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Houston International Insurance Group
John A. Popp built Houston International Insurance Group from an MGA into a specialty carrier deploying underwriting profits as family capital.
Houston International Insurance Group
John A. Popp founded Houston International Insurance Group (HIIG) in 2007, building what began as a managing general agency for specialty commercial lines into a full-stack insurance carrier. The firm is structured as a family-owned holding company with Popp as CEO and primary owner, alongside insiders including President William H. Collier (per public record). The wealth was generated by underwriting profits and subsequent premium growth rather than a pre-existing fortune. HIIG underwrites excess-liability, property, workers' compensation, and commercial auto lines through wholly owned subsidiaries in multiple states. The group also operates a captive insurance company that retains and reinsures a portion of its own risk. Asset-class exposure is dominated by insurance-linked securities and fixed-income instruments used to collateralize underwriting obligations. Confirmed lines of business include general liability, professional liability, and umbrella coverage. Geographic footprint covers the US with a focus on the Gulf Coast and Southeast states. The firm does not publicly disclose AUM or total deployment. John Popp has not established any publicly known philanthropic foundation or parallel investment vehicle. HIIG is privately held and files no public shareholder reports. The lack of disclosed debt or external investors suggests the family retains full ownership. What distinguishes HIIG is that the family office is the insurer — the operating company itself generates the wealth and holds the investments, making capital allocation a byproduct of underwriting. This integrated structure is rare among family offices and gives the principals direct control over both origination and investment decisions.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Houston
Corporate office
Houston, TX, United States
Principals
John A. Popp
Founder & CEO
William H. Collier
President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Houston International Insurance Group?
John A. Popp, as CEO and principal owner, holds final authority over capital deployment and reinsurance strategy. The group's own underwriting teams operate as the de facto investment desk, with investment decisions tied directly to the insurance liabilities they originate (public record).
Is HIIG structured as a single family office or does it operate more like an insurance holding company?
HIIG is first an insurance carrier — it underwrites specialty commercial lines — and second a family office. The Popp family retains full ownership and uses underwriting profits as the primary capital base. The firm files no public financials, suggesting no external limited partners.
What investment stages and asset classes does HIIG typically target?
HIIG does not operate like a typical family office with defined stage or sector targets. Its investment universe is the insurance-linked securities market — primarily fixed-income instruments used to collateralize loss reserves and reinsurance arrangements. The firm's direct portfolio companies are the insurance subsidiaries themselves.
Does HIIG participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
There is no evidence HIIG commits to external private-equity or hedge funds. All known capital is deployed directly through the group's own underwriting, reinsurance, and investment of premiums. The captive insurance structure indicates a preference for self-funding rather than LP-style allocations.
What lines of business does HIIG specialize in?
HIIG focuses on specialty commercial lines including excess liability, umbrella, workers' compensation, commercial auto, general liability, and property. Underwriting is concentrated on the US Gulf Coast and Southeast states (per carrier filings and public records). The group does not underwrite personal lines.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The wealth originates from underwriting profits and premium growth of Houston International Insurance Group, a specialty insurance carrier founded by John A. Popp in 2007. Neither Popp nor the business has disclosed any prior family fortune, suggesting the wealth was created by the insurance operations themselves.
Does HIIG maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
There is no publicly identifiable philanthropic foundation or non-profit linked to John A. Popp or HIIG. The firm does not disclose charitable giving or separate vehicles. If such structures exist, they are not published in public records or regulatory filings.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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