Crawford & Company Plans To Acquire Adjusters Canada

Crawford & Company has signed a letter of intent to acquire A.C.I. Adjusters Canada, Inc. (ACI). Crawford's Canadian operations will be combined with ACI's operations to form Crawford Canada, Inc., the largest independent claims administration service provider in Canada.

The company says it plans to maintain two operating divisions: Crawford Adjusters Canada, which will do claims administration; and Crawford Health Management, for disability management services. The transaction is expected to close by the end of June.

"ACI has grown to a position of preeminence in the Canadian market as a result of its strong focus on client service and innovative approaches to the market, such as its 24-hour-a-day, Canada-wide call center,'' says Dennis Smith, chairman, president and CEO of Crawford & Company.

H.L. (Skip) Sutherland, chairman of ACI, says, "By joining with Crawford, we become an integral part of its worldwide network, the largest of any other independent risk and claims management service provider. Backed by this global network, we will be able to provide a greater range of services to our clients within Canada.''

Sutherland will be named president of Crawford Canada, reporting to Jeffrey T. Bowman, managing director of "The Americas'' for Crawford-THG, Crawford & Company's international group.