CNA Small Business Insurance: Products, Agents and Service
CNA directs small-business buyers to independent agents and describes CNA Connect as a businessowners policy for more than 600 small-business classes. Issuer and availability vary by policy and state, so confirm both in a quote. 1,2,3
What Is Embroker?
Embroker suits technology firms seeking a single application for management coverage plus eligible Tech E&O and cyber, and law firms seeking a grouped package; buyers needing only standard small-business coverage should compare direct carriers. 5,6,7
What Are Surety Bonds?
A surety bond guarantees that your business meets a specific obligation to a customer, contracting party or government agency. If a contract, license or permit requires one, get its exact form and amount; a bond is not insurance for your own losses. 9,10,11,12,13
Key Differences in Surety Bonds
Scale and transactional processing
CNA says its surety business serves individuals, small businesses and Fortune 1000 companies through agents and brokers, and its bONdLINE supports transactional bond underwriting, issuance and reporting. Embroker focuses its examples on construction obligations and asks applicants to identify the bond type and amount before requesting a quote through its platform. Your first routing decision is whether the obligee needs a transactional bond or a construction contract form, then which application path supports that obligation. 4 8
Construction forms and credit-sensitive cost
Embroker lists license, bid, performance, payment, maintenance, utility, supply and subdivision bonds, and gives credit-based pricing examples from 1–5% for excellent credit to as much as 20% for poor credit. CNA’s claims identify commercial and contract bonds but publish no comparable premium formula. Treat Embroker’s figures as its examples, not your rate; ask for a quote on the same bond amount and provide CNA’s agent the same obligation and financial details for a like-for-like comparison. 4 8
What to Confirm in Surety Bonds Quotes
Review Scores
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
CNA
Review Score
1 rated source
Customer feedback on CNA is mixed and hard to compare. NerdWallet gave it 4.5 out of 5 for manufacturers, while Trustpilot shows about 1.4 out of 5 from 49 mostly self-selected reviews.[1][5]
Read CNA reviewsEmbroker
Review Score
3 rated sources
Embroker’s reviews are mixed, and BBB records a complaint-response concern. The feedback is too limited to establish consistent service quality.[4][6][7]
Read Embroker reviewsOffering Details
CNA vs Embroker: Surety Bonds: documented features by provider
| Criteria | CNA Surety and Commercial Bonds | Embroker Surety Bonds |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Confirm in your quote. | Embroker arranges surety bonds, describing itself as the party helping the business (the principal) secure a bond backed financially by a surety, for an obligee that is typically a government agency. 8Company-reported. Product-page description; not a statement about which surety company backs a specific bond. |
| Who It’s For | CNA says its surety offering serves a range from individuals and small businesses to Fortune 1000 companies through agents and brokers. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: Commercial/contract surety; US plus Canada/Puerto Rico Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control. | Embroker frames surety bonds as most commonly needed in construction, required at the state, county or city level before a contractor can work on a project, but says they matter in other industries too. 8Company-reported. Product-page 'Who are Surety Bonds for?' and 'What Is a Construction Bond?' sections; not a guarantee of bond issuance for a particular applicant. |
| Coverage Features | CNA Surety markets commercial and contract surety bonds in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: Commercial/contract surety; US plus Canada/Puerto Rico Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control. | Embroker lists contractor license, bid, construction performance, payment, maintenance, utility, supply and subdivision bonds as construction bond types it can help obtain, and explains that a bond protects the obligee, not the contractor who purchased it. 8Company-reported. Product-page 'Types of Construction Bonds' and 'What Do They Cover?' sections; specific bond terms depend on the bond issued. Embroker says surety bonds are not insurance and do not cover the purchasing business's own losses, so a bonded contractor still needs separate general liability, commercial property and workers' compensation insurance to protect itself. 8Company-reported. Product-page What's Not Covered section. |
| Limits and Retentions | Confirm in your quote. | Embroker says surety pricing is based mainly on the applicant's credit score, with a company with excellent credit typically paying 1-5% of the bond amount versus up to 20% for a company with poor credit; it gives a $50,000 bond as an example costing $500-$2,500 for good credit versus up to $10,000 for poor credit. 8Company-reported. Product-page 'What Do They Cost?' section; actual bond premiums depend on underwriting. |
| How to Apply | CNA bONdLINE supports underwriting, issuance and reporting of transactional bonds. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: Commercial/contract surety; US plus Canada/Puerto Rico Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control. | Embroker directs applicants to identify the specific bond type and bonding amount needed, then get a quote through its platform; it says most developers will also require proof of general liability, commercial property and workers' compensation insurance before hiring a bonded contractor. 8Company-reported. Product-page 'How to Secure a Construction Surety Bond' and 'What's Not Covered' sections; no quote was requested during this research. |
Full Comparison
More CNA vs Embroker Comparisons
Other Surety Bonds Comparisons
Sources
CNA
- Insurance for Small Businesses. CNA; Insurance for Small Businesses, lines 38-50 and 65-67 (CNA Central and agent route); lines 79-106 (product and stated appetite lists); page footer line 132 (CNA registered service mark). Accessed 2026-09-28.
- CNA Connect Small Businessowners Policy (BOP) | CNA Insurance. CNA; CNA Connect; coverages, product range, services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- General Disclaimer. CNA; General Disclaimer paragraphs 1 and 5 (HTML lines 24 and 28): CNA describes Continental Casualty Company and its relevant affiliates; references to CNA may include one or more CCC affiliates; each particular policy/product/service is the responsibility only of the specific CNA company that issues or supplies it. Footer line 57 identifies CNA Financial Corporation as trademark registrant. Re-read 2026-09-29. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- CNA Surety - Surety and Fidelity Bonds | CNA Insurance. CNA; Surety/fidelity product sections, geography, agents/brokers, bONdLINE and claims services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Embroker
- Embroker. Embroker; Industry navigation; quote and sign-in links; coverage options; footer availability qualification. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Terms And Conditions. Embroker; Introduction; §§2A–B Insurance services, 13 Applications and quotes, 15 Insurance companies and underwriting guidelines, 16 Certificates, 21 Surplus lines products, 22 Payments. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Embroker Access. Embroker; EMIS announcement; appointed-broker quoting, binding and issuance; product links; footer identifies Embroker Insurance Services, LLC. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Construction Bonds: Surety Bond Types & Cost. Embroker; What are they?; What Is a Construction Bond?; Types of Construction Bonds; Who are Surety Bonds for?; What Do They Cover?; What's Not Covered?; What Do They Cost? Accessed 2026-09-23.
Surety Bonds Guide
- Glossary of Insurance Terms. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Surety Bond; Fidelity. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety bonds. U.S. Small Business Administration; Opening guarantee of work completion; Contract or commercial bonds; Bid, Payment, Performance, Ancillary; Eligibility > credit, capacity, and character. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- 40 U.S. Code § 3131 — Bonds of contractors of public buildings or works. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, reproducing 40 U.S.C. § 3131; §3131(b) Type of Bonds Required — performance bond and payment bond. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety Bonds. Chubb; Construction Surety Bonds (performance, payment, maintenance); Commercial Surety Bonds (license and permit, court, commercial contract). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety Bonds Insurance. Harper; What is Surety Bonds insurance?; A bond is not insurance; License & permit bonds; Contract bonds — bid, performance, and payment; Is a bond the same as insurance? Accessed 2026-09-16.
