Exhibit 19
BROWN & BROWN, INC.
INSIDER TRADING POLICY
(Amended and Restated January 22, 2025)
In order to take an active role in the prevention of insider trading violations by the directors, officers and other employees of Brown & Brown, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), as well as by certain other individuals, the Company has adopted the policies and procedures described in this Insider Trading Policy (the “Policy”).
Background
The Company and its directors, officers and employees, as well as certain other individuals, must act in a manner that does not misuse material financial or other information that has not been publicly disclosed. In addition to violating the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, insider trading violates laws that impose strict penalties upon both companies and individuals, including financial sanctions and possibly prison.
It is important that you understand the breadth of activities that constitute illegal insider trading and the consequences, which can be severe. Both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the New York Stock Exchange investigate and are very effective at detecting insider trading. The SEC, together with the Department of Justice, pursue insider trading violations vigorously. Cases have been successfully prosecuted against trading by employees through foreign accounts, trading by family members and friends, and trading involving only a small number of shares.
Under federal securities laws, trading or tipping based on material non-public information can result in significant criminal and civil penalties, including: (1) imprisonment for up to 20 years; (2) criminal fines of up to $5 million; (3) civil penalties of up to 3 times the profits gained or losses avoided; (4) awards of prejudgment interest; and (5) private party damages. In addition to damage to reputation, violation of Company policy could result in termination of employment.
At a high level, insider trading occurs when a person uses material non-public information obtained through employment or other involvement with a company to make decisions to purchase, sell or otherwise trade that company’s securities or to provide that information to others outside the company. The prohibition against insider trading applies to trading, tipping and making recommendations to trade by virtually any person, including all persons associated with the company, if the information is “material” and “non-public,” which are discussed in more detail in the following sections.
This Policy is designed to prevent insider trading or allegations of insider trading, and to protect the Company’s reputation for integrity and ethical conduct. It is your obligation to understand and comply with this Policy. Should you have any questions regarding this Policy, please contact the Company’s Corporate Secretary.
Statement of Policies
This Policy applies to all officers of the Company and its subsidiaries, all members of the Company’s Board of Directors, and all employees of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Company may also determine that other persons should be subject to this Policy, such as contractors or consultants who have access to material non-public information. This Policy also applies to Family Members, other members of a person’s household and entities controlled by a person covered by this Policy, as described below.
This Policy applies to all trading or other transactions in: (i) the Company’s securities, including common stock, options and any other securities that the Company may issue, such as preferred stock, notes, bonds and convertible securities, as well as to derivative securities relating to any of the Company’s securities, whether or not issued by the Company and (ii) the securities of certain other companies, including common stock, options and other securities issued by those companies as well as derivative securities relating to any of those companies’ securities, where the person trading used information obtained while working for the Company.
Trading in the Company’s securities by certain designated individuals is prohibited during the Company’s blackout periods. The Company has established four routine quarterly blackout periods (“Quarterly
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Blackout Periods”). During these periods, the below persons often possess information about the Company’s financial results. Each Quarterly Blackout Period begins five business days before the conclusion of each quarter and ends at the beginning of the second business day after the Company’s earnings are released.
Who is subject to the Quarterly Blackout Periods?
What transactions are prohibited during a blackout period?
What transactions are allowed during a blackout period?
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Employees not otherwise subject to the Quarterly Blackout Periods are encouraged to refrain from trading the Company’s securities during the Quarterly Blackout Periods to avoid the appearance of improper trading.
The Quarterly Blackout Periods apply whether or not a reminder notice of the blackout is sent. You are responsible for compliance with this Policy.
In addition to the Quarterly Blackout Periods, the Company may, from time to time, impose other event- specific blackout periods upon notice to those persons who are affected. For example, federal law may require the Company to prohibit certain purchases, sales or transfers of Company stock by directors and officers during a period when 401(k) plan participants are unable to conduct Company stock investment transactions in their 401(k) plan accounts in connection with a change in the 401(k) plan’s trustee, record keeper or investment manager.
What is material information?
Information is “material” if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider the information important in making a decision to buy, hold or sell securities. Any information that could reasonably be expected to have an effect on the Company’s stock price, whether it is positive or negative, should be considered material. Some examples of information that ordinarily would be regarded as material are:
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Information may be material whether it is favorable or unfavorable to the Company. The list of examples provided above is merely illustrative, and there are many other types of information and events that may be material at any particular time, depending on the circumstances. Whenever there is a possibility that an item may be considered “material,” you should treat it as such and you should confer with the Corporate Secretary for a definitive determination.
When is Information “Non-Public”?
If you are aware of material non-public information, you may not trade until the information has been disclosed broadly to the marketplace (such as by press release or an SEC filing) and the investing public has had time to absorb the information fully. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, as a general rule, information should not be considered fully absorbed by the marketplace until the beginning of the second business day after the information is released. If, for example, the Company were to make an announcement on a Thursday, you should not trade in the Company’s securities until Tuesday.
Non-public information may include:
If you are not sure whether information is considered public, you should either consult with the Corporate Secretary or assume that the information is non-public and treat it as confidential.
