Last updated March 20, 2026

E&S Insurance in North Dakota: Classes, Coverage & Quoting Guide

Pathpoint covers 9 Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines in North Dakota spanning 56+ class codes, including LRO, Contractors, and Monoline Property. 81% of submissions return an instant, bindable quote in roughly 13 seconds. With 7 active carriers, automated surplus lines tax calculation at 1.75% at checkout, and built-in diligent search documentation, the average bound premium across all North Dakota product lines is $3,483.

Key Takeaways

9 E&S product lines covering 56+ class codes in North Dakota
81% of submissions receive instant, bindable quotes in ~13 seconds
7+ carrier partners including 6 domestic surplus lines insurers and 1 Lloyd's syndicate
Surplus lines tax of 1.75%, calculated and filed automatically. No stamping office required
Average bound premium of $3,483 across all North Dakota product lines

What E&S product lines can I quote in North Dakota?

North Dakota agents on Pathpoint can currently quote 9 Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines covering 56+ class codes. The full lineup includes LRO, or Lessor's Risk Only (9 class codes), Contractors (33 class codes), Contractors Excess (4 class codes), Restaurants (5 class codes), LRO Excess (2 class codes), Manufacturing (1 class code), Vacant Building (1 class code), Monoline Property, and Vacant Land (1 class code). LRO leads in both submission volume with 73 accounts and bind volume with 17 bound policies in the trailing 12 months, followed closely by Contractors with 9 binds from 38 submissions and Monoline Property with 9 binds from 8 submissions. These three product lines form the core of North Dakota's E&S appetite on the platform.

Of the 9 product lines, 8, or 89%, are instant-quotable, meaning agents receive bindable quotes in about 13 seconds after submission. The remaining 1 product line, Vacant Land, is referred to Pathpoint's brokerage team for manual placement, with quotes typically returned within 3.3 hours. Referred risks go through the same agent workflow, just with a short underwriting review before a quote is returned.

Full class list · Ranked by bind volume

#	Product	Class Codes	Top Classes	Quote Type	Appetite
1	LRO	9	Apartment Buildings–Garden, Buildings or Premises–Bank or Office–Mercantile or Mfg. (Lessor's Risk Only)–Maintained by the Insured–Other Than Not-For-Profit, Buildings or Premises–Bank or Office–Mercantile or Mfg. (Lessor's Risk Only)–Other Than Not-For-Profit, Dwellings–One-Family (Lessor's Risk Only), Warehouses–Occupied by Single Interest (Lessor's Risk Only)	⚡ Instant	Strong
2	Monoline Property	N/A	Apartment Buildings–Garden, Buildings or Premises–Bank or Office–Mercantile or Mfg. (Lessor's Risk Only)–Maintained by the Insured–Other Than Not-For-Profit	⚡ Instant	Active
2	Contractors	33	Contractors–Subcontracted Work–In Connection with Building Construction, Reconstruction, Repair or Erection–One- or Two-Family Dwellings, Landscape Gardening, Remodeling Contractor, Roofing–Commercial or Residential over Three Stories, Roofing–Residential–Three Stories and Under	⚡ Instant	Strong
4	Contractors Excess	4	Contractors–Subcontracted Work–In Connection with Building Construction, Reconstruction, Repair or Erection–One- or Two-Family Dwellings, Driveway, Parking Area or Sidewalk–Paving or Repaving, Landscape Gardening	⚡ Instant	Active
4	Restaurants	5	Restaurants–with Sale of Alcoholic Beverages that are Less Than 30% of the Annual Receipts of the Restaurants–with Table Service	⚡ Instant	Strong
4	Vacant Building	1	Vacant Buildings–Not Factories–Other Than Not-For-Profit	⚡ Instant	Strong
4	Manufacturing	1	Liquor Mfg.	⚡ Instant	Strong
8	Vacant Land	1	N/A	↗ Referred	Emerging
8	LRO Excess	2	N/A	⚡ Instant	Strong

How fast can I get an E&S quote in North Dakota?

81% of account submissions in North Dakota receive an instant, bindable quote in approximately 13 seconds. After submitting risk information, Pathpoint's platform simultaneously routes the application to multiple carriers, evaluates appetite and eligibility, and returns a quote agents can bind on the spot. The result is a complete workflow, from submission to bound policy, that fits within a single agent session. This instant quote rate reflects strong platform appetite across North Dakota's top product lines, including LRO at a 95.9% quote rate, Contractors at 89.5%, and Restaurants at 80%.

