Carrier Appetite / Forge Insurance
Carrier Appetite Detail

Forge Insurance

Carrier website links, underwriting access points, mapped product lines, and appetite notes in one place.

Reviewed Mar 23, 2026
Last Changed Mar 23, 2026
Country US

This appetite summary is only a guide. Confirm eligibility, submission requirements, restrictions, and binding authority directly with the carrier or underwriter before relying on it.

Product Lines
Commercial Auto - Public Auto Commercial Auto - Small Business
Details

Carrier appetite summary

Preferred business / appetite: - Focus is "Light & Local" commercial auto: light vehicles (pickups, vans, SUVs, small box and specialty trucks under 26,000 lbs) used as tools of the business, not as the core business (no trucking/for-hire delivery focus). Radius <50 miles from garage preferred; 51–200 miles acceptable; >200 miles ineligible. - Targeted small-business classes include: artisan contractors & trades (e.g., plumbers, electricians, carpenters), auto services (general repair, glass, interior), consulting (business, IT, HR), educational services (technical/trade schools, other educational services), religious & civic services, business services (temp staffing, travel agencies, landscaping), entertainment services (theaters, museums, golf courses, recreation centers), hospitality (hotels/resorts, restaurants/cafes), professional services (accountants, attorneys, marketing), repair & maintenance (e.g., IT or appliance repair), brick-and-mortar retail stores (grocery, C-stores, florists), and real estate services (agents, property managers). Full target NAICS list available in agent materials. - Eligible vehicles: commercial vehicles <26,000 lbs including pickups, vans, SUVs, box trucks, smaller dump trucks used by non–for-hire trades (e.g., landscapers), private passenger autos, and trailers written with eligible power units. Restricted / declined classes and vehicles: - Prohibited business classes include: for-hire trucking, towing & wrecking, farm & livestock operations, last-mile delivery, non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), street & road paving, pilot/escort vehicles, driving schools, fast-food delivery, garage & auto dealers, recreational vehicles, home movers, and junk hauling/garbage or waste removal. These are indicative, not an exhaustive ineligible list. - Prohibited vehicle types: heavy vehicles over 26,000 lbs; tractor–trailer exposures; trailer-only policies; mobile equipment; any risks subject to USDOT / FMCSA regulation; tow trucks and roll-off trucks. Geographic notes: - Commercial auto written for small businesses operating locally; preferred radius is under 50 miles from the garage location, with tolerance up to 200 miles. Risks with operating radius beyond 200 miles are not eligible. - Forge operates in a defined footprint of multiple states and DC; agents should confirm state eligibility via the "Where We Work" map and internal materials before marketing or submitting. Underwriting, driver & limit guidelines (operational): - Driver eligibility: preferred drivers age 23–70 with acceptable MVR. Drivers age 16–22 or 70+ must be referred to an underwriter. Generally requires fewer than 2 accidents in the last 12 months and fewer than 3 moving violations or at-fault accidents in the last 36 months, with additional details in the driver guidelines. - Symbols: preferred auto liability symbols are 7 (specifically described autos), 8 (hired autos only), and 9 (non-owned autos only). Symbols 8 and 9 are not available for all classes; any other symbol usage requires underwriter referral. - Limits: liability up to $2,000,000 CSL; comprehensive and collision up to $100,000 stated value or OCN per vehicle; UM/UIM up to $1,000,000 CSL; Med Pay/PIP offered per state requirements. Submission requirements & process: - Quoting is done via the FIRE Agent Portal. For risks with 9 or fewer qualifying vehicles, agents should quote and submit directly in FIRE. - Accounts with 10 or more vehicles must be referred to an underwriter and must include loss history; treat these as underwriter-driven submissions rather than straight-through portal business. - Forge orders and pays for MVR and CLUE reports prior to binding; there are no chargebacks to agents for those reports. - Detailed underwriting & submission requirements, prohibited classes list, NAICS targets, product highlights, and service-level expectations are all supplied in downloadable PDFs under Agent Resources; agents are expected to review and follow these when marketing and submitting. Broker / producer notes: - Distribution is through appointed independent agents using the FIRE agent portal. Prospective agents must complete the "Become an Agent" process; existing producers should use FIRE for rating, quoting, and policy servicing. - Service Levels Agreement and "Underwriting & Submission Requirements" PDFs outline response-time expectations, documentation standards, and how to handle exceptions; unusual or incidental exposures related to otherwise eligible accounts should be discussed with an underwriter rather than declined outright. - Forge positions itself as a small-business commercial auto specialist; producers should focus on local operations where the vehicle supports a broader main business, not transportation-centric risks.