Gitnux/Report 2026

Surety Bond Industry Statistics

See why license and permit bonds lead the commercial surety market with a 25% share in 2023, even as federal construction performance coverage is effectively mandatory at 100% for contracts over $150,000 under the Miller Act. You will also get sharp benchmarks on everything from payment bonds covering 95% of public projects and 92% of surety claims paid within 30 days to the less expected pressure points such as 150,000 court and appeal bonds issued annually and the 0.3% bid forfeiture rate that still carries an average $25,000 penalty.
221Statistics
82Sources
12Sections
1Visuals
42mRead
November 10, 2026Updated
Surety Bond Industry Statistics
Aisha OkonkwoWritten by Aisha Okonkwo·Fact-checked by Nikolas Papadopoulos
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The surety bond industry at a glance

The surety bond industry is expanding, with U.S. direct written premium reaching $10.4 billion in 2024 and global market estimates near $20 billion.

$10.4B[55]
U.S. premium, 2024
$20B[64]
Global market, 2024
5%[49]
Global annual growth, 2025–2030
23.8%[56]
U.S. direct loss ratio, Q1 2026
Market size
The U.S. surety market generated $10.4 billion in direct written premium in 2024. AXA XL estimated the global surety market at approximately $20 billion for 2024.[55][64]
Forecast & CAGR
Aon forecasts global surety market growth of about 5% annually from 2025 through 2030, implying a market size of approximately $30 billion by 2030. Another 2025 forecast estimates growth from $19.62 billion in 2024 to $27.31 billion in 2029, equivalent to a 6.8% CAGR.[49][66]
Market share & regions
The United States, parts of Asia-Pacific and Latin America are identified as major growth drivers. AXA XL reported substantial premium growth expectations for the U.S., the European Union, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Canada, Brazil, Poland and Italy for 2025–2026.[49][64]
Segmentation
Surety demand is divided mainly between contract surety and commercial surety. Contract surety is the dominant segment for construction firms, while commercial surety includes license, permit and court bonds; commercial surety was described as stable at mid-year 2026.[56][67]
Pricing
Aon reported that surety capacity and rates were expected to remain broadly unchanged in 2025, with underwriting focused on performance, risk mitigation and credit quality. By mid-2026, construction-material inflation and tariff effects were contributing to pricing pressure, with some material prices reportedly approaching 50% increases since tariffs took effect.[49][56]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Infrastructure investment, data-center development, power projects and renewable-energy construction are supporting demand. Challenges include higher material costs, labor availability, potentially weaker construction activity and rising loss ratios; U.S. direct written premium rose 9.6% year over year in Q1 2026, while the direct loss ratio increased to 23.8%.[49][56]
Consumer behavior & competition
Surety is primarily a business-to-business product used by contractors, developers and commercial enterprises rather than a consumer insurance product. It can compete with bank guarantees because it generally does not use a borrower’s bank credit line, is an off-balance-sheet obligation and may be less expensive.[49]
M&A
M&A remained active in 2025–2026: Palomar completed its acquisition of Gray Surety for approximately $314 million on January 31, 2026, while Amynta announced an agreement in September 2025 to acquire Global Surety and International Sureties. Brokerage acquisitions also expanded regional surety distribution, including Gallagher’s acquisition of S Philips Surety in March 2026.[23][27][68]
Regulation
Under the federal Miller Act framework, performance and payment bonds are generally required for U.S. federal construction contracts exceeding $150,000. Federal corporate sureties must appear on the Treasury Department’s Circular 570 list; the 2026 list was updated on August 1, 2026.[69][70]
Latest news
The latest available U.S. market update reported $3.13 billion in direct written premium through Q1 2026, up approximately 9.6% from $2.86 billion in Q1 2025. The same update cautioned that loss-ratio deterioration, construction-cost inflation and uncertainty around federal funding could pressure the market during the rest of 2026.[56]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Surety Bond Industry

The leading companies in the surety bond industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 9, 2026 · Next review December 9, 2026

Verdict

The Hartford leads Gitnux's 2026 surety bond ranking with an Overall score of 9.3, with inclusion among seven largest U.S. and Canadian surety writers in 2025 Q1. The Travelers Companies is the runner-up at 9.0, with revenue growth of 5.2% for surety and management liability.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in contract & commercial surety

    The Hartford

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.3 · Contract & commercial surety

    Why we picked it: It underwrites U.S. contract and commercial surety and took part in 2025 digital bond execution for verification and fraud reduction.

    See in ranking ↓Visit thehartford.com ↗

  2. #2 overall

    The Travelers Companies

    US

    Ranked #2 · 9.0 · Contract & commercial surety

    Why we picked it: It writes U.S. and international contract and commercial surety, and 2025 signals show 5.2% revenue growth.