For the roughly 19% of submissions that require underwriter review, Pathpoint's brokerage team typically returns quotes within 3.3 hours. These referred risks, primarily Vacant Land, receive the same agent-friendly workflow. Agents get a notification when the quote is ready, can bind with one click, and receive automated document delivery. No additional coordination steps are needed.

Which carriers are available in North Dakota?

Pathpoint partners with 7 carriers actively quoting in North Dakota: Westchester, The Hartford, Vave, Crum and Forster, Nautilus, Markel, and Baleen Specialty. Six are domestic surplus lines insurers and one, The Hartford, operates via Lloyd's binding authority. The platform evaluates each carrier's appetite by class code, location, risk size, and loss history, then routes submissions accordingly. When multiple carriers are eligible, agents receive competing quotes and can select the best fit, giving them market access that typically requires relationships with multiple wholesalers.

Coverage spans all 9 North Dakota product lines, from Contractors (33 class codes) and LRO to Monoline Property, Restaurants, Manufacturing, and Vacant Building. Pathpoint continues expanding carrier relationships in the state, particularly for emerging product lines. Every carrier partnership is managed at the platform level, so agents get consistent access without managing individual carrier credentials or submissions.

Where is Pathpoint's appetite strongest in North Dakota?

Six North Dakota product lines carry a high appetite rating, reflecting quote rates at or above 80%: LRO (95.9% quote rate), Contractors (89.5%), Restaurants (80%), Vacant Building (100%), Manufacturing (100%), and LRO Excess (100%). These lines see the most carrier competition on the platform, the strongest bind rates, and typically the most competitive pricing. Agents working in commercial real estate, construction, or food and beverage will find consistent quoting across these categories.

Two product lines, Monoline Property (75% quote rate) and Contractors Excess (50%), sit in the mid appetite tier, meaning most submissions receive a quote, though some more complex risks may require manual review. Vacant Land is the one emerging-tier line in North Dakota, currently at the early stage of carrier adoption on the platform. Pathpoint is actively building carrier capacity for emerging lines, and agents are encouraged to submit even when appetite is developing.

What are the surplus lines requirements in North Dakota?

North Dakota imposes a 1.75% surplus lines tax on premium. Unlike many states, North Dakota does not have a dedicated stamping office, so there is no stamping fee or third-party filing requirement. Pathpoint calculates and displays the 1.75% tax automatically at checkout, so agents always see the total cost before binding. All filings are submitted electronically to the North Dakota Insurance Department as part of the binding process, eliminating the need for agents to handle compliance steps separately.

North Dakota requires a diligent search of the admitted market before placing coverage in the surplus lines market, specifically 3 declinations from admitted carriers. Pathpoint maintains documentation of this requirement as part of the placement record. The state follows the home state filing method under the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA, the federal law standardizing surplus lines regulation across states), meaning all filings and taxes are directed to North Dakota for risks where the insured's home state is North Dakota.

Surplus Lines Tax: 1.75%
Stamping Office: None
Diligent Search: 3 declinations
Filing Method: Home state

How does quoting E&S on Pathpoint work in North Dakota?

Quoting Excess and Surplus (E&S) insurance in North Dakota on Pathpoint follows four steps. First, an agent submits risk information through the platform. Second, Pathpoint simultaneously routes the submission to up to 7 carriers and returns a quote, 81% of the time in about 13 seconds. For referred risks, the brokerage team completes the review and returns a quote within 3.3 hours. Third, the agent binds by selecting the preferred quote, with all surplus lines compliance, including 1.75% tax calculation and ND Insurance Department filings, handled automatically. Fourth, policy documents are issued immediately. In the trailing 12 months, 131 account submissions in North Dakota produced 39 bound policies.

No surplus lines license is required to use Pathpoint. The platform acts as broker of record, managing all regulatory and compliance obligations on the agent's behalf. Agents earn standard retail commission on every bound policy. There is no cost to create an account, and no subscription fees, agents only transact when they bind.

What does E&S insurance cost in North Dakota?

