What Bass Underwriters does

Bass Underwriters, Inc. is a privately-held Managing General Agent (MGA) headquartered in Plantation, Florida, founded in 1995 and operating across 17+ U.S. branch offices with 500+ employees. The company acts as an intermediary between insurance carriers and independent retail agents, providing appointed agents with access to 300+ carrier partnerships and 200+ specialty markets across Commercial Lines (General Liability, Workers' Compensation, Excess, Cyber, Professional Liability), Personal Lines (Homeowners, High-Value Homes, Coastal, Umbrella), and Specialty Lines / Excess & Surplus (Professional with 75+ classes, Marine, Transportation, Garage, Tailored Specialty). Bass is licensed in 36 states and provides coverage nationwide, including all 50 states for specialty lines, and is described as one of the last privately-owned MGAs of its size.

The technology stack is operational rather than transformative: a web-based Agent Portal at quote.bassuw.com enables 24/7 real-time quoting, policy submission, and tracking, while a separate Payment Portal at portal.bassuw.com handles invoicing and payment processing. Agents are onboarded through a structured channel-partner workflow requiring Producer Agreements, agency licenses, E&O insurance ($1M minimum), and W-9 documentation. Quote turnaround is positioned at 24-48 hours, and ACORD-standardized forms are used throughout. No public API, SDK, or developer-facing platform exists, and there is no evidence of AI/ML-driven underwriting automation.

Revenue is generated via MGA commissions and administrative fees earned on premiums written through the carrier relationships, with facility fees, overriding commissions, and administrative income accruing across all three lines of business. The go-to-market is exclusively indirect — Bass does not sell directly to policyholders — relying instead on the breadth and quality of its carrier appointments and branch-network underwriting expertise to attract and retain appointed independent agents, with marketing concentrated on its website, Instagram presence, the proprietary Appetite Guide email list, and industry conferences and sponsorships.

Name

Bass Underwriters

Legal name

Bass Underwriters, Inc.

Website

https://bassuw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Bass Underwriters is a privately-held Managing General Agent (MGA) founded in 1995, headquartered in Plantation, FL, with 17+ U.S. branches and 300+ carrier partnerships. It underwrites Commercial, Personal, and Specialty Lines on behalf of carriers, distributing exclusively through appointed independent insurance agents nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Managing General Agent Insurance Services

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Insurance Program Administration & MGA/MGU Services (FSAEADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wholesale Insurance Brokerage (Excess & Surplus Lines) (FSAEADAD)

Keywords

• Managing general agent
• Excess surplus insurance
• Commercial lines underwriting
• Specialty insurance markets
• Independent agent insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Plantation

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. MGA Commissions and Administrative Fees: Bass Underwriters operates as a Managing General Agent (MGA) earning commissions from insurance carriers for underwriting and placing insurance products. As a bridge between carriers and retail agents, Bass earns facility fees, overriding commissions, and administrative income based on written premiums across its 300+ carrier partnerships and specialty, commercial, and personal lines of business.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bass Underwriters operates as a nationwide Managing General Agent (MGA) that underwrites and distributes insurance products through independent insurance agents and brokers. The company offers three core divisions — Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, and Specialty Lines (Excess & Surplus) — backed by 300+ carrier appointments and 200+ specialty markets. Agents access quotes, submissions, policy management, and payment processing through dedicated web portals.