    See in ranking ↓Visit travelers.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    Chubb

    CH

    Ranked #3 · 8.8 · Contract & commercial surety

    Why we picked it: It operates in global contract and commercial surety; 2025 signals show 6.5% revenue growth.

    See in ranking ↓Visit chubb.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the surety bond industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

The Hartford

Contract & commercial surety · US

9.3
2

The Travelers Companies

Contract & commercial surety · US

9.0
3

Chubb

Contract & commercial surety · CH

8.8
4

Tokio Marine HCC

Contract & commercial surety · US

8.7
5

CNA Financial

Contract & commercial surety · US

8.6
6

Nationwide

U.S. contract, commercial and court surety · US

8.6
7

Markel

U.S. contract, commercial and court surety · BM

8.0
8

Merchants Bonding Company

U.S. contract and commercial surety · US

8.0
9

United Fire Group

U.S. contract and commercial surety · US

7.8
10

Old Republic International

U.S. construction, commercial and specialty surety · US

7.7

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 9, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the surety bond industry. In Surety Bond Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/surety-bond-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Surety direct written premium by group/company (United States, U.S. territories, Canada and aggregate other alien)

Liberty Mutual Group leads with $1.4B.

Liberty Mutual Group$1.4B
Travelers Group$1.4B
Zurich Insurance Group$718.9M
CNA Insurance Group$678.2M
Chubb Ltd. Group$558.4M
Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. Group$377.6M
source-verifiedcontent.naic.org

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Technology adoption is high, but scaled automation is limited. In 2025 benchmark results, no respondents reported scaled AI deployment, and less than 40% offered same-day issuance for repeat business.

AI in the surety bond industry

  • 43% of U.S. bonding professionals surveyed trusted AI tools to be more accurate than traditional models in June 2025.[1]
  • 60% of U.S. bonding professionals surveyed had implemented AI or automation in the bonding process by June 2025.[1]
  • 78% of surveyed U.S. small-business owners believed AI could make surety bonding more accessible in 2025.[1]
  • 58% of surveyed U.S. surety professionals believed AI could enhance underwriting roles in 2025.[2]
  • 41% of surveyed U.S. surety professionals worried that AI could replace their roles, based on research conducted in June 2025.[2]
  • 50% of surety respondents used AI in some aspect of their business in 2025, according to an ICISA member survey covering international trade-credit and surety organizations.[3]

Automation in the surety bond industry

  • 67% of surveyed surety brokers allocated less than 10% of gross written premium to technology in the 2025 benchmark study.[4]
  • 85% of surveyed surety carriers allocated less than 10% of gross written premium to technology in the 2025 benchmark study.[4]
  • Less than 40% of surety carriers offered same-day issuance for repeat business in the 2025 North American benchmark study.[4]
  • 20% of U.S. surety-bonding professionals surveyed in June 2025 said their work was still mostly manual.[1]
  • 12% of surveyed surety organizations achieved same-day turnaround for small commercial bonds in the 2025 North American benchmark study.[4]
  • 70% of surveyed U.S. small-business owners said they would immediately switch surety providers if AI enabled bonding in less than 10 minutes.[2]

Digital Transformation in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 80% of financial services firms reported active AI use in 2026, up from 31% in 2025.[5]
  • 26% of financial services firms reported using agentic AI in 2026, according to a global digital-transformation study.[5]
  • 27% of financial services firms reported financial benefits from AI in 2026, up from 14% in 2025.[5]
  • 43% of financial services firms said they will need an entirely new technology stack to succeed in the age of AI.[5]
  • 84% of financial services firms said integrating front-, middle- and back-office systems into one platform is important in 2026.[5]

Technology Adoption in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 59% of finance leaders reported using AI in their finance function in 2025, according to Gartner’s survey of 183 senior finance leaders.[6]
  • 61% of financial institutions recently adopted AI or improved their AI capabilities, based on a 2024 survey across 11 markets.[7]
  • About one-third of financial services companies reported using generative AI by January 2025, compared with 21% a year earlier.[8]
  • 35% of financial institutions adopted or improved generative-AI capabilities during the 12 months covered by the 2024 survey.[7]
  • 54% of surveyed financial services companies had deployed AI initiatives by January 2025, up from 40% one year earlier.[8]

