Account-Based Rates for Commercial Bonds
A Smarter Way to Serve Large Commercial Clients
At Merchants Bonding Company™, we believe that surety should be simple, strategic, and built for real-world business. That’s why we offer an account-based rating structure for commercial surety—an approach designed to bring clarity and consistency to clients with complex bonding needs.
This model allows Merchants to assign a single, account-level base rate that applies across a portfolio of bond types. It’s an efficient, scalable solution for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions or industries, and it aligns with our broader commitment to common sense surety and first class experience.
Consistency That Works Across a Whole Account
For agents managing large, dynamic commercial accounts, quoting individual bond types one at a time can be inefficient—and can sometimes feel disconnected from the bigger picture. With account-based rating, strong accounts benefit from a unified rate. The result is a cleaner, more predictable experience for everyone involved.
Clients gain pricing stability and streamlined approvals. Agents get to present a more strategic solution. And Merchants gets a better lens on the total strength of the account.
What It Means for Agents
This structure reflects how today’s strongest commercial clients actually operate: with complex needs, overlapping obligations, and expectations for efficiency. Account-based rating helps agents:
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Save time by reducing one-off pricing and repetitive submissions
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Position themselves as strategic partners to their clients
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Present a clean, unified value proposition
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Cross-sell with confidence
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Strengthen long-term client retention through predictability
It’s a better experience for clients—and a growth opportunity for agents who serve them.
An Appetite That Matches the Market
As our rating structure supports larger accounts, so does our capacity. Merchants continues to support commercial bond requests including:
While these serve as general guidelines, our common sense underwriting approach allows us to evaluate the full submission on its own merit, and places a high value on business and personal net worth. In some cases, this evaluation will allow us to consider bonds exceeding our standard limits.
Flexible Underwriting, Always Anchored in Common Sense
At the heart of it all is our underwriting philosophy. We’ve built our reputation on common sense, not red tape. And that holds true when evaluating large commercial submissions. We look beyond checklists and consider ownership structures, financial nuance, and overall account strength.
Designed for What’s Next
Our vision at Merchants is simple: to become twice the enterprise through innovation and responsible growth. That growth includes account-based rating. It includes expanded capacity. And most of all, it includes the continued belief that strong relationships and smart, flexible solutions are what drive success.
For agents and clients navigating today’s commercial surety space, we’re ready to think bigger, act faster, and deliver more.
How do I get a Surety Bond?
Surety bonds are issued by Merchants Bonding Company through insurance agents. Contact your local insurance agent or use our Find an Agent tool. They will guide you through the process, informing you of what documents and information are needed by Merchants to underwrite your bond.
All information provided is subject to change.