Argo Group

Argo Group's story began in 1948 when Argonaut Insurance Exchange was founded in California. This marked the initial step in what would become a significant journey in the specialty insurance sector. Over the decades, the company strategically expanded its offerings and reach. A pivotal moment arrived in 2000 when Mark E. Watson III took the helm as President and CEO, a role he had been prepared for as a board member since 1999. The following year, in 2001, the company relocated its corporate office to San Antonio, Texas, signaling a new chapter. Growth continued with key acquisitions, such as Front Royal, Inc. in the early 2000s, which broadened its product lines and underwriting capabilities. This was followed by the establishment of Trident Insurance to enter the public entity market and the acquisition of Fulcrum, an excess and surplus lines underwriter, in 2002.

The mid-2000s saw further expansion with the acquisition of Grocers in 2003 and renewal rights from Interstate Insurance Group in 2005. That same year, Argonaut Specialty was created to handle larger accounts. A significant transformation occurred in 2007 with the merger with Bermuda-based PXRE, which propelled the company into the reinsurance market and led to its renaming as Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd., with its public company home office moving to Bermuda. The year 2008 was particularly active: Argo Group rebranded, its U.S. operations became Argo Group US, Peleus Re was renamed Argo Re, and its European operations became Argo Solutions. The company also entered the surety insurance market with Argo Surety and acquired Insight Insurance, a specialist in professional liability. This period also saw the establishment of Argo Pro to consolidate professional liability operations. The company continued to evolve, moving its shares from NASDAQ to the New York Stock Exchange in 2018. A major ownership change took place on November 16, 2023, when Brookfield Reinsurance acquired the firm. Most recently, in March 2025, Chris Donahue was appointed CEO, succeeding Jessica Buss, as Argo Group continues to focus on its U.S.-focused specialty property and casualty insurance operations from its New York headquarters.