Main Street America
Carrier website links, underwriting access points, mapped product lines, and appetite notes in one place.
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.
Carrier appetite summary
Main Street America (a member of American Family Insurance Group) has exited personal lines to focus on commercial lines, writing through multiple underwriting companies (e.g., Austin Mutual, Main Street America Assurance, Protection, NGM, MSA Insurance Company, Old Dominion, Grain Dealers, Midvale Indemnity, etc.). Products, availability and underwriting company vary by state and are subject to change. PREFERRED / TARGET BUSINESS (COMMERCIAL LINES) - Core appetite is small to lower‑middle market "main street" risks written primarily on Business Owners, Commercial Package, Commercial Auto, Umbrella and Workers’ Compensation, distributed via appointed independent agents. - Business Owners / Commercial Package: Typical main street retail, services and light office occupancies (e.g., professional offices, retail shops, small restaurants, artisan contractors, light mercantile) in relatively well‑maintained properties. Main Line BOP is marketed as a broad-eligibility, value‑oriented BOP with additional options and coverages beyond a standard BOP for qualifying small businesses. - Workers’ Compensation: Standard, stable classes that align with main street operations (e.g., light contracting, retail, professional/clerical, small manufacturing without high‑hazard exposures). They emphasize long‑term presence in workers’ comp and position WC as a core line alongside the package. - Umbrella / Excess: Placed over in‑force MSA primary lines for qualifying commercial accounts (typically BOP/CPP plus Auto/WC) with acceptable loss history and exposure profile. - Farm & Ranch: In selected states, they actively market a full‑suite farm and ranch product (underwritten by Midvale Indemnity Company) for family farms and agribusinesses that fit standard underwriting and loss‑control criteria. Dedicated farm underwriting and loss control teams support this segment. - Bonds: Surety/bonds in support of their commercial main street clients, subject to separate bond underwriting standards. RESTRICTED OR DECLINED CLASSES (GENERAL EXPECTATIONS) - No public, detailed class‑by‑class appetite is published on the current site. Agents should assume typical small‑commercial carrier restrictions apply: high‑hazard general liability classes (e.g., heavy structural work, large habitational with poor life‑safety, bars/taverns, nightclubs, heavy manufacturing, chemical, large trucking, risks with significant catastrophe aggregation) are either restricted, require referral, or are declined, depending on state and loss history. - Farm & Ranch: Large commercial agribusiness, packing plants, heavy processing operations and other non‑standard exposures may be outside the targeted farm program and will require underwriter review or placement elsewhere. - Umbrella: Stand‑alone umbrellas over non‑MSA primary or over high‑hazard risks are typically not appetited; placement is generally contingent on writing the underlying with MSA and meeting loss‑ratio and exposure guidelines. GEOGRAPHIC NOTES & PLATFORM TRANSITION - Commercial lines are being migrated from the legacy Main Street Station® platform to the Main Street Commercial+® platform. For each participating state, there are defined non‑renewal effective date ranges for policies on the legacy platform by line of business (BOP, Commercial Auto, Commercial Package, Umbrella, Workers’ Comp). For example, many states show all commercial lines transitioning for effective dates in late 2024 through 2025 (e.g., Arizona 9/1/2024–8/31/2025; New York 11/1/2024–10/31/2025; similar windows for most other active states). All BOP, Commercial Auto, Commercial Package, Umbrella and Workers’ Compensation renewals are now transitioned to Main Street Commercial+ going forward. - Products, pricing and availability are state‑specific and may not be available in all jurisdictions. Agents must confirm state availability and underwriting company selection at quote/bind. SUBMISSION & RENEWAL / TRANSITION REQUIREMENTS - Commercial renewals moving from Main Street Station to Main Street Commercial+ are issued as new policies on the new platform. Existing billing methods and payment plans do not carry over. To accept the transitioned renewal, the insured must make a first payment in the new billing system; agencies should counsel insureds that AutoPay/EFT and other installment plans must be re‑established in the new payment portal. - For loss runs during and after transition, agents must request and provide loss runs for both the legacy Main Street Station policy term and the new Main Street Commercial+ policy term to give a complete loss history for underwriting. - Agencies receive a series of standardized agency email notifications during the transition by account/line of business; producers should monitor the agency’s centralized email address and internal workflows to ensure no renewal or billing actions are missed. - New business: Quoting and submission are handled via MSA’s agent platforms (Main Street Commercial+ and associated systems). Agents are expected to submit complete underwriting information, including accurate class coding, exposure bases and supplemental questionnaires where indicated. Incomplete submissions may be pended while underwriting obtains required details. BROKER / PRODUCER INSTRUCTIONS - Main Street America distributes only through appointed independent agents. To be considered for appointment, agencies must use the "Become an Agent" process on the website, after which the appointment team evaluates the opportunity and discusses production, profitability and alignment with their commercial focus. - Agents are expected to work with assigned underwriters and sales representatives to manage territory growth and profitability. Underwriters have authority within corporate guidelines and may require additional information, risk control, or coverage modifications to stay within appetite. - Transition support: Agents are directed to the Commercial Lines Renewal Transition Resources hub for FAQ, toolkits (with copies of insured communications, billing and payment guidance), recorded webinars, and state‑by‑state transition timelines. For any transition or underwriting questions, agents are instructed to contact their MSA sales representative. OPERATIONAL TAKEAWAYS FOR AGENTS - Focus your MSA submissions on small and lower‑middle market main street commercial accounts that fit a BOP or standard package/auto/wc/umbrella structure. - Verify state timing of Main Street Station non‑renewals and ensure all renewing accounts are set up in Main Street Commercial+ with new payment methods before expiration. - When providing loss histories to MSA (new or renewal), include both legacy (Main Street Station) and new (Commercial+) policy terms. - Use the agent appointment channel for new relationships and rely on your assigned sales rep/underwriter for appetite clarifications, borderline classes, and farm & ranch or bond opportunities. - Remember personal lines are no longer a strategic focus; placement with MSA should be concentrated on commercial and related farm & ranch products.