Sedgwick, the US-based company that took over major loss adjuster Cunningham Lindsey in December, will now be controlled by private equity fund Carlyle Group under a $US6.7 billion ($9.3 billion) deal announced last week.

The transaction will close sometime this year.

“We are humbled by the confidence they have shown in our business model, and we look forward to partnering with Carlyle on developing and delivering innovative solutions for our clients around the world,” Sedgwick CEO Dave North said.

Sedgwick handles more than 3.6 million claims annually and has fiduciary responsibility for claim payments of more than $US19.5 billion ($27.3 billion).

Cunningham Lindsey’s operations in Australia and New Zealand have recently been rebranded to operate under the Sedgwick name.