HUB International vs
Lockton
How two large technology-capable brokers differ when Lockton stresses private independent ownership and HUB documents Insureon routing plus Strategic Carrier incentives.
Introduction
HUB International and Lockton are both national brokers with technology practices and California offices. Lockton’s US home page stresses privately held independence. HUB’s About Us timeline includes public-to-private buyouts and later minority investments; it also acquired Insureon for small-commercial digital delivery. The buyer question is which privately described culture and which intake path—Lockton inquiry versus HUB advisor or Insureon—you want for a software company that may also need benefits. 39 40 4 8
Where Each Provider Shines
Where HUB International Shines
- HUB’s technology practice markets insurance and benefits programs to startups and software, hardware and digital-media companies, and says it currently insures more than 5,000 technology companies. 10
- HUB routes qualifying small commercial accounts to Insureon’s online quote and other business insurance to a HUB advisor or local office; there is no published self-serve bind path for mid-market programs on hubinternational.com. 8,11,12,13,10,6
Where Lockton Shines
- Lockton describes itself as a privately held independent broker for risk, employee benefits and retirement, not as the insurer on the policies it places. 39,51,58
- US pages list brokerage for cyber and privacy, directors and officers, casualty (including general and product liability, auto, cargo, umbrella and workers’ compensation), property, fiduciary liability and employee benefits. 40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48
Coverage Comparison
| Coverage Type | HUB International | Lockton |
|---|---|---|
| Builders risk | Listed 10 | Not listed |
| Business owner’s policy | Listed 18 | Not listed |
| Cargo and transit | Listed 28,10 | Listed 43 |
| Commercial auto | Listed 20 | Listed 43 |
| Commercial property | Listed 19 | Listed 44 |
| Crime | Listed 21,16 | Listed 48 |
| Cyber liability | Listed 13,10 | Listed 41,40 |
| Directors and officers | Listed 12,10 | Listed 42,40 |
| Employee health and benefits | Listed 30,1 | Listed 46 |
| Employment practices liability | Listed 16,10 | Listed 48 |
| Equipment breakdown | Listed 29 | Not listed |
| Fidelity bonds | Listed 16 | Not listed |
| Fiduciary liability | Listed 22,16 | Listed 47 |
| General liability | Listed 11 | Listed 43 |
| Hired and non-owned auto | Listed 20 | Not listed |
| Key person | Listed 10 | Listed 48 |
| Kidnap and ransom | Listed 23,16 | Not listed |
| Management liability | Listed 10,16 | Not listed |
| Medical malpractice | Listed 25 | Not listed |
| Product liability | Listed 27 | Listed 43 |
| Product recall | Listed 27 | Not listed |
| Professional liability / E&O | Listed 14,15 | Listed 48 |
| Representations and warranties | Listed 26 | Listed 48 |
| Surety bonds | Listed 24 | Listed 48 |
| Technology errors and omissions | Listed 10 | Not listed |
| Tools, equipment and inland marine | Listed 28 | Not listed |
| Trucking | Listed 20 | Not listed |
| Umbrella and excess liability | Listed 27 | Listed 43 |
| Virtual care and telehealth | Listed 31 | Not listed |
| Workers’ compensation | Listed 17 | Listed 45,43 |
Listed products and programs, including policies arranged through insurers or partners. Optional endorsements are discussed in the analysis below. “Not listed” means no separate offering appears in the reviewed catalogue; confirm availability and policy terms with the provider.