Cloud Computing in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 91% of financial organizations had at least one cloud platform in 2023, up from 37% in 2020.[9]
  • 43% of banking and financial services organizations were moving toward a cloud-first analytics approach in the WNS-Forrester survey.[10]
  • 87% of financial services firms increased cloud investment during the two years preceding LSEG’s 2025 global survey.[11]
  • 82% of financial services firms used a hybrid- or multi-cloud strategy in LSEG’s 2025 global survey.[11]
  • 33% of financial services firms were highly satisfied with cloud-related reductions in operational costs in Capgemini’s 2024 survey.[9]

Big Data in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 37% of surveyed bank marketers said their bank was on the way to using data and analytics to support strategic goals in 2024.[12]
  • 43% of financial services firms had adopted customer-data platforms at least partially or were scaling them, based on Capgemini’s 2024 survey.[9]
  • 11% of surveyed bank marketers were very confident in the accuracy of the data they regularly used in 2024.[12]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Analytics is tied to underwriting outcomes and data governance. Surety analytics customers reported a 430 basis points average loss-ratio advantage, while 54% adopted a semantic layer for data governance in 2025.

Business intelligence in the surety bond industry

  • 40%–60% was the estimated reduction in time for selected underwriting tasks achieved by surety teams using analytics and automation capabilities.[13]
  • 430 basis points was the average loss-ratio advantage reported for surety customers using Moody’s credit-risk analytics versus the overall market.[13]
  • 580 million companies were included in Moody’s global entity-intelligence database for surety underwriting and portfolio analysis in 2026.[13]

Data analytics in the surety bond industry

  • 40%–60% time savings on specific underwriting tasks was estimated by surety teams using Moody’s analytics and automation.[13]
  • 430 basis points was the average loss-ratio improvement reported by Moody’s surety analytics customers compared with the overall market.[13]
  • 2% higher exposure was estimated when network effects were included in a research analysis of surety-bond risk, based on data from a partnering insurance company.[14]

Data Quality in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across global financial services, 36% of organizations rated their data excellent for quantity and completeness in 2024.[15]
  • Across significant European banking institutions, 32% did not apply data-quality-management principles to end-user computing in 2023.[16]
  • Across U.S. banking and capital markets, 94% of respondents named data accuracy and reliability as a priority in 2024.[17]
  • Across banks supervised by the European Central Bank, 28% reported that all data used by critical functions came from golden sources in 2023.[16]
  • Across U.S. banking and capital markets, 86% of respondents named data access and usability as a top concern in 2024.[17]
  • Across global financial services, 34% of organizations rated their data excellent for accuracy and integrity in 2024.[15]

Data Governance in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across 35 surveyed banks, insurers, and financial-services firms in 38 countries, 54% had adopted a semantic layer for organization-wide data governance in 2025.[18]
  • Across financial-services organizations surveyed globally, 57.1% identified BI-content testing as the top future investment in analytics governance in 2025.[19]
  • Across global financial services, 54% of companies rated data governance at one of the two highest maturity levels in 2024.[20]
  • Across financial-services organizations surveyed globally, 82.9% had implemented governance policies specifically applying to business intelligence and analytics in 2025.[19]
  • Across financial-services organizations surveyed globally, 43.7% lacked a standardized certification process for analytics content in 2025.[19]

KPIs in the surety bond industry

  • $6.677 billion was U.S. surety net premiums written in 2020, up 1.9% year over year, with a 78.1 combined ratio.[21]
  • $5.391 billion was U.S. surety net premiums written in 2017, up 4.9% year over year, with a 72.4 combined ratio.[21]
  • $8.238 billion was U.S. surety net premiums written in 2022, up 15.9% year over year, with a 64.2 combined ratio.[21]
  • $6.358 billion was U.S. surety net premiums written in 2018, up 17.9% year over year, with a 70.8 combined ratio.[21]
  • 71.6 was the U.S. surety combined ratio in 2025, compared with 71.0 in 2024.[21]
  • $6.551 billion was U.S. surety net premiums written in 2019, up 3.0% year over year, with a 71.0 combined ratio.[21]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Premium growth stayed positive across recent years. U.S. surety net premiums written reached $10.181925 billion in 2024, up 9.3% from 2023.

Growth in the surety bond industry

  • $9.318 billion in U.S. surety net premiums written was recorded in 2023, up 13.1% from 2022.[22]
  • $839 million in Chubb surety net premiums were written in 2025, up 6.8% from 2024.[23]
  • $168 million in surety gross written premium was reported by Skyward Specialty in 2025, representing 8% of its total gross written premium.[23]
  • $10.181 billion in U.S. surety net premiums written was recorded in 2024, up 9.3% from 2023.[22]
  • $1.294 billion in Travelers domestic surety net premiums were written in 2024, up from $1.147 billion in 2023.[23]
  • $8.238 billion in U.S. surety net premiums written was recorded in 2022, up 15.9% from 2021.[22]

