The quick take
E&S isn’t just growing—it’s becoming a core placement lane for many agencies. Commentators continue to highlight E&S expansion and the market’s role in handling dislocated or complex risks.
But as E&S volume increases, underwriters and MGAs get pickier: the best submissions rise to the top.
So, instead of talking about E&S in general, let’s talk about what actually moves the needle:
The Submission Stack: a repeatable package that makes your agency easy to do business with.
Why “submission quality” is now a growth strategy
In E&S, speed and clarity win:
- Underwriters triage quickly.
- Missing info = back-and-forth = missed bind window.
- Clean submissions earn better response times over time.
And because more business is flowing through MGAs/wholesalers, the agent who makes their partner’s job easier often gets priority. (Even rating agencies have noted the expanding role and complexity MGAs can introduce in the ecosystem.)
The Submission Stack (copy/paste this into your agency SOP)
Tier 1: “Must-have” (send every time)
- ACORD + supplemental apps (fully complete)
- 5 years loss runs (or documented no-loss statement)
- Currently in-force dec page + expiring terms
- Payroll/sales/receipts schedule (as applicable)
- Locations schedule (with COPE detail for property)
- Prior carrier non-renewal/cancellation details (if any)
Tier 2: “Underwriter-friendly” (separates you from the pack)
- A one-page risk narrative: what they do, who they serve, where exposures concentrate
- Top 3 risk controls (training, contracts, maintenance, safety program)
- Claims story (what happened, what changed, what won’t repeat)
- Photos (property, roof, protection class context, operations)
Tier 3: “Win the quote” (when it’s competitive/tough)
- Contracts + hold harmless / additional insured requirements
- Fleet list + driver selection criteria (if auto involved)
- Cat/mitigation details (roof updates, wildfire defensible space, flood openings, sensors)
- Financials / projected growth + new operations changes
The secret weapon: the one-page risk narrative
Underwriters don’t just price risk—they price uncertainty.
A strong narrative answers:
- What’s the business model?
- What’s changed since last term?
- Why are losses unlikely to repeat?
- Why is this account “worth writing” in today’s market?
If you do nothing else, do this.
Build a “clean submission” culture (without extra work)
Two practical moves:
- Create line-specific checklists (GL, property, contractors, habitational, trucking, etc.)
- Pre-fill data from your AMS/CRM and standardize schedules
This is exactly where modern agency tech—and AI-assisted workflows—are heading: fewer manual handoffs, more consistent data capture.
What Agents United members can do differently
Agents United exists to make independent agencies more competitive through carrier access, tools, and support.
For E&S execution specifically, the network can help agencies:
- share submission templates,
- standardize underwriting “cheat sheets,”
- introduce vetted MGA/wholesaler partners,
- train producers/CSRs on “what good looks like.”
