Constellation Insurance Holdings Inc. — a 2-year-old insurance holding company with money from Canadian public pension plans — has agreed to pay $1 billion to acquire the mutual holding company that owns Ohio National Financial Services, the companies announced today.
Ohio National Mutual Holdings Inc. is the parent of Ohio National Financial Services. Ohio National's best known subsidiary, The Ohio National Life Insurance Company, has been doing business in Cincinnati since 1909.
Barbara Turner, Ohio National's CEO, said in a statement that the company agreed to the deal "in the midst of a challenging economic environment, historically low interest rates, increased regulatory costs and pressure for the entire industry."
The Constellation deal will fortify Ohio National with more capital and create a more flexible capital structure, to manage risk and support the future growth of the business, Turner said.
Anurag Chandra, the founder, chairman and CEO of Constellation, said his firm wants to give Ohio National and other insurers more access to capital, "while preserving the independence, brand, existing operations and culture for which they are recognized."
The Deal
A mutual holding company for an insurer is a corporation that's owned by the insurer's policyholders.
Constellation plans to help Ohio National shift away from the mutual holding company structure, through a process called a "sponsored demutualization," the companies said.
Constellation will provide $500 million that Ohio National could use to pay the policyholder owners to extinguish their mutual holding company ownership interests, the companies said.
Also, Constellation will add $500 million in capital to the company over four years, to strengthen its capital position and its ability to meet its obligations, the companies said.
