Nationwide vs Travelers: How Do They Compare for Surety Bonds?

Travelers lists bid, performance, payment, license and permit bonds, alongside court, utility and other commercial forms. 4,8

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. 1,2,3

Read the Nationwide profile

Read the Nationwide Surety Bonds page

What Is Travelers Insurance?

Travelers suits technology companies that want CyberRisk Tech and can work through an independent agent; buyers seeking a direct online technology quote should compare digital providers. Many small accounts can be quoted in agent platforms, while specialty risks need underwriting. 5,6,7

Read the Travelers profile

Read the Travelers Surety Bonds page

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. 10,11,12,13,14

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Surety Bonds

Bond Types and Responsibilities

Travelers lists bid, performance, payment, license and permit bonds, alongside court, utility and other commercial forms. Nationwide’s overview describes commercial surety generally without listing bond types. If your obligee has a named form, Travelers’ published list gives you a concrete starting point; ask Nationwide to confirm that exact form is available. 4 8

Placement and Support

Travelers says it underwrites commercial and contract surety directly, with commercial coverage for individuals and businesses from small companies to multinationals. Nationwide’s offering page does not detail its underwriting role or business-size range. Ask Nationwide which entity issues the bond and how it evaluates your business; ask Travelers which practice handles your obligation. 4 8

Application Route

Both pages route buyers through an agent: Travelers says to find an insurance agent, and Nationwide invites an agent contact or quote request. Travelers also makes application forms available to agents. Ask each agent what financial statements, indemnity signatures, collateral, and turnaround are required for your specific bond; neither overview sets a standard bond limit. 4 8

What to Confirm in Surety Bonds Quotes

  • Ask Nationwide and Travelers to identify the exact bond form or liability wording, the issuing carrier, and any indemnity or underlying-policy requirements that apply to your obligation. 4 8

Nationwide and Travelers 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.

Nationwide Review Score

7.8/ 10

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 reviews

Travelers Review Score

4.8/ 10

Review Score

3 rated sources

Travelers earns 4.5/5 from NerdWallet, but customer feedback is poor: 1.4/5 on Trustpilot and 1.3/5 for homeowners on ConsumerAffairs. Those reviews mostly concern personal insurance.[1][2][4][5][6][7]

Read Travelers reviews

Nationwide vs Travelers Surety Bonds Compared

Nationwide vs Travelers: Surety Bonds: documented features by provider

CriteriaNationwide surety bonds (official overview)Travelers Surety Bonds
Role in This Line

Nationwide describes offering surety bonds for the audience stated on the cited product page. 4Company-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.

Travelers underwrites surety bonds directly through two practices, commercial surety and contract surety, rather than only brokering bonds written by other sureties. 8Company-reported. Surety-bond product page, as read on 2026-09-23.

Issuing Insurer

Confirm in your quote.

The reviewed surety-bond page does not name the specific underwriting entity for a bond; Travelers' related professional-liability pages attribute management and professional liability products to Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America and its property-casualty affiliates, but that page does not cover surety. 8Not publicly disclosed. Surety-bond page as read on 2026-09-23; the entity named elsewhere is not confirmed as the surety issuer.

Who It’s For

Businesses and principals seeking commercial bonds; bond form and underwriting depend on obligation and applicant. 4Company-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.

Travelers says commercial surety serves both individuals and businesses ranging from small companies to multinational companies, while contract surety is supported by underwriters focused on construction industry risk. 8Company-reported. Commercial surety and contract surety descriptions on the surety-bond page.

Coverage Features

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. 4Company-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.

Travelers lists bond types including bid, performance and payment bonds, construction materials supply bonds, court bonds (judicial, fiduciary and probate), custom bonds, depository bonds, ERISA fidelity bonds, license and permit bonds, lost instrument bonds, miscellaneous bonds, notary public bonds, official bonds, release of lien bonds and utility bonds. 8Company-reported. Bond-type list on the surety-bond page; a given bond type's terms and availability are underwriting-specific.

Limits and Retentions

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. 4Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred.

The reviewed surety-bond page does not publish bond-amount limits, premium rates or underwriting capacity figures. 8Not publicly disclosed. Surety-bond page as read on 2026-09-23.

How to Apply

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. 4Company-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.

Travelers directs buyers to find an insurance agent to obtain a surety bond, and separately tells agents that surety bond application forms are in its agent forms library alongside management and professional liability applications. 8,9Company-reported. Surety-bond page CTA and the E&O page's agent-forms link.

Related Pages for Nationwide vs Travelers Surety Bonds

Surety Bonds Pages for Nationwide and Travelers

Other Coverage Lines Compared for Nationwide vs Travelers

Other Surety Bonds Provider Comparisons

Sources for Nationwide vs Travelers Surety Bonds

Sources About Nationwide

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Commercial Surety Bonds. Nationwide; Commercial surety bond page; bond types and obligations. Accessed 2026-09-30.

Sources About Travelers

  1. Technology Insurance. Travelers; Technology insurance products we offer: CyberRisk Tech, Global Companion Plus+, general liability, commercial property, workers compensation, commercial auto, umbrella; startup-to-established-leader audience. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Travelers Producer Compensation Disclosure (United States). Travelers; Independent producers; seven compensation types; Simply Business, Inc. and InsuraMatch, LLC ownership; The Travelers Indemnity Company footer; Northfield Excess & Surplus Lines product list. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Contact Us. Travelers; Business insurance sold through independent agents; business claims 1.800.238.6225; MyTravelers for business features. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Surety Bond. Travelers; Surety bonds provided by Travelers: bid, performance and payment, construction materials supply, court, custom, depository, ERISA fidelity, license and permit, lost instrument, miscellaneous, notary public, official, release of lien, utilities; Commercial surety; Contract surety. Accessed 2026-09-23.
  5. Errors and Omissions Insurance (E&O). Travelers; Applications and forms for agents: surety bond forms library. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Sources for the Surety Bonds Guide

  1. Glossary of Insurance Terms. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Surety Bond; Fidelity. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Surety Bonds. Chubb; Construction Surety Bonds (performance, payment, maintenance); Commercial Surety Bonds (license and permit, court, commercial contract). Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. 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.

Updated . 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. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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