CRC Group is a leading independent wholesale specialty insurance distributor headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm was founded in 1982 and has grown into one of North America’s largest pure-play wholesale brokerages, serving retail brokers and carrier partners. It operates through specialty brokerage, underwriting, and employee benefits divisions.

Website: crcgroup.com

Head office address: 550 South Caldwell Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

Founded: 1982

Company type: private; owned by Stone Point Capital and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice

Business focus: wholesale specialty insurance distribution, underwriting, and employee benefits

Regions served: United States, with international operations following the 2025 Atrium acquisition

History of CRC Group

The company began in 1982 as a wholesale insurance distributor. Over more than four decades, it expanded through acquisitions and organic growth to become one of North America’s largest independent specialty distributors. Key milestones include:

• 1982: CRC Group is founded as a wholesale specialty insurance distributor
• 2022: the company acquires BenefitMall, entering employee benefits distribution at scale
• 2024: Stone Point Capital and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice acquire the business from Truist Insurance Holdings
• 2024: the distributor acquires SLB Insurance Group, expanding its Southeast binding authority operations
• 2025: CRC undergoes a strategic rebrand, consolidating into two divisions, Specialty + Benefits and Underwriting
• 2025: the firm acquires Atrium Underwriting Group, a London-based Lloyd’s managing agency, its first investment outside North America
• 2026: the group acquires Euclid Transactional, a global transactional insurance underwriting and claims MGA

The 2024 acquisition by Stone Point Capital and CD&R marked a turning point, providing fresh capital for a renewed push into specialty underwriting and international markets.

What does CRC Group distribute?

The distributor operates through two main divisions, each serving a distinct part of the specialty market. Its wholesale and underwriting businesses help retail brokers place non-standard or hard-to-place risks. Core capabilities include:

Specialty + Benefits

• wholesale property and casualty brokerage under the CRC Specialty brand
• employee benefits distribution under CRC Benefits
• excess and surplus lines for risks outside the standard market
• binding authority programs across commercial lines

Underwriting

• specialty program underwriting through Starwind Specialty Insurance Services
• catastrophe-exposed property underwriting through AmRisc
• transactional liability underwriting and claims through Euclid Transactional

CRC says it works with more than 650 carrier partners, giving retail brokers access to a broad panel of admitted and non-admitted markets across property, casualty, professional liability, and employee benefits.

CRC Group in the market

The company competes in the excess and surplus (E&S) and specialty wholesale segment. Its scale, carrier relationships, and underwriting capabilities position it as a significant consolidator in a fragmented distribution market. The 2025 Atrium acquisition extended the firm’s reach into Lloyd’s, while the 2026 Euclid deal added transactional insurance expertise. Private-equity backing from Stone Point and CD&R provides capital for continued acquisition activity.

Awards and recognition

The firm has been recognized by Insurance Business America for its work in the specialty wholesale market. In the IBA Hot 100 2026, one of its senior leaders was named among the top 100 insurance leaders in the United States. The list recognizes professionals who shaped the industry over the previous 12 months.

The IBA Hot 100 2026 is one of Insurance Business America’s flagship recognition programs, highlighting leadership across the US insurance market.