Appalachian Underwriters review for retail agents: programs, access and binding authority
Appalachian Underwriters (AUI) places workers comp, small commercial, hard-to-place commercial and personal lines for retail agencies. Most of it is rated online in the AUI Agents portal. The hardest risks go to surplus lines (E&S) carriers, which aren't licensed in your state but can take what admitted carriers decline.
It suits small and newer agencies. You apply online, join an onboarding call and face no premium volume requirement.
- Best for
- Small and newer agencies that want workers comp, small commercial and personal lines raters with no volume minimum
- Type
- Wholesale broker and MGA in the Acrisure-owned Wholesure group
- Lines
- Workers comp, small commercial, hard-to-place commercial, personal lines and flood
- Access
- Online contract application and an onboarding call. No premium volume requirement
- Authority
- Quotes online on its Xpress raters. Binding is confirmed by AUI or the carrier
- States
- Varies by program. Xpress Flood quotes in all 50 states
Our take
AUI is a Tennessee wholesaler and MGA owned by Acrisure. It runs four divisions: workers comp, small commercial, brokerage for larger risks and personal lines.
It fits a small agency that needs comp and small commercial markets without a production minimum. The workers comp rater handles accounts up to $25,000 premium, and commercial accounts under $10,000 go on the Xpress raters.
Check the agency bill terms before you sign. You pay within 10 days of the effective date even when the insured hasn't paid, and endorsements can take 3 to 4 weeks.
Pros
- No premium volume requirement
- Online workers comp rater for accounts up to $25,000 premium
- Xpress raters for small commercial, personal lines and flood
- Flood quotes from NFIP and private markets side by side
- Your expirations stay yours while premiums are paid
Cons
- Agency bill premium is due in 10 days, paid or not
- You lose all commission on premium that goes unpaid
- Endorsements can take 3 to 4 weeks
- Binding needs AUI or carrier sign-off
Who they work with
- Who can submit
- Licensed agencies with an AUI contract
- How to get access
- Apply online, then book a live onboarding call. The call can be in Spanish
- Requirements
- Agency license, at least one resident license, a W-9 and your federal tax ID (FEIN)
- Disclosures
- Any state insurance department (DOI) action or felony, plus any E&O claim or bankruptcy in the last five years. AUI reviews a yes answer rather than rejecting it outright
- E&O minimum
- $1 million per claim and $1 million aggregate
- Production minimum
- None. AUI's appointment FAQ says it has no premium volume requirement
Fill in the online application
Acrisure partner agencies sign a separate contract instead.
Upload your documents
Your E&O certificate, agency license, a resident license and a W-9.
Sign the agreement
Return the producer agreement and an electronic funds transfer (EFT) form with a voided check, since commission is paid only by direct deposit.
Join the onboarding call
It walks through the agent portal and what you can write. AUI then assigns a marketing rep for your area.
Programs and what they write
| Program | Type | Lines |
|---|---|---|
| Workers compXpress WorkersComp, from preferred to hard-to-place | Wholesale broker | Workers comp |
| Commercial LinesSmall accounts, usually under $10,000 premium, on Xpress raters | MGA | GL, property, BOP, garage, liquor, inland marine and umbrella |
| BrokerageAccounts over $10,000 or outside the programs | Wholesale broker | Property, casualty, construction, transportation, marine and aviation |
| Personal LinesXpress Personal Lines, Xpress Flood and Reliance Risk Solutions | Wholesale broker | Homeowners, high-value homes, flood, umbrella and collector auto |
Workers comp takes accounts from under $1,000 to over $1,000,000 in premium. Garage minimums start at $500. Commercial Lines states vary by program: Westchester writes in every state, while AUGold skips AK, CT, HI, KY, ME, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI and VT.
