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Relation Insurance Services buys Mid-State Insurance to expand Wisconsin
The acquisition took effect March 31, and it arrives as first-half North American insurance agency deal volume fell 15% year over year to 292, the lowest for seven years.
Relation Insurance Services has acquired the assets of Mid-State Insurance, a Mequon, Wisconsin agency that writes commercial, employee benefits, and personal lines business. The transaction took effect March 31, though financial terms were not disclosed.
Mid-State, which said it primarily serves clients across Wisconsin and northern Illinois, expanded into a full-service, multi-line operation after launching in 1986 as an independent life and health agency. Mid-State President Joe LaBarbera said the decision centered on operational alignment and shared values, adding that the move will allow the agency to enhance services with additional resources, capabilities, and national scale.
Relation CEO Tim Hall said the company plans to grow its Wisconsin footprint through the Mid-State team. The deal is among the first completed by Relation under its newer ownership, after Boston-based private equity firm BayPine acquired the brokerage in January 2026 from Aquiline Capital Partners.
Industry context comes as national agency deal activity has cooled. According to OPTIS Partners data cited in the announcement, North American insurance agency acquisitions totaled 292 in the first half of 2026, down 15% from a year earlier and the lowest first-half total in seven years. Relation has also pursued other expansion moves in 2026, including acquiring California crop insurer Crop Rx in May and adding specialty lines executives in July.