Surplus Lines Insurance
What is Surplus Lines Insurance?
Surplus lines insurance is coverage for specific risks that the standard or admitted market is either unable or unwilling to cover. While the admitted market is where most consumers find coverage, the surplus lines market is vital as a supplement for those consumers and businesses that cannot find coverage otherwise.
Lloyd's of London
Insurer Lloyd’s of London has famously covered numerous strange and exotic surplus lines risks such as Bruce Springsteen’s voice, David Beckham’s legs, and even the Titanic back in 1912. Surplus lines insurance includes not only exotic risks, but day-to-day risks that fall outside of the underwriting guidelines of the standard market, making access to it imperative for customers who are unable to secure insurance coverage from an admitted insurer. If you can dream it, surplus lines insurance can cover it!
Though it generally only comprises roughly 10% of the total Florida property and casualty insurance marketplace, surplus lines insurance accounted for over $5.8 billion in premium in 2018 alone from insurers domiciled in the United States and abroad.
The risks that surplus lines agents cover typically fall into one of three categories:
- Distressed risks – risks with unfavorable attributes that make it unacceptable for most underwriters to cover it
- Unique risks – a highly specialized or unusual risk that admitted insures may not have the correct forms or rates to adequately provide coverage for
- High Capacity risks – a risk with limits higher than admitted insurers are typically willing or able to provide
If you have a question about surplus lines insurance or would like to know more, please contact a member of the FSLSO’s Agent & Insurer Service’s team by emailing agent.services@fslso.com.