Insurance MGAs and Wholesalers: Compare 21 Markets for Agents
MGAs and wholesalers give retail agents carriers and programs they can't reach on their own. An MGA holds binding authority, which is a carrier's permission to underwrite and commit coverage in its name. A wholesale broker has none of its own and shops your account to markets that only take business from wholesalers.
Much of this business is surplus lines, also called E&S (excess and surplus lines). These carriers aren't licensed in your state, and you turn to them once admitted carriers decline a risk. Each firm also has an appetite, meaning the classes and sizes of risk it wants to write.
We compared 21 firms on how you get access, what they bind themselves, the lines they write and whether you can quote online.
- Markets compared
- 21
- Bind some business in house
- 18
- Sign up online
- 7
Quick picks by need
Sign up and quote online
Register online, quote in the firm's portal and bind or request the bind there. The firm or its platform holds the carrier's authority, not you. USG and Appalachian also sign you up online but confirm binds themselves, so they aren't listed.
Pathpoint, Coterie Insurance, Distinguished Programs, Neptune Flood, Victor
Personal lines and flood
Writes both personal lines and flood, and binds at least some business in house.
Amwins, Burns & Wilcox, Johnson & Johnson, Neptune Flood, CRC Group, Victor, One80 Intermediaries
Niche programs
Runs its own programs for specialty classes, with in-house binding on some of them.
Amwins, RT Specialty, Distinguished Programs, Specialty Program Group, CRC Group, Risk Placement Services, Victor, One80 Intermediaries, Jencap
Quick picks are matched on published features, not ranked. Each list follows our default order.
Compare 21 MGAs and wholesalers
| Firm | Type | Lines | Binds in house | Access | Admitted or surplus lines | Online quoting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RT Specialty | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CWorkers compCyberTransportationHomeowners | Appointment required | Both | ||
| Amwins | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CProfessionalTransportationPersonal linesFlood | Appointment required | Both | ||
| Gorst & Compass | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CProfessionalGarageHomeowners | Appointment required | Both | ||
| Pathpoint | Digital wholesaler | General liabilityPropertyContractorsCyber | Sign up online | Surplus lines | ||
| Burns & Wilcox | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CProfessionalFloodHigh-value homes | Appointment required | Both | ||
| Hull & Company | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CTransportationProfessionalHigh-value homes | Appointment required | Mostly surplus lines | Some branches | |
| Bass Underwriters | Wholesale broker | Commercial P&CHomeownersFloodProfessionalTransportation | Quote before appointment | Mostly surplus lines | Submit online | |
| Coterie Insurance | MGA | BOPGeneral liabilityProfessionalCyber | Sign up online | Mostly admitted | ||
| Johnson & Johnson | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CHomeownersFloodMarineProfessional | Appointment required | Both | ||
| Distinguished Programs | Program administrator | HabitationalCommunity associationsHospitalityUmbrellaCyber | Sign up online | Both | ||
| USG Insurance Services | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CGarageTransportationSurety | In writing | Sign up online | Both | |
| Neptune Flood | MGA | FloodEarthquake | Sign up online | Surplus lines | ||
| Brown & Riding | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CProfessionalTransportationPrivate client | Contact a broker | Both | ||
| Specialty Program Group | Wholesale broker and programs | TransportationCommercial P&CEnvironmentalCannabis | Appointment required | Both | ||
| CRC Group | Wholesale broker and MGA | Commercial P&CProfessionalPersonal linesCannabisBenefits | Appointment required | Both | ||
| Appalachian Underwriters | Wholesale broker and MGA | Workers compSmall commercialPersonal linesFlood | Sign up online | Both | ||
| Risk Placement Services | Wholesale broker, MGA and programs | Commercial P&CWorkers compProfessionalStandard lines | Appointment required | Both | ||
| Victor | MGA and programs | ProfessionalBuilders riskFloodCyberCatastrophe property | Sign up online | Both | ||
| M.J. Hall | Wholesale broker and MGA | CannabisTransportationContractorsEarthquake | Appointment required | Mostly surplus lines | ||
| One80 Intermediaries | Wholesale broker and programs | Commercial P&CMarineTransportationHomeownersFlood | Appointment required | Both | ||
| Jencap | Wholesale broker, MGA and programs | Commercial P&CTransportationConstructionWorkers comp | Appointment required | Both |
The list follows our default order, which rests on trust factors and never on payment. Checked October 2026.
See published fees and commission in the cost guide.
Questions to ask before you buy
Do I need an appointment first?
Most firms want a signed producer agreement, E&O proof and your licenses before you bind. A few let you quote first or sign up online.
Can I bind it myself?
Retail agents rarely get binding authority, the carrier's permission to commit coverage. The firm's underwriters or its portal bind for the carrier, and you request the bind or e-sign it.
When is the premium due?
On agency bill, many firms want payment 10 to 30 days after the effective date, whether or not your client has paid you.
Who files the surplus lines taxes?
It depends on the firm and the state. Some file for you, and others leave the taxes, affidavits and diligent search to your agency.
Who keeps the expirations?
Read the producer agreement. Many say the expirations are yours while your account is paid, and unpaid balances can move them to the firm.
What does it pay?
Few firms publish commission. Ask for the rate on each line in writing, plus any fees your client will see on the invoice.
Frequently asked questions
What is an MGA or a wholesaler?
MGAs and wholesalers give retail agents access to carriers and programs they can't reach directly, often for hard-to-place or specialty risks.
How is this list ordered?
We start from a default order built on trust factors, which are how many buyer facts the vendor publishes, whether its identity is verified, how openly it shows prices, how long it has been in business and an editorial review. Affiliate and paid links play no part, and a higher spot does not mean a better product. Read how we order vendors.
How we researched this. We based this page on each vendor's published pricing where available, terms and product pages, reviewed in October 2026, together with our team's experience working with insurance agents and agency owners since 2008.