A new 2025 Surety research study surfaced a clear message from brokers: underwriting response time matters. Slow responses aren’t just an inconvenience. They’re a top pain point that can cause brokers to shift business to carriers who can move faster.

That speed gap presents a major opportunity. With the right technology, carriers can shorten response times without sacrificing quality or control. Tinubu’s platform supports that shift by automating repetitive steps, applying carrier-defined rules, and removing friction from the underwriting workflow — all while maintaining underwriting discipline.

The Power of Configurable Rules

One key way Tinubu speeds up underwriting is via its system of configurable rules. This functionality allows carriers to automate decisions based on specific, custom-defined criteria, significantly reducing manual review while ensuring that decisions are still made based on a carrier’s underwriting preferences.

• System Setting Rules: Tinubu provides a list of 10-15 pre-built system settings that clients can configure. For example, one commonly used criterion is credit score. A carrier can set a rule to automatically reject applications with, for example a score below 400, and auto-pass those above 700. The system can also be set so that edge cases (a score of 680, for example) are automatically referred to a human underwriter. This instantly triages submissions and ensures underwriters focus their expertise where it’s most needed.
• Custom Question Rules: Beyond system settings, carriers can create custom questions within bond application forms—such as “Have you ever declared bankruptcy?” or “Have you been convicted of a felony?”—and assign rules based on the answers. Those rules determine the subsequent workflow, automatically routing applications to the appropriate team or individual based on the risk profile revealed by the answers.
• Automated Rating: This rules-based logic extends to pricing. The system can be configured to automatically apply discounts or calculate premiums based on the criteria met, further speeding up the final issuance process.
  
  

Applicable Across Bond Types

While these rules are most heavily utilized for high-volume, lower-premium commercial bonds, their functionality is available for larger contract bonds as well.

Commercial Bonds

For commercial bonds, the goal is maximum efficiency. These bonds are high-volume and low-margin, so carriers benefit from automating as much of the underwriting workflow as possible. Automation increases the number of bonds a carrier can issue while reducing time spent per bond. And because brokers value speed, carriers that respond faster become more attractive partners and capture more business.

Contract Bonds

For higher-value contract bonds, rules may not be used to automate decisions, but they can still accelerate underwriting. Carriers can apply rules at the account setup stage to trigger targeted due diligence questions and highlight areas requiring deeper review. For example, if an applicant indicates a past bankruptcy, the system can surface relevant follow-up questions so underwriters focus on the right factors (e.g., whether the bankruptcy stemmed from personal circumstances or business failure). Even without automated approvals, underwriting teams save time and direct their expertise where it matters most.

More Automation, Less Data Entry: SureLynx

For situations where human underwriting isn’t needed, but speed is, Tinubu offers SureLinks, a direct-to-principal portal designed for low-risk, high-volume commercial bonds.

This technology allows agencies or carriers to create a branded, configurable link they can embed on their website. A customer can search for a bond, land on the site, answer a short set of carrier-defined questions, complete payment, and—if all automated rules are satisfied—receive their bond instantly.

This creates a win-win: the customer gets instant service, and the carrier or broker earns premium on bonds that would be far less profitable to underwrite manually.

The Future: Further Modernization

Tinubu is continually expanding its automation capabilities. But even today, the spectrum of tools—from targeted auto-reject rules to fully automated self-service issuance—already delivers meaningful speed, efficiency, and consistency for our customers.

By automating the routine, Tinubu frees Surety professionals to focus on what they do best: high-value underwriting judgment, deeper broker relationships, and strategic growth.