas such as marine, construction and surety.” The deal immediately expands McInnis Tyner’s reach into the New Orleans and Lake Charles markets, where Integra has existing offices. McInnis Tyner also has three offices in the Capital Region: two in Baton Rouge and one in Gonzales. Integra’s Baton Rouge office at 8440 Jefferson Highway will be consolidated into McInnis Tyner’s Capital Region operations, McInnis says. The firms plan to focus expansion efforts in the Capital Region, Greater New Orleans, southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas territories. McInnis and Integra President Bobby Adams announced the partnership Monday. —Steve Sanoski