What Research Underwriters does

Research Underwriters is a privately held, family-owned specialty insurance broker and managing general agent founded in 1958 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Stan Friedberg. The firm focuses on commercial transportation insurance, with deep specialization across taxi, limousine/livery, charter/school bus, paratransit, non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), trucking, rideshare, and waste hauling segments. It operates as an independent broker placing business with 100+ insurance carriers and, since 2004, has operated Freedom Advantage Insurance Co., a wholly-owned captive insurer carrying an A Financial Stability Rating that underwrites unique transportation risks via alternative risk structures (high-capacity deductibles, self-insured retentions, and captives), through which it has cumulatively written over $1 billion in premium.

The firm distributes exclusively through direct sales via seven regional offices (Pittsburgh HQ, Worcester, Delray Beach, Philadelphia, Vail, plus added West Coast offices in Denver, Phoenix, and San Francisco), led by Stephen Friedberg (President, second generation) and a bench of regional Senior Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents, several with CPCU designations and decades of transportation niche experience. Its go-to-market is consultative, sales-led, and underpinned by participation in industry trade shows (TLPA, NEMTAC, LCT, TPAC) and association partnerships. Its technology stack is conventional SaaS — a cloud-based customer service platform transitioned in 2015 with electronic signature and a 24/7 online account portal — with no documented AI, no app, no public API, and no published patents. Customer count exceeds 3,500 businesses nationwide, and the firm also places personal lines (homeowners, auto, motorcycle, watercraft, umbrella, flood). It owns no external private equity or venture capital investment, has never transacted an IPO, and serves customers in 43 states for its taxi product line.

Name

Research Underwriters

Legal name

Research Underwriters

Website

https://researchunderwriters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Research Underwriters is a family-owned specialty insurance broker and MGA founded in 1958 in Pittsburgh, serving 3,500+ commercial transportation businesses across taxi, limo, bus, paratransit, NEMT, trucking, and waste hauling via 7 U.S. regional offices and 100+ carrier relationships, with a captive insurance subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Transportation Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421), Other Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers (524128), Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers (52412), Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Carriers (524126)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Insurance Carriers, Nec (6399), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional Liability (E&O) (FSAJAGAC)

Keywords

• Commercial transportation insurance
• Insurance brokerage
• Managing general agent
• Captive insurance programs
• Workers compensation insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage Commissions: As an independent insurance broker and managing general agent, Research Underwriters earns commissions from insurance carriers for placing business. They represent over 100 insurance carriers and access competitive markets to find the best solutions for clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Research Underwriters is a specialty insurance broker and managing general agent focused on the commercial transportation industry. It places commercial and personal insurance coverage through a network of 100+ carriers and designs alternative risk financing programs including high-capacity deductibles, self-insured retentions, and captive insurance.

