Clear Group Expands Construction Insurance Expertise with Blackhawk Acquisition

Clear Group has acquired Blackhawk Insurance Services Limited, a move that significantly bolsters the intermediary’s footprint in the UK construction sector. For brokers and MGAs, this acquisition highlights the ongoing consolidation of niche expertise within the commercial lines market, as larger groups seek to deepen their technical underwriting capabilities in high-risk industries.

What was announced

Clear Group, a prominent independent insurance intermediary in the UK, has completed the acquisition of Blackhawk Insurance Services Limited. Based in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, Blackhawk has carved out a specific niche as a provider of specialist insurance solutions tailored for the construction industry. This acquisition is designed to integrate Blackhawk’s sector-specific knowledge into Clear Group’s existing construction specialism, adding significant depth to its capabilities in this high-stakes market.

The deal aims to provide Blackhawk with access to the broader resources and platform of the Clear Group while allowing the Essex-based firm to continue serving its client base with its established expertise. The move is part of Clear Group’s broader strategy to blend organic growth with targeted acquisitions that bring in specialized knowledge and enhance the group's overall proposition. By absorbing Blackhawk’s team and portfolio, Clear Group strengthens its position in a market segment that requires precise risk assessment and bespoke policy structures.

The acquisition is intended to create opportunities for continued growth by combining Blackhawk's local reputation and industry knowledge with the wider capabilities of the Clear Group. For Blackhawk, the transition into the Clear Group framework offers an opportunity to build upon its established business model while drawing on the extensive resources and capabilities available across the wider organization. No specific financial terms or transaction values were disclosed in the announcement, but the focus remains on expanding the group's capacity to handle complex construction risks across its growing network.

"Blackhawk is an excellent addition to Clear and a natural fit with our existing specialist capabilities. The business brings complementary experience and knowledge that will add further depth to our offering in an important market for the Group."

Mike Edgeley, Group CEO of Clear Group

"Joining Clear represents an exciting opportunity for Blackhawk and our clients. We have built our business around understanding the particular insurance challenges our clients face and delivering solutions that meet their individual needs."

Mark Kemp, Managing Director at Blackhawk Insurance Services Limited

The companies involved

Clear Group is one of the UK’s leading independent insurance intermediaries, focusing on the commercial insurance sector. The group has established itself as a significant player in the market by pursuing a strategy of acquiring specialist brokers that bring unique expertise to the wider organization. By providing a centralized platform and resources, Clear Group enables its acquired businesses to scale while maintaining their specialist focus. The group’s portfolio includes a variety of niche specialisms, with construction being a key area of focus for its ongoing expansion. Clear Group positions itself as a partner for smaller, expert firms looking to scale their operations through shared resources and a larger corporate platform.

Blackhawk Insurance Services Limited, headquartered in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, operates as a specialist broker with a primary focus on the construction sector. The firm has built its reputation on navigating the unique insurance challenges faced by construction firms, providing tailored solutions that address the specific liabilities and operational risks inherent in the industry. Under the leadership of Managing Director Mark Kemp, Blackhawk has maintained a focus on personal service and industry-specific knowledge. As a specialist in construction, Blackhawk provides a bridge between complex industry risks and the insurance capacity required to cover them, a role that will now be supported by the wider Clear Group infrastructure.

What this means from an insurtech perspective

This acquisition underscores the high value placed on domain expertise in the current insurance landscape. For carriers and MGAs, the consolidation of specialist construction brokers like Blackhawk into larger entities like Clear Group suggests a tightening of the distribution channel for niche commercial lines. It places pressure on generalist brokers who lack deep technical knowledge in complex sectors. From an underwriting perspective, the challenge for Clear Group will be the seamless integration of Blackhawk’s specialist data into its core systems without losing the granular risk insights that define construction insurance. For reinsurers, this move creates a more concentrated point of access to high-quality construction risk, potentially streamlining capacity placement but also increasing the bargaining power of the intermediary in negotiations.