HUB International vs 
Nationwide: 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
What Is Nationwide?
Nationwide’s commercial catalogue includes common small-business policies and separate specialty products. A catalogue listing does not establish eligibility or policy terms; confirm the issuing company and coverage for your state and business. 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
Bond Forms and Underwriting Review
HUB brokers bid, performance and payment bonds for contract obligations, plus wage, warranty, maintenance, lien-release and commercial surety bonds. Its eligibility process centers on “three C’s”: character, capacity and capital, with a surety specialist guiding the required documentation. Nationwide describes bonds that guarantee a principal’s financial responsibility or compliance and says form and underwriting depend on the obligation and applicant, without naming this review framework. Applicants can ask HUB which financial and project records it will use and ask Nationwide’s agent what the surety needs for the specific bond. 4 8
Brokerage Role and Application Support
HUB clarifies that it brokers the three-party relationship among principal, obligee and surety rather than acting as the surety, and says a specialist supports the underwriting documentation process. Nationwide’s overview describes commercial surety products and directs buyers to an agent or quote request, but does not outline a specialist documentation workflow. The buyer should identify who is the surety, who will submit the application and how the obligee’s form will be reviewed. 4 8
What to Confirm in Surety Bonds Quotes
- Ask HUB which character, capacity and capital documents it needs, and whether the bond is contract or commercial surety. 4
- Ask Nationwide’s agent who underwrites the bond, what indemnity and financial records are required, and how the form matches the obligation. 8
- Confirm the obligee, penal sum, bond wording and claim process before execution. 4 8
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.
HUB International
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 reviewsNationwide
Review Score
4 rated sources
Experts like Nationwide more than customers do. NerdWallet gives it 4.5 out of 5 for business insurance, while small-business customers on ConsumerAffairs give it 2.5 out of 5 from 19 reviews.[1][10]
Read Nationwide reviewsOffering Details
HUB International vs Nationwide: Surety Bonds: documented features by provider
| Criteria | HUB International Surety Bonds Brokerage | Nationwide 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. | Nationwide describes offering surety bonds for the audience stated on the cited product page. 8Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by nationwide; 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. | Businesses and principals seeking commercial bonds; bond form and underwriting depend on obligation and applicant. 8Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by nationwide; 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 commercial surety bonds that guarantee a bonded principal's financial responsibility or compliance with stated obligations. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 8Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by nationwide; 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. 8Not 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 directs prospective customers to contact an agent or request a quote. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. 8Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
Full Comparison
More HUB International vs Nationwide Comparisons
Other Surety Bonds Comparisons
Sources
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.
Nationwide
- Small Business Insurance. Nationwide; Small business products and solutions, lines 185–214: BOP, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, umbrella, EPLI, cyber and surety; purchase guidance lines 235–247. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents. Nationwide; Specialized small commercial solutions: BOP, auto, workers’ compensation, cyber, EPLI, umbrella, inland marine and professional liability; page states appetite varies by state, lines 129–163, 191–193. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Terms and Conditions for Nationwide.com. Nationwide; P&C products not offered by all companies/states; policy/declarations control; NMI and affiliates may underwrite; each underwriter responsible for own products, lines 358–368 and 391–394. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Commercial Surety Bonds. Nationwide; Commercial surety bond page; bond types and obligations. Accessed 2026-09-30.
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.