Product overview

Research Underwriters is a specialty insurance broker and managing general agent offering a comprehensive portfolio of commercial and personal insurance products. Their commercial insurance focuses on the transportation industry with products including Commercial Auto Insurance, Taxi Insurance, Trucking Programs, Bus Programs (Charter Bus, School Bus), Paratransit Insurance, Limousine/Livery Programs, Rideshare Insurance, Waste Hauler Insurance, General Liability, Workers Compensation, Employment Practices (Professional Liability/E&O), and Alternative Risk solutions (captive insurance programs with over $1 billion in premium written). Their personal insurance portfolio includes Homeowners, Automobile, Motorcycle, Watercraft, Personal Umbrella, Antique/Collector Car, Condominium Owner, Renter/Tenant, and Flood insurance. The company represents over 100 insurance carriers and serves over 3,500 businesses nationwide through offices in Pittsburgh (headquarters), Worcester, Delray Beach, Philadelphia, and Vail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Auto Insurance Insurance coverage for vehicles used in business operations, covering bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury/medical payments, collision, comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, accessed through over 100 insurance carriers.
• Taxi Insurance Specialized insurance coverage for taxi companies with broad acceptability of vehicles and drivers, covering accidents, vehicle damage, and passenger injuries. Serves owner-operators, large fleets, taxi cooperatives, and new ventures.
• Trucking Programs Insurance coverage for all trucking operations including dry freight, refrigerated commodities, flat-bed, and general trucking, available for local, intermediate, and long-distance radius operations.
• Bus Programs (Charter Bus Insurance) Specialized bus insurance for Charter Bus, Tour Bus, Sightseeing, Transit, and School Bus operations, including bonds, EPLI, crisis management training, and annual safety seminars.
• School Bus Insurance Specialized insurance for school bus companies covering higher liability limits and specialized coverages including sexual abuse and molestation coverage, for operators in major cities, suburban, or rural areas.
• Paratransit Insurance Insurance coverage for paratransit companies covering ambulette services, non-emergency medical transport, and for-hire handicapped transportation, for fleets of wheelchair vans, sedans, and box trucks.
• Limousine/Livery Programs Insurance coverage for limousine and livery businesses including classic stretch limousines, luxury SUVs, and limo buses, offering access to top specialty markets for competitive pricing.
• Rideshare Insurance Specialized insurance policies to eliminate gaps between personal insurance and Uber/Lyft coverage, offering full commercial auto liability policies or personal policies with rideshare coverage endorsements.
• Waste Hauler Insurance Insurance coverage for waste hauling companies including commercial auto, physical damage, inland marine, general liability, workers compensation, and umbrella/excess coverage, for commercial/residential haulers, medical waste, recycling, sludge, construction debris, septic services, and transfer stations.
• General Liability Insurance Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance protecting businesses from liability claims for bodily injury and property damage arising out of premises, operations, products, and completed operations.
• Workers Compensation Insurance Workers compensation programs protecting employers from claims resulting from injuries to employees, combining traditional insurance with industry-leading safety programs and driver training.
• Employment Practices Insurance Professional Liability or E&O insurance protecting businesses from claims when a customer claims an error or omission has caused them a financial loss, covering judgments, settlements, and defense costs.
• Alternative Risk (Captive Insurance Programs) Customized alternative risk solutions including high-capacity deductibles, self-insured retentions, and captive insurance programs (single-parent, group, and rental captives). Research Underwriters has written over $1 billion in premium through these solutions.
• NEMT Insurance Program Insurance program designed exclusively for the Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) industry, offering commercial auto liability up to $1.5M, physical damage, general liability, and sexual abuse/molestation coverage.
• Homeowners Insurance Insurance coverage for homes including dwelling, other structures, loss of use, and valuable articles coverage, available for primary residences, vacation homes, rental properties, and apartments.
• Automobile Insurance Personal automobile insurance coverage for daily-use vehicles, luxury vehicles, trucks, and motor homes, including safe driver and multi-policy discounts.
• Motorcycle Insurance Insurance coverage for most motorcycle types including cruisers, sport bikes, touring bikes, dirt bikes, mopeds, scooters, custom motorcycles, and vintage motorcycles, covering bodily injury, property damage, comprehensive, and collision.
• Watercraft Insurance Insurance coverage for watercraft including yachts, powerboats, sailboats, jet skis, and fishing boats, covering personal property, liability, and loss prevention services.
• Personal Umbrella Insurance Excess liability insurance providing higher limits when damages exceed the limits of auto, homeowners, renters, or boat policies. Available in $1M increments up to $50 million with defense costs coverage.
• Antique/Collector Car Insurance Specialty insurance for classic, vintage, custom, exotic, muscle, and modified vehicles and vintage motorcycles/watercraft, providing agreed value and adjustable mileage limitations.
• Condominium Owner Insurance Insurance coverage for condominium unit owners covering dwelling (cabinetry, fixtures, lighting), personal property, loss assessment, and expert appraisal, supplementing master policy coverage.
• Renter/Tenant Homeowner Insurance Insurance coverage for renters covering contents/personal property, improvements to rental unit, loss of use, personal liability, and valuable articles.
• Flood Insurance Insurance coverage for flooding damage backed by the National Flood Insurance Program (FEMA), covering possessions and cleanup expenses for primary residences, vacation homes, rental properties, and apartments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 3,500 businesses throughout the country
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Freedom Advantage Insurance Co.coreOthers · 1 January 2004Founded in 2004 as a broker-controlled insurer designed to provide solutions for unique risks associated with the transportation industry. Freedom Advantage maintains a Financial Stability Rating of 'A' and remains committed to delivering highest quality insurance products for customers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brown & Riding Insurance Services: National wholesale insurance brokerage and MGA specializing in commercial specialty lines including transportation, with a similar broker/agent model and carrier panel approach to Research Underwriters.
• Burns & Wilcox: One of the largest independent wholesale insurance brokerages and MGAs in the U.S., placing complex specialty commercial risks including transportation — directly comparable to Research Underwriters' MGA function.
• RPS (Risk Placement Services): Specialty wholesale broker and MGA focused on excess & surplus lines and niche commercial risks including transportation, mirroring Research Underwriters' specialty carrier placement model.
• CRC Insurance Services: Wholesale insurance broker and MGA providing specialty commercial placement including commercial auto and transportation, with a similar multi-carrier placement and regional office structure.
• Worldwide Facilities: National wholesale insurance broker and MGA placing commercial specialty lines, including transportation risks, with comparable carrier panel breadth and regional office coverage.
• Heffernan Insurance Brokers: Mid-market independent commercial insurance broker with transportation practice and multi-office U.S. footprint — comparable in size and broker-led model to Research Underwriters.
• The Buckner Company: Specialty transportation insurance broker with MGA capabilities, offering commercial auto programs for taxi, limo, bus, and paratransit operators — directly comparable specialty focus.

Broad incumbents

• Amwins Group: Large specialty insurance distributor with wholesale brokerage, MGA, and reinsurance operations — broader and larger than Research Underwriters but operating an overlapping specialty transportation placement business.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Large global insurance brokerage and risk management firm with transportation practice; offers much broader services but competes for the same specialty transportation accounts.
• Marsh & McLennan: Global insurance brokerage and risk advisory powerhouse with a transportation specialty practice — serves as a broad incumbent competing for larger commercial transportation accounts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rsunderwriters
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Research-Underwriters/188474517852510?ref=bookmarks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1416696?trk=prof-exp-company-name

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Research Underwriters