Differentiation in the surety bond industry

  • 64.2 was the U.S. surety combined ratio in 2022, following a 69.6 ratio in 2021.[22]
  • $506 million in Travelers international net written premiums was recorded across Bond & Specialty Insurance in 2024, compared with $539 million in 2023.[23]
  • $2.2 billion in U.S. surety underwriting income was reported for 2023, according to AM Best's market-segment analysis.[24]
  • $93 million in 2023 gross written premium was represented by American Surety and Underwriters Surety when acquired by Core Specialty in 2024.[24]
  • $1.387 billion in Travelers domestic surety gross written premiums was recorded in 2024, compared with $1.219 billion in 2023.[25]
  • 71.0 was the U.S. surety combined ratio in 2024, compared with 70.3 in 2023.[22]

Mergers and acquisitions in the surety bond industry

  • 130 countries were served by Arthur J. Gallagher through owned operations and correspondent brokers when its RPS unit acquired CCI Surety in 2024.[26]
  • $314 million was the approximate consideration paid by Palomar Holdings for 100% of Gray Surety on January 31, 2026.[23]
  • 2025 was the year Amynta Group announced its agreement to acquire Global Surety, International Sureties Limited, and International Sureties SARL.[27]
  • 3 jurisdictions were represented by International Sureties' offices in New Orleans, the United Kingdom, and Belgium at the time of Amynta's 2025 acquisition agreement.[27]
  • 3 companies—JW Surety Bonds, Bryant Surety Bonds, and Lance Surety Bonds Associates—were acquired together by Risk Strategies in 2023.[28]
  • $93 million in 2023 gross written premium was brought into Core Specialty through its 2024 acquisition of American Surety and Underwriters Surety.[24]

Strategic partnerships in the surety bond industry

  • 2 countries, Australia and New Zealand, were covered by Assuro Digital Services' exclusive digital-guarantee distribution agreement announced in 2024.[29]
  • 4 surety companies—Chubb, The Hartford, Liberty Mutual, and Travelers—formed SuretyBind in December 2025.[30]
  • 2 companies—Assuro Digital Services and Digital Vault Services—signed an exclusive agreement in 2024 to distribute digital guarantees in Australia and New Zealand.[29]
  • 1 shared digital infrastructure was the core technology objective announced by Chubb, The Hartford, Liberty Mutual, and Travelers through SuretyBind.[30]
  • 3 technology companies—Bond-Pro, Surety2000, and Xenex Enterprises—announced a joint partnership for electronic surety bonding in 2024.[31]
  • 4 insurers were identified as the founding members of SuretyBind's shared digital infrastructure initiative in 2025.[30]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Talent and knowledge transfer pressures persist as work remains flexible. In 2022, 87% of surveyed sureties cited hiring, training and keeping a new generation of underwriters as a leading challenge or opportunity.

Hiring in the surety bond industry

  • 80% of surveyed sureties said a shortage of talent or skilled workers was an issue for surety companies in 2018.[3]
  • Nearly all respondents in the 2018 NASBP survey said they planned to hire talent away from competitors.[3]
  • 87% of surveyed sureties identified hiring, training and keeping a new generation of underwriters as a leading challenge or opportunity for 2022.[32]
  • 96% of surveyed sureties said they would need to hire more seasoned underwriters in 2022.[32]
  • 73% of surveyed sureties planned to hire more underwriters in 2018 to fill existing or newly created positions.[3]

Employee retention in the surety bond industry

  • 87% of surveyed sureties focused on hiring, training and retaining a new generation of underwriters in 2022.[33]
  • 48% of surveyed sureties expressed concern about the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in a remote-work environment in 2022.[33]

Remote Work in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 87% of U.S. financial services employees said remote work helped them balance home and work responsibilities in 2025.[20]
  • 52.5% of workers in U.S. financial activities teleworked in June 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.[34]
  • Across U.S. financial services, 82% of companies offered some form of work-location flexibility in 2025.[35]
  • 68% of U.S. financial services workers said they would consider seeking new employment if remote and hybrid flexibility were reduced in 2023.[36]

Hybrid Work in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 2.58 days was the average weekly in-office requirement among financial services companies using structured hybrid work in 2024.[37]
  • 82% of U.S. financial services firms offered some form of work-location flexibility in July 2025.[35]
  • 39% of financial services companies offered corporate employees full flexibility over work location in 2024.[37]
  • 54% of U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs worked in a hybrid arrangement in 2025.[38]
  • 52% of financial services companies used a structured hybrid model in early 2024, up from 41% in March 2023.[37]

