What The Barbour Group does

The Barbour Group, LLC is a privately held surety bond and commercial insurance agency founded in 2002 by Karen Barbour and headquartered at 909 Baltimore Boulevard, Suite 144, Westminster, Maryland. The firm provides contract surety bonds (bid, performance, payment, supply, maintenance, subdivision, retainage, advance payment and SBA), commercial surety bonds (fidelity, license and permit, court, ERISA, public official and notary), and Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) bonds, alongside business insurance and risk analysis for commercial enterprises. Its technology stack centers on the RLI-powered Online Contract Bond Portal, which supports bond requests up to $60 million and soft-credit-pull approvals for bonds $600K or less without financial statements. An exclusive Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program, brokered with RLI Surety (A+ AM Best), provides small contractors with pre-approved rates, company-specific training, and bonding for contracts exceeding $160 million at a reported 92% success rate with zero claims.

The Barbour Group generates revenue through transaction-fee commissions on surety bonds and commercial insurance premiums written for small and medium construction contractors, federal and state government contractors pursuing Miller Act projects, and minority-owned commercial contractors. Distribution runs through direct field sales led by a producer and marketing director and a commercial bonds manager, a self-serve online portal for SMB volume, and channel-partner arrangements with Hensel Phelps, RLI Surety, and the Alliance for Hispanic Commercial Contractors (AHCC), the trade organization co-founded by Karen Barbour. Marketing and customer acquisition lean heavily on advocacy-led thought leadership, legislative testimony, industry associations (AHCC, PFAC, MDHCC), an email newsletter, and founder-led podcast visibility, positioning TBG as a trusted advisor and capacity builder rather than a transactional broker. Operating geographies span the continental United States, Puerto Rico, and US Federal Bases internationally, with licensed certifications including WBENC and SBA Authorized Surety Agent status.

Name

The Barbour Group

Legal name

The Barbour Group, LLC

Website

https://thebarbourgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Barbour Group is a privately held surety bond and commercial insurance agency founded in 2002 in Westminster, Maryland, serving small and medium construction contractors, federal and state government contractors, and minority-owned commercial contractors across the United States, Puerto Rico, and US Federal Bases through direct field sales, an online bond portal, and the exclusive Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surety Bond Brokerage

SIC

Surety Insurance (6351)

akta.pro primary industry

Surety & Bond Brokerage (FSAEADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Contract Surety Bonds (FSAJAIAA), Commercial Surety Bonds (FSAJAIAB), License & Permit Bonds (FSAJAIAF), Utility / Service / Supply Bonds (FSAJAIAJ)

Keywords

• Surety bond services
• Contract surety bonds
• Commercial insurance agency
• Construction bonding solutions
• Small contractor bonds

Headquarters

HQ city

Westminster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Surety Bond Commissions: The Barbour Group earns commissions on surety bonds issued, including contract surety bonds (bid, performance, payment, supply, maintenance), commercial surety bonds, and specialty bonds. As a surety broker, the company earns a percentage of the bond premium paid by contractors.
2. Commercial Insurance Services: Provides business insurance and risk analysis services for commercial enterprises, earning commissions on insurance products sold alongside bonding services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Barbour Group is a surety bond and commercial insurance agency that brokers contract surety bonds (bid, performance, payment, supply, maintenance, SBA), commercial surety bonds, and Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) bonds for construction contractors. The firm also operates the exclusive Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program with RLI Surety and an Online Contract Bond Portal enabling rapid bond approval for projects up to $60 million, alongside business insurance and risk analysis services.

