Broker-Carrier Alignment: a Growing Divergence

Surety has always been built on relationships. Brokers and carriers depend on each other to issue bonds quickly, keep clients satisfied, and maintain the industry’s reputation for reliability. But while both sides want the same outcome, a new survey shows they aren’t always speaking the same language.

Surety Outlook 2025: Tech & Ops Benchmarks, conducted independently by Everest Group and commissioned by Tinubu Surety, reveals a widening gap in expectations between brokers and carriers — particularly around turnaround times. [Sign up to be among the first to access the full report.]

For brokers, slow responses can feel like a deal-breaker in a market where speed drives client satisfaction. For carriers, internal processes and legacy systems often make those expectations difficult to meet.

Misaligned Expectations

The Surety industry is modernizing, but unevenly. One of the most tangible symptoms of the industry’s modernization gap is the widespread misalignment of the ideal turnaround times for bond issuance.

For contract Surety:

• New client submissions often take three to five days or more, but modern systems can cut that time in half.
• For repeat business, brokers overwhelmingly expect same-day issuance, yet fewer than 40% of carriers consistently meet that benchmark.

For commercial Surety:

• Small, routine bonds can be issued in hours with modern software, but only 12% of insurers consistently achieve same-day issuance. Larger or more complex accounts often still take multiple days.
• Expectation gap: Brokers view one to two days as acceptable for large accounts, while some carriers report timelines of three or more days.
  
  

What’s Missing: SLAs and Standardization

The absence of consistent service-level agreements (SLAs) and standardized digital processes is fueling the disconnect. Closing the gap requires two things: clearer communication between brokers and carriers, and faster, tech-enabled bond issuance without sacrificing underwriting quality.

Finding Consensus

For carriers, this isn’t just a pain point — it’s a chance to differentiate. Those who embrace modern Surety platforms can accelerate turnaround times, align expectations, and ultimately win more business by strengthening broker relationships and improving client satisfaction.

The survey uncovers much more, but the message is clear: while Surety market fundamentals remain strong, operational inefficiencies continue to hold the industry back.

Be the first to gain further insights and access the full survey when it goes live—sign up to get the complete Surety Outlook 2025: Tech & Ops Benchmarks.