---
title: "Lockton vs Marsh Surety Bonds"
description: "Lockton lists data-driven surety analysis without naming bond types; Marsh McLennan Agency names contract, commercial and international surety."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/surety-bonds"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/surety-bonds)

# Lockton vs Marsh Surety Bonds

Lockton lists data-driven surety analysis without naming bond types; Marsh McLennan Agency names contract, commercial and international surety.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Lockton and Marsh for Surety Bonds against the same documented criteria. It identifies differences and questions to confirm; it does not select a winner for a particular business. Offering claims are what each provider publishes about this line unless marked otherwise. “Not found” describes the evidence reviewed, not proof that a feature is unavailable. Confirm the insurer, policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions and cost in an actual quote.

## Summary

Lockton brokers surety for more than 2,000 clients and lists financial, backlog and peer-analysis services. Marsh McLennan Agency arranges contract, commercial and international surety through more than 150 specialists across all 50 states. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk")

## What Is Lockton?

Lockton is a privately held insurance brokerage that arranges commercial risk, employee benefits and retirement programs. US pages describe a technology practice and intermediary placement with insurers, not Lockton as the policy’s insurer. [1](https://global.lockton.com/us/en "Lockton United States") [2](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/technology "Technology") [3](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/terms-of-business "US Terms of Business")

[Lockton profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/lockton)

## What Is Marsh?

Marsh is a global insurance broker and risk advisor. In the United States it places coverage through core Marsh teams and through Marsh McLennan Agency for many middle-market buyers, including technology, cyber, property, casualty and benefits programs. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/home.html "Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments") [6](https://www.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh/Documents/PDF/US-en/us-client-compensation-guide.pdf "Compensation guide for US clients") [7](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/marsh-mclennan-agency.html "Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA)") [8](https://www.marsh.com/en/industries/technology.html "Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management")

[Marsh profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/marsh)

## What Are Surety Bonds?

A surety bond is a three-party agreement: a surety guarantees an obligation your business (the principal) owes to a customer or other party (the obligee) if your business defaults. It isn't insurance that pays your business for its own losses. [10](https://content.naic.org/glossary-insurance-terms "Glossary of Insurance Terms") [11](https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/surety-bonds "Surety bonds")

## Key Differences in Surety Bonds

### Analytics Practice Versus Named Coverage Buckets

Lockton and Marsh McLennan Agency both broker. Lockton's page does not list bond types; it describes representing more than 2,000 clients and a data-driven list: financial statement analysis, weighted backlog, peer comparisons, profit trends and safety-record review. MMA names contract surety, commercial surety for nationwide license and permit bonds, and international surety. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk")

### Client-Tailored Model Versus a 50-State Bench

Lockton says it tailors the service model to each client rather than one standard approach. MMA reports more than 150 surety professionals across all 50 states, $353 million in premium for nearly 10,000 clients, and indemnity negotiation, joint-venture prequalification and continuity consulting. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk")

### How You Buy

Lockton's reviewed page does not describe an application path. MMA names a Surety Department Supervisor and describes advisor-led placement rather than an online bond application. Neither page names the issuing surety. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk")

## What to Confirm in Surety Bonds Quotes

- Ask Lockton which analysis services apply and which bond types it will actually place. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety")
- Ask MMA whether the need is contract, commercial or international. [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk")
- Get the issuing surety from both. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk")
- Confirm penal sum, rate and indemnity; neither page publishes them. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Lockton Surety Brokerage | Marsh McLennan Agency Surety Bonds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Lockton Surety brokers surety bonds and says it has become one of the largest surety brokers in the world, representing more than 2,000 clients across industries. Lockton is the broker facilitating the bond relationship, not the surety. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Surety product page as read 2026-09-23. Client count and market-size claims are company-reported..) | Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA), Marsh's middle-market subsidiary, arranges surety bonds through a dedicated surety practice rather than underwriting them itself. [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: MMA surety insurance page..) |
| Issuing Insurer | The surety page does not name the surety companies Lockton places bonds with. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Surety page checked 2026-09-23..) | 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. [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: MMA surety insurance page as read on 2026-09-23..) |
| Who It’s For | Lockton says it represents clients across a wide range of industries and tailors its surety service model to each client rather than a single standard approach. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Surety product page as read 2026-09-23. No named industries or minimum bond size were published..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Coverage Features | Not described in the reviewed sources. | 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. [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: MMA surety insurance page, Surety Coverage section..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Not described in the reviewed sources. | 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. [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: MMA surety insurance page; company-reported statistics, not independently verified, and do not indicate bond size or capacity for an individual client..) |
| Risk Services | Lockton lists data-driven surety services it provides: financial statement analysis and credit rating, weighted backlog analysis, financial and rate peer comparisons and benchmarking, individual project and composite profit trend analysis, and detailed safety record review. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Surety product page as read 2026-09-23..) | 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. [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: MMA surety insurance page, Benefits of Surety and Surety Coverage sections..) |
| How to Apply | Not described in the reviewed sources. | 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. [9](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html "Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: MMA surety insurance page..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Lockton vs Marsh](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Are Surety Bonds?](https://spot.insure/coverage/surety-bonds): A surety bond guarantees an obligation your business owes to a customer or other party if your business defaults.
- [Lockton vs Marsh Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/commercial-property)
- [Lockton vs Marsh Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/crime)
- [Lockton vs Marsh Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/cyber)
- [Lockton vs Marsh D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/directors-officers)
- [Lockton vs Marsh Employee Health Benefits](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/employee-health-benefits)
- [Lockton vs Marsh Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/employment-practices)
- [Lockton vs Marsh Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/fiduciary)
- [Lockton vs Marsh Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-marsh/workers-compensation)
- [Chubb vs Lockton Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/chubb-vs-lockton/surety-bonds)
- [Chubb vs Marsh Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/chubb-vs-marsh/surety-bonds)
- [Coverdash vs Lockton Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-lockton/surety-bonds)
- [Coverdash vs Marsh Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-marsh/surety-bonds)
- [Embroker vs Lockton Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/embroker-vs-lockton/surety-bonds)
- [Embroker vs Marsh Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/embroker-vs-marsh/surety-bonds)

## Sources

### Lockton

1. [Lockton United States](https://global.lockton.com/us/en). Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
2. [Technology](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/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.
3. [US Terms of Business](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/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.
4. [Surety](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety). Lockton; Disrupting surety brokerage since 1966; Consultative services; An unparalleled level of service; Data-driven solutions tools and services list. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Marsh

5. [Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments](https://www.marsh.com/en/home.html). 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.
6. [Compensation guide for US clients](https://www.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh/Documents/PDF/US-en/us-client-compensation-guide.pdf). 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.
7. [Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA)](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/marsh-mclennan-agency.html). Marsh; Middle-market US organizations; wholly-owned subsidiary; business insurance, employee health and benefits, retirement, private client. Accessed 2026-09-16.
8. [Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management](https://www.marsh.com/en/industries/technology.html). Marsh; Opening Technology Practice description; practice links including data center insurance, fintech and Stratus; Talk to us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
9. [Surety Bonds to Mitigate Company Risk](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/surety.html). 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

10. [Glossary of Insurance Terms](https://content.naic.org/glossary-insurance-terms). National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Surety Bond; Fidelity. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [Surety bonds](https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/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.

Updated 2026-09-23. Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. [Editorial policy](https://spot.insure/editorial-policy). To suggest a correction, [contact Spot](https://spot.insure/contact) with the page URL and supporting source.

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