Surplus Lines Insurance: What It Is and When Your Business Needs It
July 13, 2026
Surplus lines insurance covers businesses the standard market turns away. Learn how non-admitted placements work, what they cost, and when you need one.
Read guideExcess and Surplus Lines Insurance
Find coverage for unusual, high hazard, or hard to place operations that standard markets may decline. We bring complex risks to specialty insurers and explain how their terms differ.
We shop the market for you, no broker fees
Eight relevant markets are shown for comparison. Availability depends on the risk and location, and a logo does not imply a direct appointment.
Markel
Specialty and excess risks
Kinsale
Excess and surplus lines
Chubb
Excess casualty
Travelers
Excess casualty
Great American
Specialty casualty
Philadelphia Insurance Companies
Specialty programs
Starr
Specialty casualty
AmTrust
Specialty commercial risks
For risks that need specialist underwriting
- New or unusual operations
- Higher hazard businesses
- Difficult property locations
- Businesses with complex loss history
What changes your premium
These details help insurers assess your business and price the coverage. Terms and available options vary by insurer.
- The hazard the standard market declined and why
- Your class of business and loss history
- Revenue, payroll or property values, depending on the line
- The limit and retention you need
- The surplus lines taxes and fees in your state, which are stated separately
How it works
10 minute form
A few questions about your business or home.
We shop the market
We compare carriers and read the forms line by line.
Quote and bind
We pick the best policy and get you covered.
What this policy can cover
Hard-to-place risks
Classes and exposures that admitted carriers decline.
High-hazard operations
Higher-risk trades and unusual operations priced by specialty markets.
New or unusual ventures
Startups and uncommon business models without a standard rate.
Custom terms and limits
Coverage tailored when off-the-shelf policies do not fit.
Frequently asked questions
What is excess and surplus lines insurance?
It covers risks that standard admitted carriers decline, placed through non-admitted specialty markets built for hard-to-place exposures.
What is the difference between admitted and non-admitted carriers?
Admitted carriers are backed by the state guaranty fund and use filed rates. Non-admitted surplus lines carriers price flexibly but are not guaranty-fund backed, so their financial strength is key.
When does a business need E&S coverage?
When admitted carriers decline the risk because of class, hazard, size, loss history, or novelty. A surplus lines broker then places it with specialty markets.
Is surplus lines insurance safe?
Non-admitted carriers are not backed by the California guaranty fund, so financial strength matters. We place through eligible, financially strong carriers and review AM Best ratings before binding.
Are there extra taxes or fees?
California charges a surplus lines tax and stamping fee on non-admitted placements. We handle the filing and explain the cost.
Is a surplus lines policy less safe than an admitted one?
It is different rather than worse. Surplus lines carriers are not backed by the state guaranty fund, so the carrier's own financial strength matters more, and we tell you which paper we are putting you on and why. In exchange the form and the appetite are far more flexible, which is often the only way a hard risk gets written at all.
Why is there an extra tax and fee on my quote?
Surplus lines premium carries a state tax and a stamping fee that admitted premium does not. They are stated separately on the invoice rather than buried in the rate.
Bring us the risk others will not place
Tell us what makes the account difficult. We will identify specialty markets and explain the available path forward.