Product overview

The Barbour Group is a surety bond and commercial insurance agency founded in 2002 that offers Contract Surety Bonds (Bid, Payment, Performance, Supply, Maintenance, Subdivision/Site Improvement, Retainage, Advance Payment, SBA), Commercial Surety Bonds, and Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) Surety Bonds as core products. The company also provides the exclusive Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program for small contractor capacity building and an Online Contract Bond Portal for rapid digital approval. Additional offerings include the Leadership Flow professional development program in partnership with Financial Chakras.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contract Surety Bonds
• Commercial Surety Bonds
• Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) Surety Bonds
• Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program
• Online Contract Bond Portal
• Commercial Insurance Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $160 million in bonded contracts approved with no claims through the Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Hensel PhelpsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive Bond Assistance Program brokered through The Barbour Group and RLI Surety. Initiated by TBG to help Hensel Phelps manage capacity building for its subcontractor base in the Mid-Atlantic Area, now with nationwide reach. The program enables approval for bonded contracts exceeding $160 million with no bond claims and a 92% success rate.
• RLI Insurance Company (RLI Surety)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with RLI Surety (A+ AmBest rated) to guarantee bonding for enrolled applicants in the Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program. RLI provides the underlying surety capacity and the online bond portal (firststep.rlicorp.com) for the program.
• Financial Chakras (Ash Shukla)minorOthersCollaboration on 'Leadership Flow,' a professional development resource for construction owners and executives. Financial Chakras, owned by Ash Shukla, provides a free Wealth Flow Masterclass and paid advanced classes. All proceeds from paid classes go to Financial Chakras.
• Alliance for Hispanic Commercial Contractors (AHCC)flagshipOthersKaren Barbour co-founded AHCC to support minority and Hispanic businesses in the construction industry. AHCC publishes advocacy content (e.g., Key Bridge memorial article, federal contracting policy guides) that positions TBG as an industry thought leader.
• National Small Business Party (NSBP)coreOthersKaren Barbour started the National Small Business Party to advocate for small business interests in government, creating a platform for TBG's advocacy-driven positioning in the construction and federal contracting sectors.
• Brawner BuildersminorOthersMaryland-based contractor whose workers were employed on the Key Bridge repair project at the time of the March 26, 2024 collapse. TBG and AHCC honored the victims and advocated for worker protections through AHCC content.
• Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MDHCC)minorOthersTBG attends MDHCC events including the Holiday Gala, supporting the Hispanic business community and generating awareness of TBG's services among minority contractors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SuretyBonds.com: A large online surety bond agency specializing in small-business and contract surety bonds across all 50 states. Competes directly with TBG on SMB contract and commercial surety, particularly through a digital-first portal similar to TBG's Online Contract Bond Portal.
• JW Surety Bonds: A national surety bond agency focused on contract, commercial, and court bonds for small and mid-sized contractors. Competes head-to-head with TBG on bid, performance, and payment bonds, with a comparable self-serve digital bond application flow.
• BondExchange: An online surety bond marketplace that aggregates multiple surety carriers to deliver instant quotes for contract and commercial bonds. Directly comparable to TBG on portal-driven SMB surety distribution.
• Amwest Surety Insurance Company: A specialty surety carrier focused on hard-to-place and small-contractor bonds. Comparable to TBG in underwriting smaller, higher-touch surety accounts where standard sureties decline.

Broad incumbents

• RLI Insurance Company (RLI Surety): A specialty P&C insurer with a top-tier surety division (A+ A.M. Best) and the underlying capacity provider for TBG's Hensel Phelps Head Start Bond Program. Comparable as both a partner and a broader surety competitor underwriting large contract bonds.
• Liberty Mutual Surety: One of the largest U.S. surety underwriters, providing contract and commercial surety bonds nationwide. Competes with TBG on large Miller Act and commercial contract bonds while operating across a much broader P&C portfolio.
• Travelers Bond & Specialty Insurance: A leading national surety provider offering contract, commercial, and fidelity bonds as part of a wider specialty insurance franchise. Competes with TBG on mid- and large-cap contract surety while serving a much broader customer base.
• The Hartford (Surety): A major national surety underwriter with deep contractor relationships across the U.S. Overlaps with TBG in commercial and contract surety but serves a significantly larger and more diversified customer base.
• Merchants Bonding Company: A top-10 U.S. surety underwriter specializing in contract surety for small and mid-sized contractors. Competes with TBG across the same SMB federal-contractor segment and through similar bonding-capacity-building programs.

Regional players

• International Sureties Ltd. A surety provider focused on SBA-guaranteed bonds and minority/women-owned contractor access. Comparable to TBG's MWBE positioning and SBA Authorized Surety Agent role, though operating in overlapping rather than identical geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Barbour Group