Most people are insured through their home insurance or other insurance with admitted insurance companies. However, there are also non-admitted insurance options for certain special cases. Insuring yourself with an admitted insurance company vs. a non-admitted insurance provider can have its advantages and disadvantages. Normally you would not end up insured with a non-admitted insurer before your broker, or insurance representative has already checked if you have options with an admitted insurance company. 

Here are the basics of understanding what is non-admitted insurance, as well as some advantages.

Non-admitted insurance refers to an insurance company that is not licensed with the state to provide insurance. However, just because the non-admitted insurance carrier is not licensed as an insurance provider in the state (or country), it does not mean it is not allowed to operate in the State. A non-admitted insurance carrier may provide coverage through a state-licensed agency, broker or representative.

A non-admitted insurer does not have to follow the same criteria in underwriting, rate setting, and coverage as admitted insurance carriers.

Non-admitted insurance is also sometimes referred to as “Excess and Surplus Insurance” or “E&S” or “Surplus Lines.”

Non-Admitted insurance can apply to many types of insurance products. Some examples are:

• Home insurance where an area is considered a high-risk zone (for example where the risks of tornado, hurricanes, and wildfires are high)
• Specialty line insurance, like professional liability insurance, or high-value home insurance
• High-risk insurance like in the case of earthquake insurance
• Insurance for people who do not meet standard underwriting criteria, for example, those with insurability issues, too many claims, or if a standard insurance company cancels a policy and will not renew.
• Insurance for non-US citizens, or certain supplemental health insurance policies like long-term care

Non-admitted insurance is a key component in the insurance industry because it answers the need for specialty insurance coverage and/or higher risk insurance needs. Without non-admitted insurance, many people would be unable to get insurance coverage and may not be able to finance homes or be insured after a string of “bad luck.”

Since rates are not regulated by the state, insurers do not have to submit their rates. Further, the policy forms and product offering not regulated by the state

These insurers can offer coverage options that help states extend coverage in high-risk markets. As an example, this can help with people who need to use Fair Plan Insurance—a state-mandated insurance making coverage available to those living in high-risk areas. Some of this coverage may be with non-admitted insurers or Excess and Surplus carriers.

Because surplus lines insurance products are not subject to rating regulations at the state level, they can have an advantage over admitted insurers because they have the freedom to be more creative and responsive about the types of coverage they offer.

Depending on the situation and type of insurance of the non-admitted insurance product, the rates may be more expensive than a standard insurer’s rates but may provide insurance coverage that a standard insurer would not be willing to provide.

The State provides protection to consumers who are insured with admitted insurance if the insurance company is unable to pay it’s claims or losses, in the case of bankruptcy, for example. The biggest difference between the admitted insurer and the non-admitted insurer is that the non-admitted insurer does not have that financial backing from the State.

Non-admitted insurers can set their rates and are not subject to the local regulations on rate issues. It may allow the insurer to collect the appropriate premiums by charging the rate appropriate to the risk, which in turn may help them to be more profitable in general. It may give these non-admitted insurers strong financial stability. You should always check the financial stability of an insurance company, whether admitted or not.