bond brokers, inc.

What bond brokers, inc. does

Bond Brokers, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned surety bond agency founded in 1980 and headquartered in Northfield, Illinois. The firm specializes exclusively in underwriting and placing hard-to-place surety bonds — accounts that standard surety markets have declined due to credit issues, insufficient working capital or equity, non-traditional business classes (environmental, specialty services, design/build), or applicants seeking larger programs than they currently qualify for. The company earns commission revenue by brokering these bonds through a network of relationships with multiple U.S. Treasury-listed surety carriers and creative tools such as collateral and funds control arrangements.

The product portfolio is organized into four categories — Contract Bonds (bid, performance, payment, service), Miscellaneous Bonds (more than 25 license/permit and court bond types including notary, probate, mortgage broker, ICC broker, ERISA, and appeal bonds), Subdivision Bonds, and Environmental Bonds — covering a bond-size range from $1,000 to $20 million. The firm gained in-house underwriting authority in 2013, enabling same-day or next-day quote turnaround on submitted files. Operations are lean, with 1-10 employees under co-owners Craig and Ted Sherman plus a dedicated miscellaneous-bond contact (Judy Blaige).

Distribution is entirely wholesale: Bond Brokers does not market directly to bond obligees but instead serves independent insurance agents nationwide who refer declined accounts. Marketing is relationship-driven via toll-free phone, direct email to the principals, a comprehensive product website with downloadable applications, and a Facebook page. Pricing is quote-based and risk-adjusted per bond, with no disclosed subscription or recurring product revenue.

Name

bond brokers, inc.

Legal name

Bond Brokers, Inc.

Website

https://bondbrokersinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bond Brokers, Inc. is a family-owned Illinois surety bond agency that places hard-to-place bonds ($1,000 to $20 million) for independent insurance agents nationwide, specializing in accounts declined by standard markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surety Bond Services

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)

SIC

Surety Insurance (6351)

akta.pro primary industry

Surety & Bond Brokerage (FSAEADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Notary / Bail / Miscellaneous Consumer Bonds (FSAJAIAK)

Keywords

• Surety bond placement
• Hard-to-place bonds
• Contract surety bonds
• Miscellaneous surety bonds
• Independent agent network

Headquarters

HQ city

Northfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Surety Bond Placement Services: Bond Brokers, Inc. operates as a surety bond agency that earns commissions on bonds placed for clients. The company works with independent agents nationally to place bonds that have been declined by standard markets, using creative underwriting tools such as collateral or funds control when appropriate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bond Brokers, Inc. is a family-owned surety bond agency that underwrites and places hard-to-place surety bonds for contractors, businesses, and professionals through a national network of independent insurance agents. The company specializes in accounts declined by standard surety markets due to credit issues, insufficient working capital or equity, or non-traditional business classes, and handles bond sizes from $1,000 to $20 million using creative underwriting tools such as collateral and funds control.

Product overview

Bond Brokers, Inc. is a family-owned surety bond agency specializing in hard-to-place bonds for accounts declined by standard markets. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized into four main product categories: Contract Bonds (including Bid Bonds, Performance Bonds, Payment Bonds, and Service Bonds for construction and service contractors), Miscellaneous Bonds (comprising over 25 bond types for license/permit requirements such as Notary, Probate, Private School, Mortgage Broker, Sales Tax, and various professional/industry-specific bonds), Subdivision Bonds, and Environmental Bonds. The company serves independent agents nationally, providing bonds ranging from $1,000 to $20 million, with a focus on accounts with credit challenges, lack of working capital, or specialty business classes. They utilize creative underwriting tools including collateral and funds control, and have recently gained authority for in-house underwriting to provide quotes within a day.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contract Bonds Surety bonds for construction and contract work, including Bid Bonds, Performance Bonds, Payment Bonds, and Service Bonds, that guarantee contractors fulfill their contractual obligations. Targeted at contractors and service providers needing bid, performance, payment, and service contract guarantees.
• Subdivision Bonds
• Environmental Bonds
• Miscellaneous Bonds

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day or next-day quote turnaround capability

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• U.S. Treasury-Listed Surety CompaniescoreOthersBond Brokers, Inc. works with multiple U.S. Treasury-listed surety companies to place hard-to-place bonds. These partnerships enable the company to offer competitive rates and quick turnaround times for accounts that have been declined by standard markets.
• Independent Insurance AgentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe company works with independent agents nationally as their primary distribution channel. Agents submit bond applications on behalf of clients seeking hard-to-place bonds that standard markets have declined.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Hudson Insurance Group (Surety): Multi-line insurer with a sizable commercial surety operation writing contract and miscellaneous bonds through producers. Comparable to Bond Brokers as a surety capacity provider behind hard-to-place placements, but at much greater scale and as a carrier rather than a broker.
• Liberty Mutual Surety: Top-tier surety underwriter within a major national P&C insurer, providing contract and commercial surety through agents. Comparable as a counterparty in the hard-to-place market that Bond Brokers routes business to, but at vastly greater scale and as a carrier.
• Colonial Surety: Established surety company underwriting a broad portfolio of contract and miscellaneous bonds directly and through agents. Comparable to Bond Brokers because it serves the same contractor and license/permit customer base, but operates as a direct underwriter rather than a pure broker.

Direct peers

• International Surety: Specialty surety bond provider handling hard-to-place and non-standard commercial surety accounts. Comparable to Bond Brokers because both serve applicants declined by standard markets, with similar underwriting creativity and agent-driven distribution.
• SuretyBonds.com: Online surety bond agency offering a broad catalog of contract, commercial, and miscellaneous bonds across all50 states. Directly comparable to Bond Brokers because both act as intermediaries placing surety bonds for applicants who often have non-standard qualifications, though SuretyBonds.com operates via a digital-first platform rather than phone/email.
• Lance Surety Bonds: Surety bond agency writing a wide range of contract and miscellaneous bonds through an agent and direct channel. Directly comparable to Bond Brokers as a surety bond broker serving applicants who need license/permit, contract, and court bonds, with similar revenue model and target customer base.
• Viking Bond Service: Commercial surety bond agency offering contract, subdivision, and miscellaneous bond placement, including hard-to-place accounts. Directly comparable to Bond Brokers because it brokers the same product categories to contractors and businesses, including specialty risk classes.
• ContractSure: Surety bond broker focused on contract bonds (bid, performance, payment) for contractors. Directly comparable to Bond Brokers' core contract-bond book, with similar role as an intermediary between contractors and surety carriers.
• Surety Solutions: Independent surety bond agency writing contract and miscellaneous bonds through agents. Directly comparable to Bond Brokers given the shared surety-brokerage model, target customers (contractors and small businesses), and commission-based revenue.

Others

• The Surety & Fidelity Association of America: Industry trade association representing surety underwriters and brokers in the U.S. Relevant to Bond Brokers as the primary industry body that sets standards and lobbies for the surety market in which the firm places business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BondBrokersInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bond-brokers-inc

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 bond brokers, inc.