In addition to complying with the prohibition on trading during blackout periods, because Company insiders are likely to obtain material non-public information on a regular basis, the following individuals
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must first obtain pre-clearance from the Corporate Secretary (or other designated attorneys) before engaging in any transaction in Company securities:
Transactions requiring pre-clearance include all transactions noted above as being prohibited during a blackout period, as well as gifts and any stock option exercise.
In addition, other employees are encouraged to discuss any transaction involving Company’s securities with the Corporate Secretary to make sure there is no pending material event that could create an appearance of improper trading.
A request for pre-clearance to trade in Company securities should be submitted to the Corporate Secretary (or other designated attorneys) at least two business days in advance of the proposed transaction. When a request for pre-clearance is made, the requestor should confirm in the request that he or she (i) has reviewed this Policy and (ii) is not aware of any material non-public information about the Company. If a proposed transaction receives pre-clearance, the pre-cleared trade must be effected within five business days of receipt of pre-clearance unless an exception is granted or the person becomes aware of material non-public information before the trade is executed in which case the preclearance is void and the trade must not be completed. Transactions not effected within the time limit would be subject to pre- clearance again. If a person seeks pre-clearance and permission to engage in the transaction is denied, then he or she should refrain from initiating any transaction in Company securities and should not inform any other person of the restriction.
The duties of the Corporate Secretary under this Policy include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Persons subject to this Policy have ethical and legal obligations to maintain the confidentiality of information about the Company and to not trade in Company securities (or the securities of another company) while in possession of material non-public information. In all cases, the ultimate responsibility for adhering to this Policy and avoiding improper trading rests with you, and any action on the part of the Company, the Corporate Secretary or any other employee or director pursuant to this Policy (or otherwise) does not in any way constitute legal advice or insulate an individual from liability under applicable securities laws. If you violate this Policy, the Company may take disciplinary action, including dismissal for cause. You may also be subject to severe legal penalties under applicable securities laws.
Additional Guidance
Trading includes purchases and sales of common stock, derivative securities such as put and call options and debt securities (debentures, bonds and notes). Trading also includes certain transactions under Company plans, as follows:
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This Policy applies to your family members who reside with you, anyone else who lives in your household, and any family members who do not live in your household but whose transactions in Company securities are directed by you or are subject to your influence or control, such as parents or children who consult with you before they trade in Company securities (collectively referred to as “Family Members”). This Policy also applies to any entities that you influence or control, including any corporations, partnerships or trusts (collectively, “Controlled Entities”). You are responsible for the transactions of these other persons and entities and therefore should make them aware of the need to confer with you before they trade in Company securities, and you should treat all such transactions for the purposes of this Policy and applicable securities laws as if the transactions were for your own account. This Policy does not, however, apply to securities transactions of Family Members or entities where the purchase or sale decision is made by a third party not controlled by, influenced by or related to you or your Family Members.
If you are in possession of material non-public information regarding the Company when you discontinue employment with the Company, you may not trade in Company securities until that information has become public or is no longer material.
Standing and limit orders (except standing and limit orders under approved Rule 10b5-1 plans, as described below) create heightened risks for insider trading violations similar to the use of margin accounts. There is no control over the timing of purchases or sales that result from standing instructions to a broker, and as a result the broker could execute a transaction when a director, officer or other employee is in possession of material non-public information. The Company therefore discourages placing standing or limit orders on Company securities. If a person subject to this Policy determines that they must use a standing order or limit order, the order should be limited to short duration and should otherwise comply with the restrictions and procedures outlined elsewhere in this Policy.
The Company’s directors and officers designated as “officers” under Rule 16a-1(f) of the Exchange Act by the Board of Directors (referred to as “Section 16 Officers”) are required to make certain reports regarding their ownership of Company securities under Section 16 of the Exchange Act. The Corporate Secretary will assist reporting persons in preparing and filing the required reports; however, reporting persons retain responsibility for the reports.
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The Company’s directors and certain officers designated by the Board of Directors are required to file Form 144 before making certain sales of Company securities. Form 144 notifies the SEC of your intent to sell Company securities. This form is generally prepared and filed by your broker and is in addition to the Section 16 reports filed on your behalf by the Corporate Secretary.
Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act provides a defense from insider trading liability under Rule 10b-5. In order to be eligible to rely on this defense, a person subject to this Policy must enter into a “10b5-1 plan” for transactions in Company securities that meet certain conditions specified in Rule 10b5-1. If the plan meets the requirements of Rule 10b5-1, Company securities may be purchased or sold without regard to certain insider trading restrictions.
In general, a 10b5-1 plan must be entered into at a time when the person entering into the plan is not aware of material non-public information. Once the plan is adopted, the person must not exercise any influence over the amount of securities to be traded, the price at which they are to be traded or the date of the trade. The plan must either specify the amount, pricing and timing of transactions in advance or delegate discretion on these matters to an independent third party.
To comply with this Policy, a 10b5-1 plan must be approved by the Corporate Secretary and meet the following requirements:
If you are considering entering into, modifying or terminating a 10b5-1 plan or have any questions regarding Rule 10b5-1 plans, please contact the Corporate Secretary. You should also consult your own
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legal and tax advisors before entering into, or modifying or terminating, a 10b5-1 plan. A trading plan, contract, instruction or arrangement will not qualify as an a 10b5-1 plan without the prior review and approval of the Corporate Secretary as described above.
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