Upskilling in the surety bond industry

  • Surety respondents reported using mentoring groups that pair employees from different generations and experience levels in the 2018 NASBP survey.[3]
  • 48% of surveyed sureties were concerned about transferring underwriting knowledge effectively in a remote-work environment in 2022.[33]

Employee Engagement in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 12% of employees in Europe were engaged at work in 2025.[38]
  • 20% of employees worldwide were engaged at work in 2025, according to Gallup’s World Poll.[38]
  • 31% of employees in the United States and Canada were engaged at work in 2025.[38]
  • 16% of employees worldwide were actively disengaged at work in 2025.[38]

Change Management in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 53% of banks identified a significant change portfolio requiring prioritization and coordination over the next two years in 2025.[39]
  • 45% of banks reported issues resourcing change agents and stream leads for transformation workstreams in 2025.[39]
  • 43% of banks reported that senior leaders lacked a clear understanding of transformation in 2025.[39]
  • 64% of financial services leaders acknowledged the need for complete organizational transformation in 2024.[40]
  • 60% of financial services executives planned to invest in new technologies as a strategic business change over the next 12–18 months in 2024.[41]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Buyers and brokers push for speed and digital delivery. In October 2026, 52% of surety-bond buyers turned down a job or decided not to bid after bonding was required.

Customer experience in the surety bond industry

  • 45% of U.S. small-business surety-bond buyers surveyed in 2026 paid more for their first bond than expected.[42]
  • 68% of surety-bond clients expressed a preference for receiving bonds digitally, according to a 2024 industry survey.[33]
  • 56% of U.S. surety-bond professionals surveyed in June 2025 said clients increasingly expected a digital-first experience.[1]
  • 22% of U.S. small-business owners who used an AI tool for surety-bond guidance said the tool got something wrong in a 2026 survey.[42]
  • 70% of U.S. small-business owners with bonding experience surveyed in June 2025 said they would immediately switch providers for bonding in under 10 minutes using AI.[1]

Customer retention in the surety bond industry

  • 59% of U.S. surety-bond professionals surveyed in June 2025 said paper- and fax-based workflows were costing their firms money and speed.[1]
  • 70% of U.S. small-business owners with bonding experience surveyed in June 2025 said they would immediately defect from their current provider for bonding in under 10 minutes using AI.[1]
  • 35% of 270 U.S. small-business surety-bond buyers surveyed in October 2026 were repeat buyers rather than one-time buyers.[42]
  • 29% of U.S. surety-bond professionals surveyed in June 2025 cited damage to client trust as a concern about AI decision-making.[1]

Customer acquisition in the surety bond industry

  • 46% of U.S. small-business owners surveyed in June 2025 said outdated bonding requirements had caused them to lose a job or miss a bid.[1]
  • 52% of U.S. small-business surety-bond buyers surveyed in October 2026 had turned down a job or decided not to bid after learning bonding was required.[42]
  • 72% of U.S. small-business owners surveyed in June 2025 said they had avoided bidding on jobs because the bonding process felt too slow or outdated.[1]
  • 22% of U.S. small-business surety-bond buyers surveyed in October 2026 reported losing a contract because of bonding-related cost or timing.[42]
  • 41% of U.S. small-business surety-bond buyers surveyed in October 2026 decided not to bid on a contract because of bonding-related costs or timing.[42]

Customer loyalty in the surety bond industry

  • 70% of U.S. small-business owners with bonding experience surveyed in June 2025 said they would switch providers immediately for a faster AI-enabled bonding process.[1]
  • 35% of 270 U.S. small-business surety-bond buyers surveyed in October 2026 were repeat buyers.[42]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Transaction digitization precedes broader issuance modernization. A 2016 NASBP survey found 69% of surety-agency respondents processed an electronic surety transaction.

Digital marketing in the surety bond industry

  • 69% of surety-agency respondents in a 2016 NASBP technology survey had processed an electronic surety transaction.[43]
  • 19,000 of Allianz Trade’s more than 20,000 bonds issued in 2021 were digital bonds.[44]
  • 43% of U.S. surety-bond professionals surveyed in June 2025 trusted AI tools to be more accurate than traditional models.[1]
  • One-fifth of U.S. surety-bond professionals surveyed in June 2025 said their work remained mostly manual.[1]
  • 72% of surety-agency respondents in a 2016 NASBP technology survey had not issued an electronic-only performance or payment bond to a client.[45]

Influencer Marketing in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 5% of financial-services marketers reported dedicated but shrinking budgets for creator or influencer marketing in 2026.[46]
  • 23% of financial-services marketers reported dedicated but flat budgets for creator or influencer marketing in 2026.[46]
  • 7% of financial-services marketers reported folding creator or influencer marketing into other channels rather than maintaining a dedicated budget in 2026.[46]
  • 37% of banking executives in a survey of 102 finance respondents recognized influencer marketing as a potent tool for authentic consumer connections in 2023.[47]
  • 60% of financial-services marketers reported dedicated and growing budgets for creator or influencer marketing in 2026.[46]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational cost and speed concerns are linked to paper and fax workflows. In 2025, 59% of surveyed surety professionals cited paper- and fax-based methods as causing losses of money and speed.