The average bound premium in North Dakota across all product lines is $3,483. Costs vary significantly by product line and risk characteristics. LRO policies average $3,873 with a typical range of $1,704 to $4,412. Monoline Property policies average $4,654 with a typical range of $2,671 to $5,171. Contractors policies tend to be more affordable, averaging $1,589 with a typical range of $751 to $1,668. Actual premiums depend on class code, coverage limits, risk size, location, and loss history.

E&S premiums are generally higher than admitted market rates because surplus lines carriers accept risks that standard markets decline, whether due to unusual operations, prior losses, or property characteristics. Pathpoint's multi-carrier platform helps offset this by generating competitive quotes from up to 7 carriers simultaneously, so agents see the best available pricing rather than a single indicative number. Exact pricing is returned at the quote stage, with no obligation until binding.

There is no cost to use the Pathpoint platform. Agents earn standard retail commission on every bound policy, and there are no subscription or access fees. The 1.75% North Dakota surplus lines tax is applied automatically at checkout and passed through to the insured as part of the total premium, so there are no surprises at binding.

Frequently Asked Questions: E&S Insurance in North Dakota

Pathpoint currently offers 9 E&S product lines in North Dakota covering 56+ class codes: LRO, Contractors, Monoline Property, Restaurants, Contractors Excess, LRO Excess, Manufacturing, Vacant Building, and Vacant Land. Eight of the 9 lines, or 89%, are instant-quotable, returning bindable quotes in about 13 seconds. Only Vacant Land is referred, with quotes returned by Pathpoint's brokerage team within about 3.3 hours. LRO and Contractors are the highest-volume lines in the state based on trailing 12-month bind data.

North Dakota's surplus lines tax rate is 1.75% of premium. There is no stamping office in North Dakota, so no stamping fee applies. Pathpoint calculates the 1.75% tax automatically and displays the total cost at checkout before binding. All compliance filings are submitted electronically to the North Dakota Insurance Department as part of the binding process. Agents do not need to handle tax calculation or filing separately.

81% of North Dakota submissions on Pathpoint receive an instant, bindable quote in about 13 seconds. Pathpoint routes submissions to multiple carriers simultaneously and returns the best available quote in near real time. For the remaining 19% of submissions that require underwriter review, Pathpoint's brokerage team typically returns quotes within 3.3 hours. The workflow is the same either way: agents submit, receive a notification when the quote is ready, and can bind with one click.

No. Agents do not need a surplus lines license to quote or bind E&S policies through Pathpoint. Pathpoint acts as the licensed surplus lines broker of record, managing all regulatory filings, tax remittance, and compliance documentation on the agent's behalf. Retail agents earn standard commission on every bound policy. There is no cost to create a Pathpoint account and no subscription or platform fees.

Pathpoint works with 7 carriers actively quoting in North Dakota: Westchester, The Hartford, Vave, Crum and Forster, Nautilus, Markel, and Baleen Specialty. Six are domestic surplus lines insurers and one operates via Lloyd's binding authority. The platform routes each submission to eligible carriers based on class code, risk size, location, and loss history. When multiple carriers are eligible, agents receive competing quotes and can select the best fit, without needing separate relationships with each carrier.

A referred submission means the risk requires manual review by Pathpoint's in-house brokerage team before a quote can be issued. In North Dakota, Vacant Land is currently the referred product line. Agents submit the risk the same way as any other product, and Pathpoint's team shops the risk across the carrier panel and returns a quote within about 3.3 hours. The agent receives a notification when the quote is ready and can bind from the same workflow, with no extra steps required.

The average bound E&S premium in North Dakota is $3,483. Costs vary by product line: LRO policies average $3,873 with a typical range of $1,704 to $4,412, Monoline Property policies average $4,654 in the range of $2,671 to $5,171, and Contractors policies average $1,589 with a typical range of $751 to $1,668. Actual premiums depend on the class code, coverage limits, risk size, and loss history. Exact pricing is returned at the quote stage with no obligation to bind.

North Dakota does not have a stamping office, so there is no stamping fee or third-party filing requirement. Pathpoint handles all surplus lines compliance directly, submitting electronic filings to the North Dakota Insurance Department as part of the binding workflow. The 1.75% surplus lines tax is calculated automatically and included in the total cost shown at checkout. Agents do not interact with the state insurance department or manage any compliance paperwork. North Dakota follows the home state filing method under the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA).