Higginbotham Expands Alabama Presence with Harmon Dennis Bradshaw Acquisition

Move Brings Commercial Scale and Benefits Strength, Gives HDB a Larger Platform to Grow

Apr. 16, 2026 at 4:53pm

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A photorealistic studio still-life featuring a stack of insurance policies, a pen, and a calculator arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the merger of two insurance firms.The strategic partnership between Higginbotham and Harmon Dennis Bradshaw brings together two leading insurance firms, strengthening their commercial capabilities and expanding their reach across Alabama.Montgomery Today

Higginbotham, a Texas-based insurance and financial services firm, has announced a partnership with Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc. (HDB), an independent insurance and risk management firm based in Montgomery, Alabama. The move will strengthen HDB's commercial capabilities and employee benefits practice, while providing the firm with additional resources and support from Higginbotham's national platform.

Why it matters

The acquisition marks an important strategic move for Higginbotham as it continues to expand its footprint in the Southeast, particularly in the growing Alabama market. For HDB, the partnership provides access to deeper resources and expertise to better serve its large commercial clients, while preserving the firm's local decision-making and community-focused culture.

The details

Under the agreement, HDB will maintain its brand, leadership team, and offices in Montgomery, Birmingham, Troy, and Duluth, Georgia. The partnership will allow HDB to leverage Higginbotham's national resources, including its proprietary Day Two Services, to enhance the services it provides to its property and casualty, employee benefits, and complex commercial clients.

  • Higginbotham and HDB announced the partnership on April 16, 2026.

The players

Higginbotham

A broad-based, employee-owned insurance and financial services firm headquartered in Texas.

Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc. (HDB)

An independent insurance and risk management firm based in Montgomery, Alabama, with additional offices in Birmingham, Troy, and Duluth, Georgia. HDB provides property and casualty insurance, employee benefits, and advisory support for complex commercial organizations.

Rusty Reid

Chairman and CEO of Higginbotham.

David J. Dennis, CPIA

President of Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc.

Jennifer Hill, CPCU

Vice President and Operations Director of Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc.

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What they’re saying

“This is an important move for Higginbotham in Alabama. HDB has established itself as one of the largest independent firms in the state, and they bring strong commercial capabilities, a rapidly growing employee benefits practice and a team culture that fits how we work.”

— Rusty Reid, Chairman and CEO, Higginbotham

“Risk management, contract review, claims advocacy, guidance for clients operating in a heavy regulatory environment — these are things we already provide. The difference is having deeper resources available on demand, whenever a client needs them. With Higginbotham behind us, those services can be part of our core model.”

— David J. Dennis, CPIA, President, Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc.

“Our ten shareholders are used to making decisions as owners. Higginbotham provides a structure where our leadership stays here, our people keep a stake in the business and we don't turn into someone else's branch office.”

— David J. Dennis, CPIA, President, Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc.

“We've got people who have been with the agency a long time but do not have the ability to buy in because we don't have any shares left to sell them. And that's a problem. We may be a big agency, but we have a real family culture. Our people are the reason for our growth and success and they deserve to have a stake in our future.”

— Jennifer Hill, CPCU, Vice President and Operations Director, Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, Inc.

What’s next

The partnership is expected to provide HDB with additional resources and support to continue growing its commercial and employee benefits practices across Alabama and the Southeast.

The takeaway

The acquisition of HDB by Higginbotham represents a strategic move to expand the latter's presence in the growing Alabama insurance market, while also preserving HDB's local decision-making and community-focused culture. The partnership will strengthen HDB's capabilities to serve large commercial clients, while creating new opportunities for employee ownership and growth.