Process optimization in the surety bond industry

  • 56% of surveyed surety professionals said clients increasingly expected a digital-first experience in 2025, United States.[1]
  • 20% of surveyed surety-bonding professionals said they still handled processes manually in 2025, United States.[1]
  • 59% of surveyed surety professionals said outdated paper- or fax-based methods caused their firms to lose money and speed in 2025, United States.[2]
  • 70% of surveyed small business owners said they would immediately switch surety providers for bonding completed in under 10 minutes with AI in 2025, United States.[1]
  • 60% of surveyed surety-bonding professionals said they had adopted AI or automation in their work in 2025, United States.[1]

Operational efficiency in the surety bond industry

  • 250–999 bonds per full-time equivalent was the processing range reported for most surety organizations in 2025, North America.[4]
  • 40 surety carriers and brokers were included in the Surety Outlook 2025 technology and operations study, North America.[4]
  • 3–5% of gross written premium was allocated to technology by surveyed surety organizations in 2025, North America.[4]
  • 1 million hours per year were estimated to be spent across the surety industry on bonded-contract interactions, according to a 2025 industry report.[48]
  • 2–7 full-time equivalents per US$10 million of premium was the reported staffing range for most surety organizations in 2025, North America.[4]

Quality management in the surety bond industry

  • 58% of surveyed surety professionals believed AI could enhance underwriting roles in 2025, United States.[2]
  • 50% of surveyed surety respondents reported using AI in some aspect of their business in 2025, according to an ICISA survey.[3]
  • 43% of surveyed surety professionals trusted AI to be more accurate than traditional risk models in 2025, United States.[2]
  • 66% of surveyed surety professionals said going digital was key to remaining competitive in 2025, United States.[2]

Supply chain in the surety bond industry

  • 67% was the construction credit-limit acceptance rate reported for the surety market in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting insurer caution around sector risk.[49]
  • 1–2% were the approximate renewal rate reductions reported for construction surety in the first quarter of 2025.[49]
  • 95% of U.S. Small Business Administration surety-bond activity by number of bonds, contract value and bond value came from construction in fiscal years 2021–2022.[50]
  • 72% was the approximate construction acceptance rate in September 2024 in Aon’s quarterly construction credit-insurance and surety series.[49]
  • 63% was the approximate construction acceptance rate at the end of 2022 in Aon’s quarterly construction credit-insurance and surety series.[49]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the financial services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among significant European banks, 27% of critical ICT contracts were outsourced to external providers located outside the European Union in the 2024 analysis.[16]
  • Across surveyed finance organizations, 64% were implementing or evaluating offshoring or nearshoring for finance operations in 2026, while 36% planned to remain fully U.S.-based.[51]
  • Across surveyed finance organizations, 17% were evaluating nearshore locations for future operations in 2026, compared with 13% evaluating offshore locations.[51]
  • Among significant European banks, 67% of outsourcing contracts were sub-outsourced to external service providers in the 2024 analysis.[16]
  • Among U.S. banks surveyed, 57% had considered outsourcing information technology departments in 2024, the highest share among listed departments.[52]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Capacity and rates were expected to remain broadly unchanged, while inflation pressures emerged by mid-2026. The U.S. direct loss ratio rose to 23.8% in Q1 2026.

Pricing strategy in the surety bond industry

  • 0.90% was the example rate for the next US$2.5 million to US$7.5 million band in a surety rate-table illustration.[53]
  • 1.20% was the example rate for the next US$2.5 million to US$7.5 million band for a higher-risk surety applicant.[53]
  • 1–2% is the typical premium-rate range cited for large high-dollar performance bonds under common surety pricing examples.[54]
  • 1–2% were the approximate construction surety renewal rate reductions reported for the first quarter of 2025, amid strong competition.[49]
  • US$1,500–US$3,000 was the approximate annual cost reported for many auto-dealer bonds for applicants with average credit.[54]

Cost reduction in the surety bond industry

  • 20% of surveyed surety-bonding professionals remained manual-process users in 2025, United States.[1]
  • 60% of surveyed surety-bonding professionals reported adopting AI or automation, indicating the share with potential workflow-cost savings in 2025, United States.[1]
  • 59% of surveyed surety professionals said paper- and fax-based workflows caused losses of money and speed in 2025, United States.[2]
  • 3–5% of gross written premium was allocated to technology by surveyed surety organizations, primarily for legacy-system maintenance, in 2025, North America.[4]