Accounts Brokerage takes
- Risks an admitted carrier non-renewed
- Accounts outside AUI's binding contracts or the programs
- Premium of $10,000 or more
- Property values over $5 million, with no top limit
- Receipts over $1 million
- High risk by location, exposure or loss history
Workers comp classes AUI targets
- Contractors, janitorial and manufacturing
- Auto service and sales
- Home health care
- Hotels, restaurants and bars
- Office, retail and trucking
- High experience mods, lapses, new ventures and multi-state accounts
Personal Lines also writes coastal and wind-only homes, homes with up to five losses, umbrellas up to $20 million and Lloyd's agreed-value auto through Xpress Autoguard in the continental US.
How to submit
- How it works
- Rate and quote in the AUI Agents portal, or email the division that fits. Commercial accounts under $10,000 go to Commercial Lines and larger ones to Brokerage
- Submit by
- AUI Agents portal, division email or phone
- Documents needed
- Workers comp needs your FEIN and three years of loss runs. Commercial accounts need the supplemental applications, and specialty risks a questionnaire when asked
- California workers comp
- Years in business, staff counts, payroll by class and a description of operations, with no ACORD 125. To bind, three years of loss runs valued within 90 days of the effective date
| Division | Send to |
|---|---|
| Workers comp | wcsubmissions@wholesure.com |
| Commercial Lines | essubmissions@wholesure.com |
| Brokerage | brokersubmissions@wholesure.com |
| Personal Lines | plsubmissions@wholesure.com |
| Flood | plflood@appund.com |
| High-value homes | privaterisk@wholesure.com |
AUI belongs to the Wholesure group, so most of its submission inboxes use wholesure.com addresses.
Quote and bind authority
"Takes your submission" means you send the risk to the firm. Binds "In house" means the firm commits the carrier on its own, with no second sign-off. Where a cell is blank, the firm publishes nothing on that step.
| Program | Takes your submission | Quotes | Binds | Issues the policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workers comp | ||||
| Commercial Lines | After carrier OK | |||
| Brokerage | ||||
| Personal Lines | After carrier OK |
| Request | Response time AUI gives |
|---|---|
| Xpress Flood quote | Under a minute |
| Xpress commercial terms | Minutes |
| Contact form reply | 72 hours |
Workers comp accounts of $25,000 premium or less get an online indication and printable ACORD forms. Larger accounts are quoted by email.
Carrier paper and admitted status
- Admitted or surplus lines
- Both, on Commercial Lines, Brokerage and Personal Lines
- Carrier programs
- AUGold, USLI and Westchester raters, reached with your AUI login
- Flood markets
- The federal flood program (NFIP) through Assurant, Selective and Wright Flood. Private flood from Neptune, Poulton Associates and Dual
Commission, fees and billing
- Who bills
- Direct bill or agency bill on Personal Lines and Commercial Lines
- Payment terms
- On agency bill, send the premium, taxes and fees less commission within 10 days of the effective date, whether or not the insured has paid
- How commission is paid
- By direct deposit only, with statements in the AUI Agents portal
- Unpaid premium
- You lose all commission on premium that goes unpaid
- Premium finance
- You arrange it at your own risk. On cancellation, unearned commission goes back to the finance company or AUI. Workers comp offers payment plans with low down payments
- Agency fees
- You can add fees the law allows, shown as part of the policy premium
- How to pay
- Online in the portal, or by mail to P.O. Box 800, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
Surplus lines taxes and filings
- Who files
- Whichever party pays the surplus lines tax also handles the state compliance
- Taxes and stamping fees
- That party collects and pays the tax, files the affidavits and adds the disclosure wording
- Diligent search
- Your job. You meet each state's rule on trying admitted carriers first and complete or help complete the affidavits
- Forms
- AUI posts the state tax forms in its forms section
The diligent search is yours. Before you order surplus lines coverage through AUI, your agency has to show it tried admitted carriers the way your state requires.
