Empowering Agents: A Carrier’s Direct-to-Principal Bond Approach
As the Surety industry continues to evolve, one area gaining traction is the digitization of transactional bond sales that allow principals to self-serve. Industry trends indicate a growing shift toward online platforms for initiating and completing commercial Surety bonds, particularly those under $25,000. As key Surety stakeholders increasingly expect fast, digital-first solutions, surety carriers who provide agents with modern tools can differentiate themselves.
We spoke with a Surety automation leader at a rapidly growing, newer entrant—one that views digitization as a key differentiator. In this Q&A, they share how they’re leveraging Tinubu’s Surety Solution for Carriers (TSC) platform to power direct-to-principal sales, enabling agents to sell commercial Surety bonds efficiently online.
Q: Why was offering a digital, direct-to-principal solution important for your business?
A: We issue a high volume of commercial bonds – many instant issue. These bonds don’t typically require heavy underwriting or much back-and-forth with the agent. But we found agents were still spending a lot of time manually fielding quote requests or guiding customers through applications—especially for small, transactional bonds.
We asked ourselves: What if we could reduce that friction and make the process more self-service for the end user?
That’s what led us to look for a SaaS platform that could support a streamlined, agent-branded digital flow that principals could use independently. And it had to be easy for agents to implement—something they could link to from a website, email, or even a social post.
Q: Why partner with Tinubu?
A: Tinubu’s one of the only technology companies in the marketplace that offers both a modern policy admin system and a way to extend that digitally to agents in a low-lift way. We’re a smaller, high-growth carrier, and we didn’t have the bandwidth to build this ourselves.
The Tinubu platform allowed us to quickly launch agent-branded, self-service bond portals, where the agent simply provides a logo and bond classes they want to offer. Tinubu handles the backend, issuance, and compliance. For us, that was a game-changer—it let us scale distribution without increasing operational burden.
Q: What does the agent experience look like today?
A: It’s really streamlined. Once an agent is approved, we provide a customized link to their branded portal. They can add it to their website, drop it into emails, even use it on social media. Some agents create landing pages to drive traffic; others just use it as a transactional tool when someone calls in.
What’s great is that once the principal uses the link, the agent is automatically tied to that business. They get full credit and commission but don’t have to be involved in every step of a simple, transactional bond.
For the agent, it’s almost like setting up a passive income stream. They’re essentially letting their website or marketing do the work for them.
Q: Have you seen strong adoption from agents so far?
A: Yes—especially with agents who are more digitally savvy. Once they understand how easy it is to implement and how little ongoing work is required, the value becomes obvious.
One agent started promoting their link through email campaigns and Google ads. Within a couple of months, they had dozens of bond sales come through, all without having to field a single phone call. Another added their direct Surety bond purchasing link to their LinkedIn profile and saw results almost immediately.
There’s a clear appetite for this kind of solution. Agents want tools that make them look good and save them time—and this does both.
Q: Have you customized the experience for specific agents?
A: Yes. Flexibility has been key to adoption. If an agent wants different branding, bond limits, or a custom message on the portal, we can usually accommodate that pretty quickly.
We’ve also worked with some agents to embed the form directly into their website instead of redirecting to an external page. That helps keep the experience cohesive for their customers. It’s those small things—branding, tone, control—that build loyalty. When agents feel like you’re investing in their success, they’re more likely to double down on the relationship.
Q: How does this fit into your broader growth strategy?
A: We were recently acquired by a larger organization, but we still operate with a startup mindset—lean, fast-moving, and very focused on ease of doing business.
This approach lets us grow efficiently. We can onboard new agents quickly and enable them to start generating revenue almost immediately. It’s scalable, low-cost, and aligned with how agents want to work today.
Our long-term goal is to keep expanding our agent base while continually improving the tech. Whether that’s more bond types, better analytics, or new integrations, we’re always looking for ways to level up the experience.
Q: What advice would you give other carriers considering a similar model?
A: Listen to your agents. Many are looking for a better way to handle small bonds. If you give them a tool that makes their life easier—and their business more profitable—they’ll use it.
Second, don’t try to build everything yourself. A platform like Tinubu’s Surety Solution for Carriers makes direct-to-principal distribution possible without a massive development lift.
Lastly, start small, but move fast. We launched with a handful of agents, tested the model, and scaled from there. The key is momentum.
The Future of Surety Is Agent-Enabled, Digital-First
This customer’s approach demonstrates how carriers can scale efficiently by equipping agents with direct-to-principal tools. The result: streamlined distribution, stronger partnerships, and more premium—without added complexity.
With platforms like Tinubu’s Surety Solution for Carriers, this shift is happening at scale. Principals expect seamless, Amazon-like purchasing experiences. Agents prioritize carriers that offer time-saving tools that drive revenue. The time to modernize is now.