Profitability in the surety bond industry

  • 21% was the surety industry’s average simple loss ratio from 2021 through 2024.[55]
  • 56.0% was the U.S. surety market’s simple combined ratio in 2024.[55]
  • US$2.3 billion was the U.S. surety segment’s underwriting income in 2022, its decade-high result at the time.[24]
  • 18% was Palomar’s average simple loss ratio for surety from 2021 through 2024.[55]
  • 49% was the U.S. surety market’s average simple combined ratio from 2009 through 2024.[55]

Financial planning in the surety bond industry

  • 13% was the U.S. surety direct written premium compound annual growth rate from 2021 through 2024.[55]
  • US$9.318436 billion was U.S. surety net premiums written in 2023.[21]
  • 15.9% was the annual increase in U.S. surety net premiums written in 2022.[21]
  • US$10.4 billion was U.S. surety direct written premium in 2024.[55]
  • US$10.181925 billion was U.S. surety net premiums written in 2024.[21]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Demand drivers expanded with construction activity and project delays. Year-to-date U.S. office and data-center construction starts increased by 244% in 2026.

Product development in the surety bond industry

  • 244% was the year-to-date increase in U.S. office and data-center construction starts in 2026, creating new surety underwriting opportunities and risks.[56]
  • 74% was the year-to-date increase in commercial and data-center construction starts in the U.S. in 2026, expanding demand for surety capacity on related projects.[56]

Product lifecycle in the surety bond industry

  • 13 of the previous 14 quarters had U.S. surety pricing increases below 1% as of mid-2026, indicating broadly stable pricing through the product cycle.[56]
  • 20.5% was the U.S. surety direct loss ratio through the third quarter of 2025, before increasing to 23.8% in the first quarter of 2026.[56]
  • 23.8% was the U.S. surety direct loss ratio through the first quarter of 2026, up from 20.8% in the first quarter of 2025.[56]
  • 45.6% was the U.S. surety industry net profit margin in 2024, its strongest level since 2014.[56]

After-sales in the surety bond industry

  • 45% of U.S. metropolitan areas tracked by AGC recorded year-over-year construction-employment declines in 2026, increasing the need for proactive surety account support.[56]
  • 50% was the approximate increase in material prices for some products reported by the National Association of Surety Bond Producers after tariffs took effect, affecting contractor support needs in 2026.[56]
  • 40% of U.S. metropolitan areas tracked by AGC recorded year-over-year construction-employment growth in 2026, requiring sureties to support contractors across differing regional conditions.[56]

Value proposition in the surety bond industry

  • 580 million companies were covered by Moody’s global entity-intelligence database used to support surety credit-risk assessment in 2026.[13]
  • 40%–60% time savings on specific underwriting tasks was estimated by surety teams using Moody’s analytics and automation capabilities.[13]
  • 75 projects representing roughly $130 billion were blocked or delayed by local opposition and financing setbacks in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting the value of project-level surety risk assessment.[56]
  • 430 basis points better than the market overall was the average loss ratio achieved by customers using Moody’s credit-risk analytics in surety underwriting, according to Moody’s.[13]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Energy-transition guarantees show multi-year continuity. More than $3 billion in guarantees supported renewable-energy projects through Arch surety bonds from 2021 through 2024.

Sustainability in the surety bond industry

  • More than $4 billion in guarantees has supported global energy-transition projects through Arch’s surety bond practice since 2021.[57]
  • Allianz Trade has endorsed and engaged in 25 Surety Green2Green projects across multiple countries.[44]
  • More than $3 billion in guarantees supported renewable-energy projects through Arch surety bonds from 2021 through 2024.[57]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Global market estimates and U.S. contribution are quantified. AXA XL estimated the global surety market at $20 billion for 2024, with 45% of global surety premiums generated in the United States in 2022.

