Surety Bonds

Department of the Treasury's Listing of Approved Sureties (Department Circular 570)

• Certified Companies
• Certified Reinsurer Companies
• Footnotes
• Notes
• States Insurance Departments
• Supplemental Changes to Circular 570

Notes

(a) All Certificates of Authority expire June 30, and are renewable July 1, annually. Companies holding Certificates of Authority as acceptable sureties on Federal bonds are also acceptable as reinsuring companies.

(b) The Underwriting Limitations published herein are on a per bond basis. Treasury requirements do not limit the penal sum (face amount) of bonds which surety companies may provide. However, when the penal sum exceeds a company's Underwriting Limitation, the excess must be protected by co-insurance, reinsurance, or other methods in accordance with 31 CFR Section 223.10, Section 223.11. Treasury refers to a bond of this type as an Excess Risk. When Excess Risks on bonds in favor of the United States are protected by reinsurance, such reinsurance is to be effected by use of a Federal reinsurance form to be filed with the bond or within 45 days thereafter. In protecting such excess risks, the underwriting limitation in force on the day in which the bond was provided will govern absolutely. For further assistance, contact the Surety Bond Branch at (202) 874-6850.

(c) A surety company must be licensed in the State or other area in which it provides a bond, but need not be licensed in the State or other area in which the principal resides or where the contract is to be performed [28 Op. Atty. Gen. 127, Dec. 24, 1909; 31 CFR Section 223.5 (b)]. The term "other area" includes the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

License information in this Circular is provided to the Treasury Department by the companies themselves. For updated license information, you may contact the company directly or the applicable State Insurance Department. Refer to the list of state insurance departments at the end of this publication. For further assistance, contact the Surety Bond Branch at (202) 874-6850.

(d) FEDERAL PROCESS AGENTS: Treasury Approved surety companies are required to appoint Federal process agents in accord with 31 U.S.C. 9306 and 31 CFR 224.

(e) Companies holding Certificates of Authority as acceptable reinsuring companies are acceptable only as reinsuring companies on Federal bonds and may not directly write Federal bonds.

(f) Some companies may be Approved surplus lines carriers in various states. Such approval may indicate that the company is authorized to write surety in a particular state, even though the company is not licensed in the state. Questions related to this may be directed to the appropriate State Insurance Department. Refer to the list of state insurance departments at the end of this publication.