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 Marsh?
Marsh suits technology and larger businesses seeking specialist cyber placement or broad global risk advice; small firms wanting a quick standard quote should compare its MMA route or digital agencies. 5,6,7,8
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. 10,11,12,13,14
Key Differences in Surety Bonds
Transactional processing and specialist placement
CNA says bONdLINE supports underwriting, issuance and reporting of transactional bonds and that its surety operation spans the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) describes an advisor-led relationship with a surety specialist rather than an online bond application. A small, defined obligation may fit a transactional workflow; a contractor building a broader program may value an adviser who can review the full submission. Confirm the specific type and whether either route can meet the obligee’s deadline. 4 9
Program scale and advisory work
MMA reports more than 150 surety professionals across all 50 states and lists indemnity negotiation, benchmarking, joint-venture prequalification and program review. CNA’s reviewed record emphasizes its broad distribution and bONdLINE platform, not comparable advisory services. MMA’s scale figures are company-reported and do not guarantee capacity for a particular contractor. Ask MMA what specialist will handle the account and ask CNA’s agent whether the needed project bond is processed transactionally or requires a larger underwriting submission. 4 9
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 reviewsMarsh
Review Score
2 rated sources
Marsh’s global Trustpilot profile has a poor 1.3/5 score. Treat it as a service warning to investigate with your proposed team; it does not isolate US commercial accounts.[2][4][7]
Read Marsh reviewsOffering Details
CNA vs Marsh: Surety Bonds: documented features by provider
| Criteria | CNA Surety and Commercial Bonds | Marsh McLennan Agency Surety Bonds |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Confirm in your quote. | Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA), Marsh's middle-market subsidiary, arranges surety bonds through a dedicated surety practice rather than underwriting them itself. 9Company-reported. MMA surety insurance page. |
| Issuing Insurer | Confirm in your quote. | The reviewed page does not name a specific surety insurer for a standard bond; MMA says it offers national market representation, implying the issuing surety varies by placement. 9Not publicly disclosed. MMA surety insurance page as read on 2026-09-23. |
| 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. | Confirm in your quote. |
| 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. | MMA offers Contract Surety for construction and similar projects, Commercial Surety issuing license and permit bonds nationwide (in lieu of or alongside letters of credit and other banking obligations), and International Surety for global operations facing varied regulatory requirements. 9Company-reported. MMA surety insurance page, Surety Coverage section. |
| Limits and Retentions | Confirm in your quote. | MMA says it has more than 150 surety professionals across all 50 states, placed $353 million in surety premium for nearly 10,000 clients, and that its markets write 95% of all contract bonds in the U.S., according to the company. 9Company-reported. MMA surety insurance page; company-reported statistics, not independently verified, and do not indicate bond size or capacity for an individual client. |
| Risk Services | Confirm in your quote. | MMA lists competitive indemnity package negotiation, industry benchmarking, joint-venture and teaming-agreement prequalification support, continuity and ownership-transfer consulting, and competitive program design review as services tied to its surety practice. 9Company-reported. MMA surety insurance page, Benefits of Surety and Surety Coverage sections. |
| 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. | You work with an MMA surety specialist directly; the page names a Surety Department Supervisor and describes advisor-led placement rather than an online bond application. 9Company-reported. MMA surety insurance page. |
Full Comparison
More CNA vs Marsh 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.
Marsh
- Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments. Marsh; Hero and capability tiles; FAQ: What does Marsh do?; industries served; Is Marsh the same as Marsh McLennan? January 2026 brand change. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Compensation guide for US clients. Marsh; US broking segments; broker role; retail commissions, client fees, wholesale, insurer consulting, contingent and supplemental commissions; Marsh LLC and Marsh USA LLC; page 3: broker role and Marsh & McLennan Agency segment; page 7: copyright © 2024 Marsh LLC. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA). Marsh; Middle-market US organizations; wholly-owned subsidiary; business insurance, employee health and benefits, retirement, private client. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management. Marsh; Opening Technology Practice description; practice links including data center insurance, fintech and Stratus; Talk to us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk. Marsh McLennan Agency; Opening positioning and stats (150+ surety professionals across all 50 states; $353 million in surety premium for nearly 10,000 clients; 95% of all contract bonds in the U.S. written in our markets); Surety Coverage: Contract Surety, Commercial Surety, Joint ventures and teaming agreements, International Surety; Benefits of Surety. 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.