Globalization in the surety bond industry

  • $20 billion was the estimated global surety market size for 2024, according to respondents to AXA XL's 2025 market survey.[64]
  • $18.2 billion in global surety revenue was estimated for 2023, up 5.8% from $17.2 billion in 2022.[33]
  • 45% of global surety premiums were generated in the United States in 2022, equivalent to approximately $8.5 billion.[65]
  • 43% of global surety revenue came from North America in 2023.[33]
  • 61% was the combined market share of three Europe-based global surety groups in 2021 after consolidation among regional entities.[65]

Distribution channels in the surety bond industry

  • $9 million to $14 million was the federal-contract underwriting limit available to SBA-preferred surety companies through authorized salaried employees.[58]
  • 62% of U.S. property-casualty premiums were placed through independent agencies in 2023, the distribution channel that includes much surety production.[28]
  • Almost 40,000 clients were served by JW Surety Bonds through its national surety distribution platform before its 2023 acquisition.[26]
  • 50 states were covered by JW Surety Bonds' operations before its acquisition by Risk Strategies in 2023.[28]
  • Nearly 27% was the average commission rate for surety among independent insurance agencies in 2023, the highest rate among reported property-casualty lines.[28]

Key questions about the Surety Bond Industry

How large is the surety bond market in the U.S. and globally?
The U.S. market generated $10.4 billion in direct written premium in 2024. AXA XL estimated the global surety market at approximately $20 billion for 2024.
What growth rate does the market forecast for global surety between 2025 and 2030?
Aon forecasts about 5% annual global surety market growth from 2025 through 2030, implying about $30 billion by 2030. Another 2025 forecast estimates growth from $19.62 billion in 2024 to $27.31 billion in 2029 (6.8% CAGR).
Which companies lead the surety bond industry?
The Hartford leads Gitnux's 2026 surety bond ranking with an Overall score of 9.3, with inclusion among seven largest U.S. and Canadian surety writers in 2025 Q1. The Travelers Companies is the runner-up at 9.0, with revenue growth of 5.2% for surety and management liability.
What technology changes are affecting underwriting and issuance in surety?
In June 2025, 60% of U.S. bonding professionals reported implementing AI or automation in the bonding process. In 2025 benchmark results, less than 40% of surety carriers offered same-day issuance for repeat business.
How is surety business typically structured and where does distribution come from?
Surety is primarily business-to-business for contractors and commercial enterprises. In 2023, 62% of U.S. property-casualty premiums were placed through independent agencies, the distribution channel that includes much surety production.
What loss-ratio and premium signals were reported in early 2026 for the U.S. market?
U.S. direct written premium rose 9.6% year over year in Q1 2026. The direct loss ratio increased to 23.8%, and U.S. direct loss ratio was 23.8% through Q1 2026.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Surety Bond Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/surety-bond-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Surety Bond Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/surety-bond-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Surety Bond Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/surety-bond-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

82 sources cited across this report

  1. lancesuretybonds.com
  2. insurancenewsnet.com
  3. suretybondquarterly.org
  4. tinubu.com
  5. broadridge.com
  6. gartner.com
  7. finastra.com
  8. spglobal.com
  9. capgemini.com
  10. wns.com
  11. lseg.com
  12. bankingjournal.aba.com
  13. moodys.com
  14. arxiv.org
  15. riverbed.com
  16. bankingsupervision.europa.eu
  17. deloitte.com
  18. assets.contentstack.io
  19. wiiisdom.com
  20. kpmg.com
  21. iii.org
  22. www-legacy.iii.org
  23. sec.gov
  24. news.ambest.com
  25. financialfilings.com
  26. marshberry.com
  27. amyntagroup.com
  28. insurancejournal.com
  29. assurodigitalservices.com
  30. suretybind.com
  31. terrier-dragonfly-8z8a.squarespace.com
  32. leadersedge.com
  33. wtwco.com
  34. bls.gov
  35. cresa.com
  36. eaglehillconsulting.com
  37. journalofaccountancy.com
  38. gallup.com
  39. assets.kpmg.com
  40. mayerbrown.com
  41. s3.amazonaws.com
  42. jwsuretybonds.com
  43. suretyautomation.org
  44. allianz-trade.com
  45. nasbp.org
  46. brand-news.it
  47. insight-hs.vericast.com
  48. ajg.com
  49. assets.aon.com
  50. lexfed.com
  51. grantthornton.com
  52. assets.wipfli.com
  53. support.construction
  54. nfp.com
  55. ir.palomarspecialty.com
  56. baldwin.com
  57. archgroup.com
  58. sba.gov
  59. wisbusiness.com
  60. pwc.com
  61. cpl.thalesgroup.com
  62. trustarc.com
  63. fticommunications.com
  64. axaxl.com
  65. swissre.com
  66. digital.enr.com
  67. mordorintelligence.com
  68. insurancebusinessmag.com
  69. acquisition.gov
  70. fiscal.treasury.gov
  71. mbasurety.com
  72. sustainability.travelers.com
  73. tmhcc.com
  74. nationwide.com
  75. markel.com
  76. merchantsbonding.com
  77. stlsuretyassociation.org
  78. oldrepublic.com
  79. content.naic.org
  80. aon.com
  81. aon.mediaroom.com
  82. marsh.com