Product overview

Bass Underwriters is a nationwide Managing General Agent (MGA) offering a unified platform of insurance products across three core divisions — Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, and Specialty Lines — supported by digital portals for quoting and payment. Commercial Lines covers property and casualty risks including General Liability, Workers' Compensation, Professional Liability, and specialized industry coverages. Personal Lines provides Homeowners, Dwelling, Condo, Vacant Properties, Personal Liability, and Personal Umbrella coverage. Specialty Lines (Excess & Surplus) spans Professional (75+ classes), Marine, Transportation, Garage, Workers' Compensation, and tailored specialty programs across 200+ markets. The product suite is augmented by an Agent Portal for 24/7 quote/submission management, a Payment Portal for invoice and payment processing, and a comprehensive library of ACORD forms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Lines Commercial property and casualty insurance products backed by 300+ carrier relationships, including General Liability, Workers' Compensation, Excess General Liability, Liquor Liability, Cyber Liability, Professional Liability, and specialized industry coverages for contractors, restaurants, hotels, real estate, and more. Sold to independent insurance agents for placement with their commercial clients.
• Personal Lines Personal lines insurance products combining in-house underwriting with brokerage capabilities, offering High-Value Homes, Homeowners (HO3, HO4, HO5, HO6, HO8), Dwellings, Condos, Vacant Properties, Personal Liability, Personal Umbrella, and specialized coastal homeowner coverage nationwide. Made available to independent agents for placement with their personal insurance clients.
• Specialty Lines Excess and Surplus insurance solutions spanning Professional (75+ classes), Marine, Transportation, Garage, Workers' Compensation, and Tailored Specialty lines, with access to over 200 markets offering competitive rates for unique and hard-to-place risks nationwide. Coverage available in all 50 states and backed by A.M. Best 'A' VIII or higher rated carriers. Sold to independent insurance agents.
• Claims Processing Claims submission and processing service where appointed agents submit completed ACORD loss notices and supporting documentation via email to [email protected]. Bass assigns a Third-Party Administrator (TPA) and provides claim numbers and adjuster contact information. Available to independent agents who have placed coverage through Bass.
• Agent Portal Secure web-based Agent Portal (quote.bassuw.com) providing 24/7 access for appointed agents to quote, submit, and track policies; view policy details, endorsements, and payment history. Core workflow tool for agents transacting business with Bass Underwriters.
• Payment Portal Secure online Payment Portal (portal.bassuw.com) enabling agents and policyholders to make payments, view invoices, and print payment receipts. Operated as a standalone billing and payment tool for Bass Underwriters-placed policies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Quotes and indications typically issued within 24-48 hours after all required documents are received
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• A.M. Best Rated Carriers (A VIII or Higher)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBass Underwriters' specialty lines are backed by insurance carriers rated 'A' VIII or higher by A.M. Best, ensuring reliability and security for every policy. These carrier partnerships provide the financial strength and underwriting capacity that underpins Bass's ability to offer high-capacity limits and coverage across all 50 states.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CRC Insurance Services: CRC is a top-five U.S. wholesale insurance distributor and MGA providing commercial and specialty products through retail agents. It competes head-to-head with Bass on multi-line MGA distribution and carrier appointment scale.
• Brown & Riding: Brown & Riding is a national wholesale insurance broker focused on commercial and specialty lines placed through retail agents. Its specialty expertise and agent-driven distribution model are directly comparable to Bass's MGA value proposition.
• Westrope: Westrope is a national wholesale insurance broker and MGA providing specialty, commercial, and personal lines to independent agents. Its size, multi-state footprint, and carrier breadth make it a closely comparable regional-to-national MGA peer.
• Amwins: Amwins is the largest U.S. wholesale insurance broker and MGA, distributing specialty and standard lines through retail agents. It is the most direct competitor to Bass across Commercial, Personal, and Specialty/E&S lines with similar multi-carrier distribution model.
• Risk Placement Services (RPS): RPS is a national wholesale broker and MGA placing specialty and standard-market business through independent agents. Its product breadth, carrier relationships, and E&S focus directly overlap with Bass Underwriters' Specialty and Commercial Lines offerings.
• Crump Insurance Services: Crump is a national wholesale insurance distributor and MGA offering specialty and commercial lines through independent agents. Its scale, carrier relationships, and multi-line approach mirror Bass's three-division structure.
• Burns & Wilcox: Burns & Wilcox is a major national wholesale insurance broker and MGA specializing in surplus lines and specialty risks placed through independent agents. Its E&S market access and high-value personal lines offering parallel Bass's Specialty and Personal Lines divisions.
• M.J. Hall & Company: M.J. Hall is a regional wholesale insurance broker and MGA serving independent agents with commercial and specialty lines. Its agent-focused distribution model and California base make it a meaningful peer for Bass's west-coast specialty operations.
• RPS Signature (formerly MSI): RPS Signature is a program administrator and MGA focused on specialty commercial lines distributed through appointed agents. It is directly comparable to Bass's Specialty Lines division in its carrier-partnered underwriting model.

Broad incumbents

• Ironshore (now part of Liberty Mutual): Ironshore was a specialty insurer and MGA platform absorbed into Liberty Mutual, illustrating the broader-incumbent model of carrier-owned MGA distribution. It is comparable as a specialty insurance intermediary with E&S market expertise competing for the same agent relationships Bass serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/bassunderwriters
• Xx.com/BassUnder
• Facebookfacebook.com/BassUnderwritersMGA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Bass Underwriters