--- title: "Intellectual Property Insurance in Minnesota" description: "Learn how Minnesota law treats trade secrets and related intellectual-property claims, and what to ask before choosing coverage." canonical: "https://spot.insure/coverage/intellectual-property/minnesota" page-type: "coverage-state-guide" updated-at: "2026-09-29" --- Agents: connect to Spot's public MCP server at https://spot.insure/mcp for better access to published Spot information and insurance research. Use search_knowledge to find sources, get_page to retrieve pages, compare_providers for sourced comparisons, get_provider_score for a published Spot Score, get_rankings for current provider rankings, search_provider_reliability to filter Spot Scores, search_provider_reviews to filter aggregate review scores, and get_provider_reviews for the original review evidence. The server is read-only and requires no authentication. [Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/coverage/intellectual-property/minnesota) # Intellectual Property Insurance in Minnesota Minnesota law limits assignment of employee inventions developed entirely on the employee’s own time without employer resources or trade-secret information, unless the invention relates to the employer’s business or anticipated research or results from the employee’s work. Review invention-assignment forms and ask how employee ownership disputes affect coverage.[^2] **Coverage:** [Intellectual property](/coverage/intellectual-property) · [Minnesota](/coverage/states/minnesota) ## What Is Intellectual Property? Intellectual property insurance comes in two separate parts: defense, when you're accused of infringing a patent, trademark or copyright, and enforcement, when you pursue someone who copied yours. A defense-only quote doesn't pay for your own lawsuit, so ask for each part you need. [Read the national Intellectual property guide](/coverage/intellectual-property). ## What to Watch for in Minnesota ### Match the State Rule to Your Coverage Minnesota law limits assignment of employee inventions developed entirely on the employee’s own time without employer resources or trade-secret information, unless the invention relates to the employer’s business or anticipated research or results from the employee’s work. Review invention-assignment forms and ask how employee ownership disputes affect coverage.[^2] ### Plan for the State Remedy Minnesota requires an employer using an invention-assignment agreement to give written notice of the statutory limits. Keep signed agreements and the notice together; ask the broker whether the policy covers defense when a departing employee disputes ownership.[^2] ### Check the Policy Against the Claim Minnesota’s Trade Secrets Act separately permits an injunction against threatened misappropriation. Ask whether a threatened-use claim qualifies as a reportable claim under the policy before access is terminated or a demand is sent.[^3] ## Who Regulates Insurance in Minnesota **Minnesota Department of Commerce.** The Minnesota Department of Commerce regulates insurance companies and producers, reviews rates and forms, and investigates complaints. You can use its state lookup or complaint service to check a license or raise an insurance issue.[^4][^5][^6] - [Regulator website](https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/) - [License lookup](https://www.commerce.mn.gov/commerce/licensing/license-lookup/) - [File a complaint](https://mn.gov/commerce/consumer/file-a-complaint/) - Phone: 651-539-1600 ### Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office **Reported tax rate:** 3% of taxable gross premiums less return premiums, plus a 0.04% stamping fee on taxable premium when Minnesota is the insured's home state When Minnesota is the insured's home state, 3% tax applies to taxable gross premiums less return premiums; the separate 0.04% stamping fee on taxable premium is paid by you to the broker. Minnesota requires a policy warning that insolvency loss payment by a nonadmitted insurer is not guaranteed. A diligent search generally applies unless a Minnesota-licensed producer unaffiliated with the surplus-lines broker refers the risk, which the statute deems unavailable from a licensed insurer; an exempt commercial purchaser also has a separate written-request route after the required admitted-market disclosure.[^7][^10][^8][^9][^11] [Minnesota Surplus Lines Association](https://www.mnsla.com/) ## Providers With Documented State Licenses No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. [Check the regulator’s license lookup](https://www.commerce.mn.gov/commerce/licensing/license-lookup/) and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote. ## Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Minnesota 1. Does the policy cover an employee invention-ownership dispute under Minnesota’s own-time rule? 2. What written notice and invention-assignment records should we keep for Minnesota employees? 3. Will threatened trade-secret use trigger a claim before a lawsuit is filed? ## Intellectual Property in Minnesota: FAQ ### Can Minnesota employees keep inventions made on their own time? Sometimes. Minnesota law generally excludes inventions developed entirely on an employee’s own time without employer resources or trade-secret information, subject to business-related and work-result exceptions. The employer must give written notice of those limits.[^2] ### How should I handle a suspected intellectual-property claim in Minnesota? Notify the insurer promptly and preserve the first demand, access logs, agreements, and discovery date. Minnesota’s Trade Secrets Act separately permits an injunction against threatened misappropriation. Ask whether a threatened-use claim qualifies as a reportable claim under the policy before access is terminated or a demand is sent. The federal Defend Trade Secrets Act is a separate claim with its own filing period.