---
title: "Lockton vs StartupInsurance.ai Surety Bonds"
description: "Lockton sells data-driven surety brokerage at scale; StartupInsurance.ai lists Surety for hardware founders without bond types or analytics."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-startupinsurance/surety-bonds"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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

# Lockton vs StartupInsurance.ai Surety Bonds

Lockton sells data-driven surety brokerage at scale; StartupInsurance.ai lists Surety for hardware founders without bond types or analytics.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Lockton and StartupInsurance.ai 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. StartupInsurance.ai lists Surety among physical-risk lines for hardware and defense startups and keeps it off the self-serve quote form. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## 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 StartupInsurance.ai?

StartupInsurance.ai is a marketing brand of ContractorNerd Insurance Services, LLC, offering startup insurance placement and policy reviews. Buyers can begin with an online coverage selection or a review of existing policies and contract requirements. [5](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/ "Company | Startup Insurance") [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai")

[StartupInsurance.ai profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/startupinsurance)

## 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

### A 2,000-Client Analytics Practice Versus a Hardware Catalogue Line

Lockton describes a large surety brokerage with financial statement analysis, backlog work, peer comparisons, profit trends and safety-record review. StartupInsurance.ai lists “Surety” among seven physical-risk lines for founders building robots, hardware, energy or defense tech, without naming bond types or those analytics. ContractorNerd arranges placement and does not underwrite. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [8](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/ "Terms and Conditions")

### Tailored Client Model Versus a Specialist Ask Off the Quote Form

Lockton says it tailors the service model to each client. StartupInsurance.ai's physical-risk section uses an ask-about-requirements call to action, and Surety is not a checkbox on the public quote application. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai")

### What the Reviewed Pages Leave Unnamed

Lockton does not name bond types or sureties. StartupInsurance.ai does not name bond types, and its program-level carrier panel does not say which insurer, if any, issues a given bond. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## What to Confirm in Surety Bonds Quotes

