Roanoke Trade

What Roanoke Trade does

Roanoke Trade is a specialty insurance brokerage and managing general agent focused on global trade, customs, and supply chain logistics. Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, with a Canadian office in Toronto, the company is one of the longest-tenured participants in U.S. customs bonding and was the first to issue both U.S. customs bonds and ATA Carnets. It serves importers, exporters, customs brokers, freight forwarders, third-party logistics providers, and other trade-adjacent businesses that require specialized surety, cargo, and liability coverage.

The product portfolio centers on customs and logistics surety bonds — including import, warehouse, broker, and international carrier bonds — together with ATA Carnets for temporary duty-free entry of commercial samples and professional equipment, marine cargo insurance, transportation-related surety, errors & omissions coverage for customs brokers and freight forwarders, cyber liability, and warehouse legal liability. These products are delivered through a proprietary digital platform stack comprising FastBond™ for online surety bond issuance, CoverageDock™ for cargo insurance, KnowledgePort® for compliance and regulatory reference content, and CarnetsOnline for ATA Carnet processing, supporting both direct enterprise and broker-channel digital workflows alongside traditional underwriting.

Roanoke operates as a Lloyd's Coverholder and distributes through independent insurance brokers and direct enterprise relationships. Revenue is generated primarily through brokerage commissions, carrier and supplier margins on bond and carnet issuance, and fees on ancillary compliance and processing services. Customer relationships commonly span multiple decades, the company maintains active U.S.–Canada operations, and its leadership is engaged in trade and customs industry associations including the International Trade Surety Association.

Name

Roanoke Trade

Legal name

Roanoke Insurance Group Inc.

Website

https://roanoketrade.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Roanoke Trade is a specialty insurance brokerage and managing general agent providing customs surety bonds, ATA Carnets, marine cargo insurance, and related liability products to importers, exporters, customs brokers, and logistics companies across the U.S. and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Schaumburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage (Cargo, Liability, Cyber, E&O): Roanoke acts as a specialty insurance brokerage placing marine cargo insurance, cargo legal liability insurance, warehouse insurance, errors & omissions (E&O) insurance, cyber insurance, and commercial business insurance for logistics and trade companies. Revenue is generated through insurance premiums, likely via commission or fees.
2. Surety Bonds (US Customs, Canada Customs, Transportation): Issuance of surety bonds including US Customs Bonds (single, continuous, custodial, FTZ, duty drawback), Canada Customs Bonds (CARM-compliant RPP bond form), transportation bonds (BMC84, NVOCC, Ocean Freight Forwarder, Bonded Carrier, Bonded Warehouse, FTZ), and ATA Carnets. Revenue generated through bond premiums/fees.
3. ATA Carnets: ATA Carnets serve as merchandise 'passports' for temporary duty-free entry. Roanoke is the first ATA Carnet provider in the US. Fees are charged per carnet issuance.
4. Specialty Services: Additional services including Trade Risk Review, Regulatory Defense consulting, Loss Prevention, Risk Intelligence & Risk Assessment offered through partnerships with trusted trade and transportation experts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Roanoke Trade is a specialty insurance brokerage and surety bond provider serving the supply-chain logistics and global trade industries. The company places marine cargo insurance, cargo legal liability, warehouse legal liability, errors & omissions, cyber, and commercial business insurance for logistics providers, customs brokers, and importers/exporters. It also issues US Customs Bonds, CARM-compliant Canada Customs Bonds, transportation bonds (BMC84, NVOCC, FTZ), and ATA Carnets, supported by proprietary digital platforms such as FastBond™, CoverageDock™, KnowledgePort®, and CarnetsOnline.