Key Differences Between HUB International and Lockton
Independence Claims and Producer Names
Lockton describes itself as a privately held independent broker for risk, employee benefits and related services. 39 HUB International Limited describes a large brokerage with a history of public and private ownership events on its About Us timeline, and licensed subsidiaries rather than Lockton’s independence claim. 4 5
Lockton’s producer entities and unverified California license status parallel HUB’s unnamed San Francisco contracting entity. Office lists in San Francisco or Los Angeles are not product eligibility. 55 1
Technology Coverage Menus
Lockton’s US materials list cyber, directors and officers (D&O), casualty including workers’ compensation, property, benefits and fiduciary brokerage. HUB’s technology page lists a similar span plus transactional/warranty and key-person items. Neither menu is a bindable program. 41 10
Inquiry Versus Digital Gate
Both are inquiry-led for mid-market. Only HUB publishes the Insureon size gate on its contact page. A company that meets those tests may be routed to Insureon rather than a HUB complex-risk team. 50 8
How Brokers Get Paid
Lockton’s compensation disclosure is in its terms of business. HUB’s How We Get Paid page describes contingents, wholesale double counting and Strategic Carrier incentives. Ask Lockton the same incentive questions HUB answers in public. 51 7
Claims
Both describe broker claims assistance. Lockton’s loss-prevention-and-claims page pairs prevention with claims. HUB’s claims practice publishes staffing counts and process metrics that remain company-reported. 49 32
What to Confirm in Quotes
Service Comparison
HUB International vs Lockton: documented services and availability
| Criteria | HUB International | Lockton |
|---|---|---|
| Business role | HUB International Limited describes itself as a full-service insurance broker and financial-services firm. Its website terms say HUB’s subsidiaries are licensed as insurance brokers or agents in various U.S. states and Canadian provinces. The reviewed product pages market brokerage of policies issued by insurers, not HUB as a risk-bearing carrier for those policies. 4,5,9 HUB’s About Us timeline states that in 2022 it acquired Insureon for digital delivery of small-business commercial insurance. Insureon and TechInsurance say they are part of HUB; Insureon says it operates as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC, doing business as SPG Insurance Solutions. TechInsurance describes itself as part of Insureon rather than as a separate HUB retail office. 4,34,35,36,37 | Lockton’s US site describes the firm as an independent insurance brokerage that arranges customized risk, employee benefits and retirement solutions. US Terms of Business treat Lockton Companies, LLC and affiliated Lockton companies as intermediaries that market, place and service insurance, not as the risk-bearing insurer on a placed policy. 39,51,58 Public US terms name Lockton Companies, LLC (and Series, subsidiaries and affiliates) as the brokerage group and Lockton, Inc. as the website operator. Certificates produced by Lockton also use the California DBA Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC. Confirm the legal name on any broker-of-record or services agreement; these pages do not by themselves establish which entity would be appointed for a California company. 51,52,59 Lockton-produced certificates print California license number 0F15767 for Lockton Companies, LLC DBA Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC. Current license status, classes and expiration remain independently unverified. Treat California producer authority as unresolved until a regulator record or the proposed engagement papers are checked. 59,60 |
| Customer focus | HUB’s San Francisco Mission Street office says its brokers work across commercial lines, personal lines and high-net-worth, and employee benefits, and names Bay Area industries including technology, venture capital, healthcare and life sciences, real estate and construction. The same page says the team helps startups navigate risk. That is office marketing, not a published eligibility list. 1,2 HUB’s technology-company page addresses fast-growing startups and established software, hardware or digital-media businesses. It lists a technology-specific mix that includes professional liability/technology E&O, cyber, D&O and other management liability, transactional/warranty insurance, workers’ compensation, employee benefits and key-person coverages. The page also claims more than 5,000 technology companies currently insured; that figure is company-reported and was not independently counted here. 10 HUB’s contact page says it supports small businesses through partner Insureon and directs companies with 50 employees or fewer or under $5 million in annual revenue to start with an online quote. Larger or other commercial needs are directed to HUB commercial-insurance teams or a local office search. Those thresholds are HUB’s routing rules, not a regulatory definition of small business. 8 | Lockton markets to organizations seeking risk, benefits and retirement brokerage. Its US technology practice says it works with clients in electronic hardware, information technology, internet, medical equipment, semiconductors, software and telecommunications. Separate pages address private-equity firms, including portfolio-company programs. The reviewed pages do not publish a minimum company size, funding stage or revenue floor for technology clients. 39,40,48 |
| Application process | On hubinternational.com, commercial buyers are asked to contact a broker, connect with a specialist, or use Contact Us. Small-commercial inquiries meeting HUB’s stated size tests go to Insureon for an online quote. Product pages such as general liability, D&O, cyber and workers’ compensation use “Contact Us” or “Connect With a Broker” rather than an on-site bind flow. Privacy policy language refers to automation for insurance quoting, without documenting a public HUB retail e-commerce checkout for mid-market programs. 8,11,12,13,10,6 | Public US application starts as an inquiry: the US contact form (Ask an Expert) and industry pages invite buyers to connect with a team. The privacy notice refers to soliciting an insurance policy quote. The Cyber & Technology page publishes cyber@lockton.com. Reviewed pages do not describe a self-serve bind flow, published quote turnaround, or an unauthenticated online application that issues a policy without a Lockton representative. 50,39,53,41,52 |
| Fees and compensation | HUB’s How We Get Paid page says it is compensated primarily through insurer-paid commissions included in premium, and also through contingent income, guaranteed supplemental commissions, and, on some complex programs, client-paid fees disclosed in a proposal, sometimes in addition to commission. It owns wholesale brokerages that may earn a second commission when HUB retail uses them. It may receive fees for de-identified data under insurer consulting agreements, premium-finance administration, interest on fiduciary accounts, and policy or claims administration. Strategic Carriers may pay enhanced compensation, part of which may incentivize employees to prioritize those markets. No schedule of commission percentages or standard fees is published. 7 | US Terms of Business say Lockton may be paid insurer commissions (a percentage of premium), negotiated client fees in lieu of or in addition to commissions, additional compensation such as contingent or supplemental commissions, insurer service fees (including for some managing-general-agency or analytics work), compensation involving affiliate Lockton Re, LLC on reinsurance placements, and interest or premium-finance related income. Commissions are described as fully earned at inception unless law or insurer contracts say otherwise. The terms tell clients to ask their Lockton representative for account-specific compensation. No public fee schedule, commission percentages or typical startup pricing appears on the reviewed pages. 51 |
