“When we compare the Surety industry to other specialty insurance lines, it’s clear Surety is modernizing more slowly,” says Everest Group’s Practice Director Aurindum Mukherjee. At the same time, a recent Surety Outlook: Technology Ops and Benchmarks survey revealed that the Surety firms that have modernized are already seeing meaningful results. 

“The most efficient Surety firms are three times more productive than the least,” notes Mukherjee, “and the difference is not down to size. We see some mid-size players that are significantly more productive than much larger organizations: what really drives the gap is execution, not scale. The most efficient Surety players tend to have higher levels of automation.”

In other words, automation is becoming a competitive advantage in Surety. The question is no longer whether to automate but how to do it thoughtfully. Below is a practical look at why automation matters for Surety carriers, and how to approach it without sacrificing control or discipline.

Why Automate?

In a market where productivity gaps are widening, automation has become one of the clearest levers Surety firms can pull to improve efficiency and scale.

Increase Efficiency and Reduce Costs

Well-designed Surety platforms dramatically reduce time spent on repetitive, manual tasks. That lowers operating costs, increases throughput, and allows teams to handle more volume without adding headcount.

Improve Broker and Customer Experience

The Surety Outlook: Technology Ops and Benchmarks survey, conducted by Everest Group, shows brokers prioritize speed and ease when choosing carriers. Faster turnaround, fewer handoffs, and simpler workflows make it easier to do business—and easier to win repeat submissions.

Stay on the Right Side of the Productivity Gap

As Mukherjee puts it, “the productivity gap in Surety isn’t about size.” Firms with better system integration and higher levels of automation consistently outperform their peers.

Enable Growth Without Operational Drag

Automation can also unlock new markets. In one example, a new market entrant used Tinubu’s platform to launch contract Surety with a unified, repeatable process—without a major increase in staffing. Automation made scale possible from day one.

Strengthen Risk Intelligence

By automating routine work, underwriters gain time to focus on judgment, analysis, and exception handling—improving both speed and risk oversight.

How to Automate: A Strategic Approach 

Take a Hard Look at Your Software

Carriers running legacy or homegrown systems should assess whether those platforms can scale and evolve. “If a carrier is spending heavily just to keep a legacy system running, those maintenance costs never go away,” says Mukherjee.
Datos Insights reports that many insurers spend over 75% of their IT budgets simply “keeping the lights on,” leaving little room for innovation. Transitioning to a cloud-based SaaS platform becomes more sustainable than perpetually upgrading aging infrastructure.

Consider Your Automation Priorities

When assessing a Surety platform, ask whether it can automate the specific tasks you would like it to handle, or whether such features are in the pipeline. For example: 

• Increase Underwriting Speed: Choose a platform that supports rules-based automated underwriting for simple bonds, and can also perform administrative and categorization tasks on more complex bonds. This allows underwriters to work faster and use their time where it is most needed.

• Improve Bond Profit: High volume, low margin bonds can be fully automated with the right software, substantially improving margins and customer satisfaction.

• Status Inquiries: Take this crucial operation from pain point to strategic advantage. Tinubu will soon launch a feature which automates the entire process of status inquiries to improve visibility, response rates, and more. 

Prioritize User Experience

A well-designed user experience is not a nice-to-have; it’s fundamental. As the Datos report states, “Newer generations of producers and policyholders have higher expectations for technology and usability and won’t tolerate the inefficiencies and poor user experience that legacy solutions offer.” Inadequate UX can lead to underutilization of the platform, forcing employees to rely on inefficient workarounds.

At Tinubu, recognizing the need to continuously adopt UX best practices, we brought in new experts to enhance platform usability, design intuitive experiences, and address customer feedback. Whether developing a custom platform or selecting a SaaS provider, prioritize solutions that invest in good user interfaces and intuitive self-service portals for agents and clients.

Focus On Innovation—Or, Better Yet, Don’t

For a Surety platform to be effective over time, it needs continuous maintenance, upgrades, and innovation. When carriers use in-house systems, they must dedicate teams and resources to ongoing R&D to ensure compatibility with emerging technologies and market shifts. To offload this responsibility and its associated costs, consider partnering with a SaaS provider like Tinubu that gives carriers access to a continuously evolving platform backed by industry research and best practices.

The Pragmatic Path Forward

“The goal of automation isn’t about speeding everything up blindly,” says Mukherjee. “It’s about improving control, visibility and efficiency, with a focus on removing the friction from everyday work.” 

The role of modern SaaS platforms is critical in this process. Partnering with a specialized provider offers access to significant efficiency gains, continuous R&D, robust security, and a best-practice UX, freeing carriers to focus on their core expertise while positioning themselves for growth.