top of page

Construction

Bond Producer vs. Surety Advisor: Beyond the Bond

Published on
Written by:
October 7, 2016
Cottingham & Butler

When you're looking for a solid bonding relationship, shouldn't it be built on a complete risk review and not simply on a complete financial review? 


Sure, your financials are strong, but they can be misleading or downright unreliable if your surety team hasn't gone beyond just delivering a bond.


Imagine facing an uncovered loss with a full backlog and no money to prosecute the work. It's bonded work and that means the surety must step in and complete it; you didn't forget you personally indemnified that bond, did you?


Imagine facing a serious loss where your limits were adequate to your company's net worth 3 years ago but haven't contemplated that new $4,000,000 in revenue you've added since then. Are you a bigger target at $6,000,000 revenue than you were at $2,000,000?


You've bonded these jobs, and you've produced a clear, contractual financial guarantee in which you are fully indemnifying the surety both corporately and personally. When you set those insurance limits, didn't at least part of that calculation take into consideration the corporate veil, your protections personally against liability?


Of course they did. Did you adjust those limits when you took on a project which, through that personal indemnity pierces the veil and leaves you personally exposed?


This is piercing the veil from the inside. You may not experience a loss that can break through the veil head on but an uncovered loss or a loss with inadequate limits can wreak havoc on current operations and leave you staring down the barrel of a sizeable bond loss. You might enjoy personal protection from the veil on the insurance claim but what if that claim wipes out the working capital in your company? The surety still has your personal indemnity option to complete that work and pay those subs on your behalf. How's that veil doing?


In most cases, it's not that one swift blow. It's usually a long-term effect of your company under siege where you and your senior management lose focus on critical day-to-day management and new growth as your energy and money pour into defending what you've built. Performance, morale, cash flow, revenue..... the spiral can be awful.


We have the experience and the rounded team who will provide this in-depth review. The people who are not merely up-to-date on emerging risks but up-to-date with how fluid those risks are when considered by a company heavily involved in modern construction.


The Bond Producer will get you the bond and call it a success and, yes, we do that too. We "get the bond" every day, and most days, on an hourly basis.


The Surety Advisor delivers that bond along with these and other critical services that should be the standard, but we all know aren't.


From clients just starting out and in search of their first $300,000 bond, to firms with over 100 years in contracting and bond lines in excess of $150,000,000, we have the experience, team, and drive to deliver beyond the bond.

TAGS:

Upcoming Events

WEBINAR

March 19, 2026

Navigating Employer-Sponsored Coverage & Medicare

Join us for a practical session on how Medicare interacts with employer-sponsored health plans—an increasingly important topic as more employees continue working past age 65. We’ll break down eligibility and enrollment timing for Medicare Parts A, B, and D, clarify how Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) rules impact group plan coordination, and highlight key considerations such as HSA eligibility, COBRA timing, and employer premium reimbursements. Understanding these rules is essential for employers evaluating benefit offerings and for employees choosing the coverage option that best fits their needs.
Register Now!

WEBINAR

February 19, 2026

ERISA Fiduciary Duties

Join us for an in-depth session on ERISA fiduciary duties for health and welfare plans, designed to help employers understand their obligations as plan sponsors. We’ll review key ERISA requirements, highlight common compliance pitfalls, and share practical best practices to minimize fiduciary risk.
Register Now!

WEBINAR

January 22, 2026

ACA Employer Reporting

As the new year begins, join us for a timely webinar on ACA employer reporting, held right in the midst of the 2025 filing season. We’ll walk through the key requirements for Forms 1094 and 1095 and highlight common pitfalls, best practices, and practical tips to ensure accurate, complete, and compliant reporting.
Register Now!

Connect with a C&B Representative Today!

bottom of page