| Claims assistance | HUB markets a claims-management practice that it says includes dedicated claims professionals, advocacy, coverage-dispute support, TPA selection and audits, reserve analysis and litigation-management support. It states the team has more than 225 claims professionals in the United States and Canada. The page also publishes numerical process claims such as 24-hour turnaround on claims reporting; those figures are company-reported marketing metrics, not independently verified outcomes, and they do not describe how a particular insurer will adjust a claim. 32 | Lockton describes claims advocacy as a service, not as the insurer paying claims. Technology, D&O and fiduciary pages say a Professional & Executive Risk Claims team, including insurance and claims counsel, is integrated with the broking team and that claims advocacy is not treated as a profit center. Loss-prevention pages describe claims consulting: investigations, mapping facts to policies, preparing presentations, and discussions with insurer lawyers and loss adjusters. Workers’ compensation pages mention claims service advocates. Terms of Business include claims handling and claims processing among Lockton’s intermediary services and state Lockton is not responsible for an insurer’s solvency or willingness to pay. These descriptions do not establish claims outcomes or handling quality. 40,42,47,49,45,51 |
Sources
HUB International Official Website
- Insurance Broker San Francisco. HUB International; JSON-LD InsuranceAgency record naming HUB International Limited as parent; About Us office copy for 201 Mission Street; products and industries blocks. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- HUB International San Francisco 44 Montgomery Street. HUB International; Office profile describing Merriwether & Williams Insurance Services history, bonding and contractor-development programs. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- California Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Introductory copy and listed California office directory including San Francisco locations. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- About Us. HUB International; Opening description; 1998 formation of HUB International Limited; 2022 Insureon acquisition; headquarters and employee/office counts. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Terms and Conditions. HUB International; Licensing section stating subsidiaries are licensed as brokers or agents in various U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- HUB International Privacy Policy. HUB International; Effective 21 August 2025; applies to HUB International Limited and subsidiaries; insurance brokerage services; automation for quoting. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- How We Get Paid. HUB International; Commission, contingency, supplemental commission, client-paid fees, wholesale, carrier-services, strategic-carrier and other-compensation sections. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Contact Us. HUB International; Business Solutions paths for Commercial Insurance Solutions versus Small Commercial Insurance Solutions via Insureon; office search. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Business Insurance Broker Coverage Policy. HUB International; Essential coverage and beyond-the-basics product catalogue. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Insurance for Technology Companies. HUB International; Startup and software/hardware/digital-media audience; listed business and people coverages; claimed technology-client count. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- General Liability Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Product page describing typical general-liability subjects and invitation to contact a broker. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker. HUB International; Product page for private, nonprofit and public-company D&O brokerage. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Cyber Insurance. HUB International; Product page describing first-party and post-breach cyber expenses as typically arranged. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Professional Liability Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Product page equating professional liability with errors and omissions and describing typical claim types. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance Coverage. HUB International; Industries listed for E&O including technology, and statement that policies are customized. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- HUB ProEx. HUB International; Professional & Executive Risk practice: EPL, fiduciary, crime/fidelity, K&R; certificates of insurance; claims and legal support; carrier-premium claim. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Workers' Compensation Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Product page on workers’ compensation brokerage, state-fund variation and typical benefits. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Business Owners Policy (BOP) Company Coverage. HUB International; BOP described as combined property and liability for small and mid-size businesses. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commercial (Business) Property Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Property Practice description, domestic and global carrier access, traditional and alternative structures. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commercial Auto Insurance Broker Policy & Coverage. HUB International; Commercial auto and trucking insurance; hired and non-owned exposures. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Crime Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Crime/fraud coverage product page for private, public and not-for-profit organizations. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Fiduciary Liability Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Fiduciary liability product page distinguishing it from D&O. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Kidnap and Ransom Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Kidnap and ransom product page for traveling executives and employees. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety Bonds and Surety Bond Insurance for Businesses. HUB International; Contract surety types including bid, performance and payment bonds. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Medical Malpractice Insurance Brokers. HUB International; Medical malpractice brokerage, including telemedicine-related risks. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Insurance Broker. HUB International; Representations and warranties, litigation buyout and tax indemnification insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Comprehensive Casualty Insurance Solutions. HUB International; General and product liability, umbrella and excess, workers’ compensation, product recall ancillary, global carrier relationships. