HUB International vs 
Markel Insurance: How Do They Compare for Surety Bonds?
What Is HUB International?
HUB suits technology businesses seeking a specialist broker—its practice says it insures more than 5,000 technology companies; qualifying small accounts can use Insureon online, while mid-market buyers need an advisor. 1,2,3
Markel Insurance: Specialty Business and Products
Markel Insurance is Markel Group's specialty and small-business insurance business, with offerings across packages, workers' compensation, cyber, professional and management liability, property, marine, and surety. Products use different insurers and distribution routes, so compare the issuer and terms shown on the specific quote. 5,6
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. 8,9,10,11,12
Key Differences in Surety Bonds
Applicant Review and Market Fit
HUB says surety eligibility turns on character, capacity, and capital: credit and integrity, ability and resources to perform, and financial strength for project costs. A surety specialist guides applicants through documentation. Markel identifies prime and subcontractors for contract bonds and Fortune 2000 and smaller commercial accounts for commercial bonds. A contractor should expect to substantiate both its financial capacity and job experience; ask each provider what supporting documents the underwriter needs. 4 7
Contract and Commercial Bond Scope
HUB describes bid, performance, and payment bonds plus wage, warranty, maintenance, and lien-release forms; it separately places commercial bonds required by governments, financial institutions, and private companies. Markel lists contract, commercial, court, and probate categories and supports standalone or co-surety contracts. The lists overlap on contract and commercial needs, while HUB names more specific construction forms; give both the obligee's requirement to identify the matching bond. 4 7
Broker Guidance During Application
HUB says a surety specialist works with an applicant through the documentation and underwriting process. Markel's page invites prospects or brokers to contact its named underwriting team but does not describe the same documentation support. Ask who will assemble the submission and communicate with the surety, especially if the obligation requires a detailed backlog or financial review. 4 7
What to Confirm in Surety Bonds Quotes
HUB International and Markel Insurance Review Scores for 2026
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.
HUB International Review Score
Review Score
2 rated sources
Customers who reviewed HUB on BBB rate it 1 out of 5, but that is only 7 reviews for a very large broker. BBB's own business grade is A-.[7][6]
Read HUB International reviewsMarkel Insurance Review Score
Review Score
2 rated sources
There is little public customer feedback on Markel. Trustpilot shows 2.5 out of 5 from just 5 reviews, and BBB lists 12 complaints closed in the last three years.[4][3]
Read Markel Insurance reviewsHUB International vs Markel Insurance Surety Bonds Compared
HUB International vs Markel Insurance: Surety Bonds: documented features by provider
| Criteria | HUB International Surety Bonds Brokerage | Markel surety bonds (official overview) |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | HUB brokers surety bonds, acting as an intermediary between the contractor buying the bond (principal), the party requiring it (obligee) and the insurance company guaranteeing performance (surety), rather than acting as the surety itself. 4Company-reported. Surety bonds product page as read 2026-09-23. | Markel describes offering surety bonds for the audience stated on the cited product page. 7Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Issuing Insurer | The surety bonds page does not name a specific surety company; HUB places bonds with sureties that vary by client and bond type. 4Not found in reviewed sources. Checked the surety bonds page on 2026-09-23; no surety company is disclosed there. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Who It’s For | HUB underwrites bond eligibility around what it calls the three C's: character (credit record and business integrity), capacity (skills, experience, equipment and facilities), and capital (financial strength for project costs), and says a surety specialist guides applicants through the required documentation. 4Company-reported. Product-page underwriting-criteria description; the surety, not HUB, makes the final bonding decision. | Prime and subcontractors for contract bonds, plus Fortune 2000 and smaller commercial accounts for commercial bonds, as described by Markel. 7Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Coverage Features | HUB describes contract surety bonds it arranges as including bid bonds that secure a bid submission, performance bonds that guarantee a project is completed per contract, and payment bonds that guarantee subcontractors, laborers and suppliers are paid, plus other bond types such as wage, warranty, maintenance and lien-release bonds. 4Company-reported. Product-page bond-type descriptions; the issued bond and its terms control an actual claim. HUB also arranges commercial surety bonds, which it says are primarily required by government entities, financial institutions and private corporations to guard against fraud, theft or illegal conduct. 4Company-reported. Product-page commercial-surety description. | The cited product page describes contract, commercial, court, and probate bond products, including standalone and co-surety contract-bond support. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 7Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Limits and Retentions | Confirm in your quote. | The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. 7Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred. |
| How to Apply | HUB says a surety specialist works with applicants on the documentation and underwriting process needed to obtain a bond, positioning the broker relationship as central to getting bonded. 4Company-reported. Product-page application description as read 2026-09-23. | The page invites prospective customers or brokers to contact Markel or the named underwriting team. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. 7Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
Related Pages for HUB International vs Markel Insurance Surety Bonds
Surety Bonds Pages for HUB International and Markel Insurance
Other Coverage Lines Compared for HUB International vs Markel Insurance
Other Surety Bonds Provider Comparisons
Sources for HUB International vs Markel Insurance Surety Bonds
Sources About HUB International
- About Us. HUB International; Opening description; 1998 formation of HUB International Limited; 2022 Insureon acquisition; headquarters and employee/office counts. 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.
- Insurance for Technology Companies. HUB International; Technology Company Insurance & Risk Management: startup, software, hardware and digital-media introduction; Business Coverage and People Protection lists; technology-client count. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety Bonds and Surety Bond Insurance for Businesses. HUB International; What is a surety bond?; three-party structure (principal, obligee, surety); Types of surety bonds: bid, performance, payment and other contract surety bonds; Commercial Surety section; Three C's of underwriting: Character, Capacity, Capital; What Do You Need to Get a Surety Bond? Accessed 2026-09-23.
Sources About Markel Insurance
- About us. Markel; Markel at a glance; description of Markel Insurance within Markel Group Inc. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Markel Group Inc. 2025 Form 10-K. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; filed by Markel Group Inc.; Cover page; Part I, Item 1 Business—Markel Insurance, U.S. Wholesale and Specialty, Programs and Solutions; Part II, Item 7/8 for group and segment risks. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Markel Surety. Markel; Products; contract bonds; commercial bonds; court and probate bonds; support and claims resources. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Sources for the 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.
