CNA

Carrier appetite summary

Overall appetite / focus - CNA positions itself as a broad commercial carrier with targeted growth in key industry segments including Business Services, Construction, Financial Institutions, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Real Estate, Restaurants, Retail, Technology, Trade Contractors and Wholesale Distributors. - CNA Small Business and CNA Connect write a majority of SICs, with the above as focus classes that have generated strong historical performance and are actively targeted for growth. Preferred business (all applicable to Property, GL, Umbrella, Package, and supported WC/Auto as available) - Professional & Business Services: accountancies, legal, management consulting, real estate professionals, various professional service firms. Professional liability for certain professions (accountants, A&E, lawyers, real estate agents) is written via MGU partners, but CNA is a key market for the associated P&C package and umbrella. - Financial Institutions: asset managers, banks and lending institutions, insurance companies, life agents/registered reps. CNA will write multi‑line P&C and umbrella around these classes. - Technology & Communications: communications companies, electronics manufacturers, media, software and IT services; data centers and technology schools are specifically indicated as eligible in small business material. - Construction & Trade Contractors: commercial, industrial, institutional and civil contractors including concrete, electrical, general contractors, grading/excavation, highway/street & road, roofing, sheet metal, mechanical/HVAC & plumbing, utility and excavation. Trade contractors are specifically a small‑business focus class. These are typically written on package or CNA Connect with umbrella support when risk characteristics and loss history are favorable. - Healthcare & Life Sciences: aging services, allied healthcare facilities and providers, dentists, nurses, physicians, life sciences companies and related healthcare entities; CNA is an established market and targets these for both middle‑market and small business (subject to specialized underwriting and program rules). - Real Estate: commercial real estate managers (owned and non‑owned), owners of commercial buildings (office, light‑industrial, mixed‑use) and privately held REITs. CNA emphasizes experience with managing real estate exposures and is a core market for property, GL, umbrella and package on these risks. - Manufacturing & Wholesale/Distribution: automotive components and accessories, commercial electrical equipment, fabricated metal, industrial/commercial machinery and equipment, plastics fabricators and similar light to moderate hazard manufacturing with good controls. Wholesale distributors are a named focus class in small business appetite. - Retail, Restaurants and other Main‑Street: CNA Small Business appetite highlights retail, restaurants, and business services; these are commonly placed via CNA Connect with supported WC, auto and umbrella where eligible. Workers Compensation - Workers Comp is a core product and is often packaged with CNA Connect or Paramount. Small Business "Eligible Values" guidance indicates WC maximum annual payroll thresholds by segment (up to about $10M for many small business segments, with higher total payroll tolerances for tech‑oriented risks) and emphasizes use within small commercial accounts rather than very large payroll national accounts. - Preferred WC risks align with the focus classes above: professional/office risks, light manufacturing, technology, stable contractors with good safety records, healthcare, and retail/restaurant with acceptable loss experience and risk control. Commercial Property & Package (CNA Paramount and CNA Connect) - CNA Paramount is the commercial package solution, often used for more complex or higher‑value risks within CNA’s target industries. CNA Connect is the BOP‑style product for small business. - Small Business eligible values guidance for CNA Connect shows (by segment) maximum property values of roughly $3M–$10M per location (up to $10M for many classes) and maximum annual receipts typically up to $10M–$30M (higher for certain tech/IT‑focused segments). Risks beyond these thresholds are typically moved to Paramount or middle‑market underwriting. - Preferred property characteristics: modern construction or well‑maintained, up‑to‑date electrical, heating and roofing; adequate fire and life‑safety features; tenants and operations consistent with CNA’s focus industries. Commercial Umbrella / Excess Casualty - CNA is a longstanding umbrella and excess casualty market with more than 50 years of experience; umbrella and excess sit over CNA primary GL/auto/employers liability and often over CNA Connect or Paramount packages. - Umbrella is routinely available on targeted small business classes (e.g., select contractors, professional offices, retail, restaurants, real estate owners) when primary is with CNA and account meets underwriting standards for loss history, limits, risk control and attachment points. - Higher‑hazard classes (heavy construction, large fleets, high‑hazard products, residential contractors) are subject to stricter review and may be declined or placed in E&S. Restricted or declined classes (operational expectations) - CNA’s public appetite documents focus on preferred segments and do not publish a full prohibited list, but common market guidance and CNA’s stated focus imply the following are typically restricted or declined in standard admitted programs and CNA Connect: - Very heavy or hazardous manufacturing, severe products liability, and risks with large‑scale international exposures. - Residential general contractors and high‑hazard construction (e.g., structural steel erection, heavy highway with significant bridge/tunnel exposure) unless specifically underwritten in specialized programs. - Habitational with poor maintenance, significant student housing or assisted‑living/lodging without appropriate life‑safety features, or accounts with unmitigated vacancy or crime exposure. - Risks with poor loss history, high frequency or severity, or evidence of weak risk control and safety management. - Classes outside CNA’s named focus industries may still be considered, but agents should verify eligibility with underwriters and use CNA Connect or Paramount guidelines as a screen. Geographic notes - CNA is a national commercial carrier; product pages clarify that not all coverages are available in all states and that offerings may be subject to change without notice. Agents should confirm availability and any state‑specific restrictions with their CNA sales specialist or underwriter. Submission and broker/producer instructions - CNA consistently directs producers to work through CNA Central/Agent Center and local underwriters: - Small Business: for CNA Connect and small commercial, agents are instructed to contact their sales specialist or visit the CNA Small Business site (cna.com/smallbusiness) and Agent Center for eligibility, values and class information, and to use CNA’s online quoting platforms for quick indications and issuance. - Middle Market/Paramount/Industry: submissions are typically routed to the appropriate middle‑market or industry‑focused underwriter. Appetite PDF specifically instructs agents to "Talk to your local CNA underwriter for more details on CNA’s appetite, products and services, or visit cna.com/agentcenter for available sales materials." Underwriters expect complete ACORDs, applicable supplemental applications, and current loss runs. - Primary underwriting emphasis is on: - Matching accounts to focus industries and small business eligible value thresholds. - Verifying class code eligibility for CNA Connect and supported umbrella. - Confirming that WC, auto and umbrella are placed in conjunction with CNA primary where possible to improve pricing and terms. Practical operational use - Use CNA’s appetite and small business eligible values tools to screen prospects quickly against industry focus and size thresholds. - Route smaller, standard‑hazard accounts within eligible values to CNA Connect with supported WC, auto and umbrella; move larger or more complex accounts into CNA Paramount or middle‑market. - For contractors, real estate, manufacturing, and healthcare, confirm that operations fall within CNA’s named sub‑segments (e.g., light‑industrial buildings, non‑residential contractors, fabricated metal, aging services) before marketing heavily to CNA. - When in doubt, producers are expected to engage local CNA underwriters early for appetite confirmation, especially for higher limits umbrella, multi‑state risks, or classes not clearly within listed focus industries.

Referenced source pages