- Ask Lockton which bond types it will place and which analysis tools apply. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety")
- Ask StartupInsurance.ai which bond type a hardware project needs. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- Get the issuing surety from both. [4](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/surety "Surety") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- Confirm how surety is added if you already started StartupInsurance.ai's self-serve intake. [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Lockton Surety Brokerage | StartupInsurance.ai 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..) | StartupInsurance.ai does not underwrite or issue surety bonds itself. ContractorNerd Insurance Services, LLC, the licensed property and casualty agency behind the brand, is licensed in all 50 states and arranges placement; its terms describe the company as an insurance agency/producer that does not underwrite insurance. Surety bonds are typically issued by a surety company rather than an insurer in the conventional sense, and the reviewed pages do not distinguish the two. [8](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/ "Terms and Conditions") [9](https://www.contractornerd.com/insurance-licenses/ "Insurance Licenses") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: ContractorNerd's terms and conditions and insurance-licenses page; describes the brokerage's general role, not surety-specific placement terms or which entity type ultimately issues a bond..) |
| 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 homepage's carrier panel names six insurers at the program level (The Hartford, Chubb, Coalition, Tokio Marine HCC, Travelers and CNA) but does not state which one, if any, issues a given company's surety bond. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Carrier panel is program-wide rather than broken out by line; the surety company behind a bond is not disclosed on the pages reviewed and varies by placement..) |
| 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..) | The section frames these seven lines around founders "building robots, hardware, energy or defense tech," saying StartupInsurance.ai treats them as "our daily lines, not our exceptions" — positioning surety bonds as something it arranges regularly for hardware-adjacent startups, rather than as a rare add-on. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Same homepage section; describes the target customer segment StartupInsurance.ai says it serves for this catalogue of lines, not formal underwriting eligibility criteria..) |
| Coverage Features | Not described in the reviewed sources. | StartupInsurance.ai lists "Surety" among seven lines in the homepage's "Physical risk, because AI outgrew software" section — Products Liability, Inland Marine, Tools and Equipment, Commercial Auto, Builders Risk, Surety and Property — offered alongside the core startup program of GL, cyber, D&O and related lines. The page uses the word "Surety" rather than "surety bonds," and does not name a bond type. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage "Physical risk, because AI outgrew software" section as read on 2026-09-23; the reviewed page names the line but does not describe bond types (e.g. license, permit, performance), bond amounts, or underwriting terms..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Not described in the reviewed sources. | The reviewed pages do not publish sample bond amounts, bond types, or premium rates for surety bonds. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") (Evidence: Not found in reviewed sources; scope: Homepage and quote-intake screen as read on 2026-09-23; bond amounts would only surface on an actual application..) |
| 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..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | Not described in the reviewed sources. | The physical-risk section's call to action reads "Ask about your insurance requirements →" rather than the "Get Quotes" button used elsewhere on the homepage, indicating surety bonds are discussed with a specialist rather than quoted through a self-serve form. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage "Physical risk, because AI outgrew software" section as read on 2026-09-23; the page does not describe what that conversation covers..)<br><br>The public quote-application's coverage-selection screen offers seven checkboxes (D&O, Cyber, Tech E&O, EPL, Fiduciary, Crime and GL); Surety is not one of them, so it is not part of that self-serve intake flow. [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") (Evidence: Not found in reviewed sources; scope: Initial coverage-selection screen of the quote application as read on 2026-09-23; a later screen or specialist conversation could still address this line..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Lockton vs StartupInsurance.ai](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-startupinsurance): 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 StartupInsurance.ai Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-startupinsurance/commercial-property)
- [Lockton vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)
- [Lockton vs StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-startupinsurance/fiduciary)
- [Lockton vs StartupInsurance.ai General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-startupinsurance/general-liability)
- [Lockton vs StartupInsurance.ai Product Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-startupinsurance/product-liability)
- [Chubb vs Lockton Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/chubb-vs-lockton/surety-bonds)
- [Chubb vs StartupInsurance.ai Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/chubb-vs-startupinsurance/surety-bonds)
- [Coverdash vs Lockton Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-lockton/surety-bonds)
- [Coverdash vs StartupInsurance.ai Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-startupinsurance/surety-bonds)
- [Embroker vs Lockton Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/embroker-vs-lockton/surety-bonds)
- [Embroker vs StartupInsurance.ai Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/embroker-vs-startupinsurance/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.

### StartupInsurance.ai

5. [Company | Startup Insurance](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/). StartupInsurance.ai; The story; founders; The free policy check; legal footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
6. [Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/). StartupInsurance.ai; Coverage-selection screen: seven checkboxes (D&O, Cyber, Tech E&O, EPL, Fiduciary, Crime, GL). Accessed 2026-09-23.
7. [Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/). StartupInsurance.ai; Carrier panel; Physical risk, because AI outgrew software (Products Liability · Inland Marine · Tools and Equipment · Commercial Auto · Builders Risk · Surety · Property; "Building robots, hardware, energy or defense tech?"). Accessed 2026-09-23.
8. [Terms and Conditions](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/). ContractorNerd; Section 2, Insurance Services: "ContractorNerd is an insurance agency/insurance producer... not an insurance company, does not underwrite insurance"; Section 2.A, Broker/Agent of Record. Accessed 2026-09-23.
9. [Insurance Licenses](https://www.contractornerd.com/insurance-licenses/). ContractorNerd; Company information: "a property and casualty independent insurance agency licensed in all 50 states"; 50-state licensing table for ContractorNerd Insurance Services, LLC. Accessed 2026-09-16.

### 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.

## Agent and Developer Resources

- [Markdown page](https://spot.insure/compare/lockton-vs-startupinsurance/surety-bonds.md)
- [Developer resources](https://spot.insure/developers)
- [Public MCP server](https://spot.insure/mcp)
- [MCP server manifest](https://spot.insure/server.json)
- [OpenAPI description](https://spot.insure/openapi.json)
- [Public page index](https://spot.insure/llms.txt)