Product overview

Roanoke Trade (Roanoke Insurance Group) is a specialty insurance brokerage offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance and surety products for the supply-chain logistics and global trade industries. The core offering includes cargo insurance (marine cargo, shipper's interest), cargo legal liability insurance (bill of lading, contingent auto, motor truck cargo), warehouse insurance (legal liability, bailee liability, packers' liability), errors & omissions insurance, cyber insurance, and commercial business insurance. The surety bond portfolio encompasses U.S. Customs Bonds, Canada Customs Bonds, Transportation Bonds (BMC84, NVOCC, FTZ), and ATA Carnets for temporary duty-free imports. The company also provides specialty services including trade risk review and regulatory defense consulting. Supporting digital tools include FastBond™ for electronic customs bond processing, KnowledgePort® for training, CoverageDock™ for coverage management, CarnetsOnline for carnet processing, and various calculators for ATA carnets, cargo insurance, and import bonds. Founded in 1935 as the first U.S. Customs Bond provider and first ATA Carnet provider in the U.S., Roanoke operates from headquarters in Schaumburg, IL (USA) and Toronto, ON (Canada), serving customers in both markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cargo Insurance Marine cargo insurance that protects cargo owners against physical loss during transit, covering theft, water damage, fires, and other transit-related risks. Targeted at shippers, importers, exporters, and logistics providers moving goods domestically and internationally.
• Cargo Legal Liability Insurance Protection for logistics service providers who issue bills of lading, including NVOCCs, domestic freight forwarders, and warehouse operators, against liability arising from loss, damage, or delay of cargo while in their custody.
• Warehouse Insurance Legal liability coverage for warehouse operators who store goods in custody. Includes Warehouse Legal Liability Insurance for operators that issue warehouse receipts limiting liability, and Bailee Liability Insurance for operators that do not issue such receipts, plus Packers' Legal Liability for packing service providers.
• Errors & Omissions Insurance Professional liability coverage including legal defense for customs brokers, freight forwarders, and other logistics service providers facing claims of professional negligence or errors in their service delivery.
• Cyber Insurance Cyber insurance liability coverage that protects logistics service providers from potential losses, downtime, and liability arising from cybercrime incidents targeting their operations and electronic data.
• Commercial Business Insurance Fundamental business protection for transportation or logistics service providers including General Liability & Property, Directors & Officers, Crime, Workers' Compensation, and Excess/Umbrella coverage.
• U.S. Customs Bonds Surety bonds assuring compliance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection laws and regulations, including single and continuous import bonds, custodial bonds, Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) bonds, duty drawback bonds, and international carrier bonds. Issued through the FastBond™ electronic platform.
• Canada Customs Bonds Customs bonds ensuring compliance with CBSA Assessment & Revenue Management (CARM) requirements and Canada Border Services Agency import regulations for Canadian import operations, issued using the CARM-compliant RPP bond form.
• Transportation Bonds Surety bonds including BMC84 (motor carrier), NVOCC, Ocean Freight Forwarder, Bonded Carrier, Bonded Warehouse, and Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) bonds, satisfying FMC, FMCSA, and other federal transportation regulatory requirements.
• ATA Carnets Merchandise passports enabling temporary duty-free entry of professional equipment, samples, and exhibition goods across international borders, eliminating the need to post financial guarantees for temporary imports. Processed through the CarnetsOnline platform.
• Specialty Services Value-added consulting and risk-management offerings including Trade Risk Review for documentation and compliance, Regulatory Defense consulting, Loss Prevention programs, and Risk Intelligence & Risk Assessment services, delivered in partnership with trusted trade and transportation experts.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of the largest Customs Bond providers in North America
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Trade Surety Association (ITSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Colleen Clarke, Senior Vice President at Roanoke, was elected President of ITSA for a two-year term commencing March 1, 2026. ITSA plays a pivotal role in the customs surety bond industry and trade community.
• BSI ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoanoke Insurance Group collaborated with BSI Consulting to produce the '2026 Cargo Theft: Tactics & Trends to Watch' report. This joint research examines how cargo theft is evolving across global, North American, Asian, and European markets, and why theft is increasingly shaped by supply chain design.
• Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg P.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLenny Feldman, managing partner at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg P.A., co-presented with Roanoke executives on the Importer Vetting webinar, providing expert perspectives on CBP compliance and importer vetting in the 'Age of Enforcement.'
• Insurance and Surety Carrier NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRoanoke partners with a trusted network of insurance and surety carriers to provide specialty insurance products including cargo insurance, E&O, cyber insurance, and surety bonds to logistics and trade clients. This network enables access to specialized coverage not available through standard insurance markets.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)coreOthersRoanoke has a strong regulatory relationship with CBP as a leading customs bond provider since 1935. The company leverages this relationship to advocate for customers and support compliance with CBP regulations. Colleen Clarke holds deep experience with U.S. CBP.
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)coreOthersRoanoke supports CARM (CBSA Assessment & Revenue Management) requirements and CBSA import regulations. The company's RPP bond form ensures compliance with CARM requirements. Operating as one of the largest customs bond providers in North America with hyper-focus on CARM.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brown & Riding: Specialty wholesale insurance broker with transportation and surety expertise. Places complex and non-standard risks for clients, competing for similar specialty distribution relationships as Roanoke.
• Amwins: One of the largest specialty insurance wholesalers in the US, with dedicated transportation and surety practice groups that place cargo, customs bond, and E&O coverage into the same logistics customer segment as Roanoke.
• RPS (Risk Placement Services): National specialty wholesale broker and managing general agent offering transportation, surety, and E&O coverage. Overlaps with Roanoke's logistics and surety product lines through wholesale distribution.
• Aon: Global insurance brokerage with a dedicated transportation and logistics practice, placing cargo, customs bond, and surety coverage for large multinational clients. Overlaps with Roanoke on enterprise accounts and represents a scale-based competitive threat.
• Liberty Mutual Surety: Major US surety underwriter writing customs bonds, contract surety, and commercial surety. Operates upstream of brokers like Roanoke but competes for direct relationships with large importers and freight forwarders.
• Burns & Wilcox: Large specialty insurance wholesale brokerage distributing excess/surplus lines and specialty products across personal and commercial lines. Competes with Roanoke in the specialty marine and surety distribution channel at greater scale.
• Hub International: Large North American insurance brokerage with specialty transportation and surety teams. Competes with Roanoke for mid-market and enterprise logistics accounts in both US and Canada.

Direct peers

• UPS Capital: Logistics-focused insurance and financial services affiliate of UPS, providing cargo insurance, customs bond facilitation, and trade finance to shippers and forwarders. Overlaps directly with Roanoke's logistics insurance and bond offering.
• Cavalier Insurance Group: Specialty insurance brokerage focused on transportation, logistics, and freight forwarding risks. Offers marine cargo, cargo legal liability, warehouse legal liability, and surety products serving the same customs broker and 3PL customer base as Roanoke.
• International Bond & Marine Insurance, Ltd. Specialty broker providing customs bonds, marine cargo, and ATA Carnet products to importers, exporters, and customs brokers. Directly comparable niche focus and product set to Roanoke.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RoanokeTrade

Compliance1 record

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 Roanoke Trade