Insurance claims service provider Davies Group has acquired specialist defendant motor claims business Managed Fleet Services.

The deal means that Davies now has a motor claims capability to complement its commercial property, injury, disease and household business lines.

Based in Colchester, MFS was established in 2007. The business has grown rapidly in that time and now works UK-wide on behalf of specialist insurers, underwriters and fleets with a large retention of risk.

More than 65 staff provide claims and repair management services, including first notification of loss, repair management, bodily injury and credit hire defence/validation and loss recovery claims handling.

MFS founders Mike Covington and Ian Blackford become joint managing directors, reporting to Davies CEO Dan Saulter.

The MFS brand will be retained, and MFS will work closely with Davies's other businesses, including Garwyn (a specialist liability adjuster).

Dan Saulter, CEO of Davies Group, said: "We identified motor claims as a priority expansion area for our growing group. MFS is a leader in its field, focused on defendant motor, with a culture very much aligned to ours.

"MFS has a great team of people, and lots of potential to continue to grow."