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Marine Insurance Broker Policy & Coverage. HUB International; Ocean and inland marine, cargo and related marine liability coverages; domestic and international carriers. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Boiler and Machinery Equipment Insurance Coverage. HUB International; Equipment breakdown / boiler and machinery product page. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Employee Benefits Brokers and Consulting Services. HUB International; Employee-benefits brokerage and multi-year planning services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Virtual Care Insurance Brokerage Coverage. HUB International; Virtual care medical professional liability, technology E&O, products liability, cyber and management liability list. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Insurance Claims Management. HUB International; Claims advocacy, TPA coordination, coverage-dispute support and published process metrics. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Risk Management Information System (RMIS). HUB International; RMIS claims administration, certificate tracking and carrier/TPA data aggregation. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- About Insureon. Insureon; Insureon as part of HUB; licensed in every state; named example insurers; 2022 acquisition history; TechInsurance origin. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Insurance Licenses by State. Insureon; California 0L09546; footer that Insureon operates as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC dba SPG Insurance Solutions. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Hub International and Bold Penguin to Acquire Leading Digital Small Commercial Insurance Firm Insureon. Insureon; 1 March 2022 announcement that HUB would acquire the Insureon digital agency and brand; operations to sit in Specialty Program Group LLC. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- About Us | TechInsurance. TechInsurance; TechInsurance as part of Insureon; 2022 HUB acquisition of Insureon’s digital agency. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- California Department of Insurance License Status Inquiry. California Department of Insurance; Public license-search portal landing page; interactive search was not completed to a verifiable license record in this research. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Lockton Official Website
- Lockton United States. Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology. Lockton; Industry introduction; cyber liability heading; dedicated technology team; listed services including claims advocacy, contract review, directors and officers liability, and international program design; 24/7 service model. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Cyber & Technology. Lockton; A complete solution to inform, improve, and insure cyber and privacy risk; insurer partnerships; Insure step including claim life cycle; contact cyber@lockton.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- D&O Insurance. Lockton; Program description; Side A/B/C overview; who can be covered; Claims management and Professional & Executive Risk Claims team. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Casualty Insurance. Lockton; Introduction on designing and placing liability, auto and workers compensation; Casualty Insurance Solutions list: Auto, Cargo, General & Product Liability, Umbrella & Excess Liability, Workers' Compensation; dedicated service team. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Property Insurance. Lockton; Matching property risks to the global marketplace; manuscript property policy; assistance with complex claim recovery; no centralized broking centers claim. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Workers' Compensation. Lockton; Program design with claims experts; access to more than 100 regional, global and program markets; claims service advocates. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton People Solutions. Lockton; Introducing Lockton People Solutions; FAQ on products (employee experiences, total rewards and benefits, management and measurement) and private ownership. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Lockton; What is fiduciary liability insurance; typical coverage list; claims management; distinction from ERISA bonds. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Risk & People Solutions for Private Equity Firms. Lockton; Lockton capabilities list including D&O/GPL, transaction insurance (reps, tax, litigation), E&O, crime and FI bonds, cyber, EPL, surety, portfolio company programs, key person, and benefits design. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Loss Prevention and Claims. Lockton; Claims consulting description: investigations, policy mapping, discussions with insurer lawyers and loss adjusters; documenting and presenting claims. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Contact Us. Lockton; Inquiry form requiring Terms of Use and Privacy Notice acknowledgment; general enquiries mailbox disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- US Terms of Business. Lockton; Opening entity definition; Surplus Lines; Use of a Particular Insurer; Compensation Disclosure; servicing, claims handling and renewal language in Confidentiality section; Intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton US Terms of Use. Lockton; Who we are: Lockton, Inc., Missouri corporation, charter number 00498854; Kansas City principal office; last updated October 15, 2021; Site content is general information, not broking or insurance advice. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton Companies Website Privacy Notice. Lockton; Last updated January 2025; collection when visitors solicit an insurance policy quote; disclosure to insurance companies and intermediaries for quotes. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Offices - Lockton US. Lockton; Global headquarters Kansas City, 444 W 47th St. Suite 900; US inquiry email KC-Inquiries@lockton.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton Insurance Brokers - San Francisco. Lockton; Office heading Lockton Insurance Brokers - San Francisco; Suite 600, Three Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton Insurance Brokers - Los Angeles. Lockton; Office heading and 777 S. Figueroa St. Suite 5200, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton Insurance Brokers - Irvine. Lockton; Office heading and 19800 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine, CA 92612. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Our Story. Lockton; Independence changes everything; family organization and private ownership statements; insurance, employee benefits consulting and retirement services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton-produced certificate of insurance producer header. Lockton; Producer block: Lockton Companies, LLC DBA Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC in CA; CA license #0F15767. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- California Department of Insurance — Check a License. California Department of Insurance; Public license-status inquiry landing page; interactive lookup not completed with a returned license detail record in this research pass. Accessed 2026-09-16.
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