Endorsements, audits and claims
- Endorsements
- In writing to the Endorsement department with the policy number, dates and reason. Allow 3 to 4 weeks
- Certificates
- You can issue standard ACORD certificates after AUI binds. Changes to the standard wording need AUI's written OK
- Cancellations
- Premium unpaid by 12:01 AM on the cancellation date cancels the policy, and reinstatement isn't guaranteed. A flat cancel needs proof before the effective date plus carrier and AUI approval
- Audits
- The carrier contacts the insured. On Commercial Specialty, an insured who ignores the auditor can get an estimated audit or a cancellation notice
- Renewals
- On Commercial Specialty, AUI mails the non-renewal to the insured, sends you a copy and says if it has another market. On workers comp the carrier sends the notice
- Claims handled by
- The carrier. You can't adjust or settle claims
- Loss runs
- Request online. They arrive in 3 to 4 business days with up to five years of history, and only the agent of record or a listed officer can ask
Who owns the account
- Who owns the client
- You do. Your records and expirations stay yours while premiums are paid
- Renewal control
- Passes to AUI if the agreement ends while you still owe premium
- Broker of record
- AUI accepts BOR letters at least 30 days before renewal. Inside 30 days, call your sales rep
- Non-solicitation
- AUI won't use your expirations to solicit unless they pass to it. You can't hire away Wholesure or AUI staff during the agreement and for two years after
- If the relationship ends
- The agreement runs a year and renews on its own. Either side can end it with 30 days written notice, and no commission is paid on policies bound after it ends
- Moving a book in
- Once contracted, you can roll a book from a carrier or another MGA with AUI's transfer form
Portal and integrations
- Portal
- AUI Agents portal at auiagents.com
- Online quoting
- Yes, on Xpress raters for workers comp, small commercial, personal lines and flood
| Connects to | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Acriflood | Flood rater | Runs the Xpress Flood comparative rater across NFIP and private markets |
| Westchester, USLI and AUGold | Carrier raters | Quote these carrier programs with your AUI login |
| Neptune Flood, Poulton Associates and Dual | Private flood markets | Quoted side by side on Xpress Flood |
| Assurant, Selective and Wright Flood | NFIP markets | Quoted side by side on Xpress Flood |
What you can do in the portal
- Rate, quote and send bind requests
- Pay online
- Download policy documents
- Read commission statements
- Request loss runs
Support for retail agents
- Contact
- Customer care 888-376-9633. Brokerage line 866-984-3251. Appointment questions to agencyops@appund.com
- Underwriter access
- A marketing rep for your area, plus division underwriters by phone and submission email
- Training
- Live onboarding for new agencies and agent webinars on the events calendar
Appalachian Underwriters alternatives
- M.J. HallSister Wholesure firm in California with a trucking rater
- PathpointBinds small E&S accounts online, and you can quote before you sign
- Coterie InsuranceQuotes and binds admitted small business policies in minutes
- Burns & WilcoxNational wholesaler that issues flood online through IssueQuick
- USG Insurance ServicesTakes submissions after a quick online registration
See every option in insurance mGAs and wholesalers.
Frequently asked questions
Does AUI have a production minimum?
No. You apply online, send your licenses, E&O certificate and W-9, then join an onboarding call.
Can I bind online with AUI?
You can rate and send a bind request online. AUI or the carrier confirms the bind, and some carrier programs let you issue the policy yourself.
Who handles surplus lines taxes on AUI business?
Whoever pays the tax also files. Your agency does the diligent search either way.
Who owns the renewal?
You do while premiums are paid. AUI takes over the expirations only if you leave owing premium.
How does AUI pay commission?
By direct deposit only. Statements are in the AUI Agents portal.
How we researched this review. We based this review on the terms and product pages published by Appalachian Underwriters, reviewed in October 2026, together with our team's experience working with insurance agents and agency owners since 2008.
Corrections
Vendors change their pricing all the time and they don't email us when they do. So if you see a price on here that's gone up, a plan Appalachian Underwriters quit selling or a contract term that reads different now, let us know and send the link to the page where Appalachian Underwriters has it. Somebody here pulls up that page and checks it before we change anything on ours.