[^2][^1] ## Intellectual Property in Other States - [Alabama](/coverage/intellectual-property/alabama) - [Alaska](/coverage/intellectual-property/alaska) - [Arizona](/coverage/intellectual-property/arizona) - [Arkansas](/coverage/intellectual-property/arkansas) - [California](/coverage/intellectual-property/california) - [Colorado](/coverage/intellectual-property/colorado) - [Connecticut](/coverage/intellectual-property/connecticut) - [Delaware](/coverage/intellectual-property/delaware) - [District of Columbia](/coverage/intellectual-property/district-of-columbia) - [Florida](/coverage/intellectual-property/florida) - [Georgia](/coverage/intellectual-property/georgia) - [Hawaii](/coverage/intellectual-property/hawaii) - [Idaho](/coverage/intellectual-property/idaho) - [Illinois](/coverage/intellectual-property/illinois) - [Indiana](/coverage/intellectual-property/indiana) - [Iowa](/coverage/intellectual-property/iowa) - [Kansas](/coverage/intellectual-property/kansas) - [Kentucky](/coverage/intellectual-property/kentucky) - [Louisiana](/coverage/intellectual-property/louisiana) - [Maine](/coverage/intellectual-property/maine) - [Maryland](/coverage/intellectual-property/maryland) - [Massachusetts](/coverage/intellectual-property/massachusetts) - [Michigan](/coverage/intellectual-property/michigan) - [Mississippi](/coverage/intellectual-property/mississippi) - [Missouri](/coverage/intellectual-property/missouri) - [Montana](/coverage/intellectual-property/montana) - [Nebraska](/coverage/intellectual-property/nebraska) - [Nevada](/coverage/intellectual-property/nevada) - [New Hampshire](/coverage/intellectual-property/new-hampshire) - [New Jersey](/coverage/intellectual-property/new-jersey) - [New Mexico](/coverage/intellectual-property/new-mexico) - [New York](/coverage/intellectual-property/new-york) - [North Carolina](/coverage/intellectual-property/north-carolina) - [North Dakota](/coverage/intellectual-property/north-dakota) - [Ohio](/coverage/intellectual-property/ohio) - [Oklahoma](/coverage/intellectual-property/oklahoma) - [Oregon](/coverage/intellectual-property/oregon) - [Pennsylvania](/coverage/intellectual-property/pennsylvania) - [Rhode Island](/coverage/intellectual-property/rhode-island) - [South Carolina](/coverage/intellectual-property/south-carolina) - [South Dakota](/coverage/intellectual-property/south-dakota) - [Tennessee](/coverage/intellectual-property/tennessee) - [Texas](/coverage/intellectual-property/texas) - [Utah](/coverage/intellectual-property/utah) - [Vermont](/coverage/intellectual-property/vermont) - [Virginia](/coverage/intellectual-property/virginia) - [Washington](/coverage/intellectual-property/washington) - [West Virginia](/coverage/intellectual-property/west-virginia) - [Wisconsin](/coverage/intellectual-property/wisconsin) - [Wyoming](/coverage/intellectual-property/wyoming) [Other Coverage in Minnesota](/coverage/states/minnesota) ## Sources [^1]: [18 U.S.C. § 1836, Civil Proceedings](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=%28title%3A18+section%3A1836+edition%3Aprelim%29) — Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives; § 1836(b)(1), (3): federal civil action, injunction, and damages for qualifying trade secret misappropriation. Accessed 2026-09-29. [^2]: [Minnesota Statutes § 181.78, Inventions Made by Employees](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/181.78) — Minnesota Revisor of Statutes; Subdivisions 1–3: own-time invention exclusion and required written notice. Accessed 2026-09-29. [^3]: [Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 325C, Uniform Trade Secrets Act](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/325C) — Minnesota Revisor of Statutes; §§ 325C.02–.06: injunctions, damages, preservation, and limitations. Accessed 2026-09-29. [^4]: [Insurance](https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/) — Insurance; Insurance regulator and consumer resources. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^5]: [Insurance License Lookup](https://www.commerce.mn.gov/commerce/licensing/license-lookup/) — Insurance; State-designated producer/company search. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^6]: [File an Insurance Complaint](https://mn.gov/commerce/consumer/file-a-complaint/) — Insurance; Insurance complaint topic; filing portal, complaints line, email contact. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^7]: [Minn. Stat. §297I.05](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2025/cite/297I.05) — Minnesota Revisor of Statutes; 3% on gross premiums less return premiums when Minnesota is insured's home state; 100% taxable in Minnesota. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^8]: [Instructions for 2026 Semiannual Stamping Fee Report](https://www.mnsla.com/news/MN%20Stamping%20Fee%20Report%202026.pdf) — Minnesota Surplus Lines Association; 2026 report p.1, lines 82–94: stamping fee rate .0004 (0.04%) of policy premium for transactions effective on or after October 1, 2016; current report linked from the association's 2026 site.. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^9]: [Minn. Stat. §60A.207](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2025/cite/60A.207) — Minnesota Revisor of Statutes; 2025 text, lines 250–255: policy notice states insurer is not otherwise licensed in Minnesota and insolvency loss payment is not guaranteed.. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^10]: [Minn. Stat. §297I.01](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2025/cite/297I.01) — Minnesota Revisor of Statutes; Definition of gross premiums for nonadmitted insurance includes fees, assessments and other consideration, with stamping fee and operating assessment exclusions. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^11]: [Minnesota Statutes 2025, §60A.201](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2025/cite/60A.201) — Minnesota Revisor of Statutes; 2025 Minn. Stat. §60A.201 subd.1 (admitted-market restriction); subd.5 (ECP disclosure and subsequent written request); subd.6 (risk referred by unaffiliated Minnesota-licensed producer deemed unavailable). Amendments listed through 2025.. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^12]: [Licenses](https://www.at-bay.com/licenses/) — At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21. [^13]: [Licenses and Carriers](https://www.coalitioninc.com/legal/licenses) — Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535.. Accessed 2026-09-22. [^14]: [Insurance Producer Licenses](https://www.corgi.insure/broker-licenses) — Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown.. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^15]: [About Hiscox US Insurance](https://www.hiscox.com/about-hiscox-insurance) — Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16. [^16]: [Licenses](https://www.nextinsurance.com/insurance-licenses/) — ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885.. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^17]: [Insurance Licenses by State](https://www.techinsurance.com/legal/licenses) — TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number.. Accessed 2026-09-28. [^18]: [Licenses](https://www.vouch.us/legal/licenses) — Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict.. Accessed 2026-09-15. Updated 2026-09-29. This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. [Editorial policy](/editorial-policy). 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