International loss adjuster Crawford & Company is to re-establish its brand in New Zealand through an associate arrangement with Cerno NZ.

It is understood the shareholders of Cerno NZ, who are primarily loss adjusters, approached Crawfords with an offer to switch brands after Cerno Australia joined forces with claims services company Stream, whose New Zealand operation competes with Cerno NZ.

Crawford Australia CEO Andrew Bart told insuranceNEWS.com.au that his company has not acquired Cerno NZ, but the associate arrangement allows it to trade under the brand and it will “in all respects operate in the same way as other parts of the business”.

“We were seeking to expand our capability and this new relationship meets the needs of the business and its clients.”

Cerno NZ will merge with high-end loss adjusters Thomas Pasley & Associates, and Mr Bart says the new arrangement – effective from November 1 – will give his company access to the skills of 200 staff across 25 locations in New Zealand.

“Cerno NZ in its own right is one of the largest loss adjusters in New Zealand,” CEO Dean Garrod said. “This is just a way of us enhancing our business.”

Cerno Australia GM Strategy and Innovation Ian Simpson says the move will have no impact on the Australian company at all as his company and Cerno NZ shared a common name only. Nor was there any financial interdependency or common shareholding.

He told insuranceNEWS.com.au the two entities “had no more than a history of co-operating”, and the New Zealand company “has done no more than change its trading name”.

“Cerno Australia will utilise Stream NZ resources to maintain our catastrophe capability, which in effect left Cerno NZ without an international partner,” he said.

“In order to reduce confusion, Cerno NZ has decided to change its name to Crawfords.”