Guy Carpenter & Company announced that it has entered an agreement to buy all of the issued shares of the London-based reinsurance broker Rattner Mackenzie Limited from HCC Insurance Holdings.

Founded in 1988, RML is a Lloyd's broker marketing specialty accident and health, aviation, trade credit, property and casualty insurance and reinsurance based in London.

The transaction is expected to close in October 2009 following receipt of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other closing conditions. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, HCC Insurance Holdings is a leading international specialty insurance group with offices across the United States and in Bermuda, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. HCC has assets of $8.9 billion, shareholders' equity of $2.8 billion and is rated AA (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor's and AA (Very Strong) by Fitch Ratings. In addition, HCC's major domestic insurance companies are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company.