Insurance for Surety Bonds

In its most simple form, a Surety bond protects the one party (obligee) against losses, up to the limit of the bond, that results from another party’s (principal) failure to perform its obligation or undertaking. It is different from regular insurance in that a loss paid under a surety bond is fully recoverable from the principal.

The two most common forms of surety are contract surety and commercial surety.

• Contract Surety – these bonds are used primarily in the construction industry. They protect the owner (obligee) from financial loss in the event that the contractor (principal) fails to fulfill the terms and conditions of their contract. The obligee is protected against a contractor’s inability to complete a job. Contract bonds come in the form of bid bonds, performance/labour payment bonds, supply bonds, or advance payment bonds.
• Commercial Surety – these bonds satisfy the security requirements of public, legal and government entities and protect against financial risk. They typically guarantee that the business or individual will comply with all required legal obligations. Commercial bonds come in the form of court/judicial bonds and license/permit bonds.

Whether you are looking for a surety bond for a traditional construction project or pursuing an alternative to a bank letter of credit, a number of our offices can customize a solution to help guarantee the performance on your program.

Through our strong relationships with local, Canadian insurance companies, our network of offices has access to a number of Surety experts who can assist you in finding the most appropriate bond for your project.