Cochrane & Company
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
Cochrane & Company is a managing general agent and wholesale broker focused on E&S business, licensed in all 50 states but historically positioned as a premier General Agent in the Western U.S. They provide binding authority and brokerage access across multiple lines with dedicated underwriting teams by department, emphasizing hard‑to‑place and complex risks and use of A‑rated carriers only for core P&C binding business. Preferred business / target appetite – P&C Binding: • Strong appetite for small to mid‑sized commercial risks placed through their binding facilities, especially where standard markets are not competitive. • Niche industries with binding authority include: habitational (apartments and other residential habitational), contractors (artisan & general), multi‑use buildings, restaurants and bars, light manufacturing, and other unique E&S‑type businesses that do not fit admitted markets. • Top binding classes called out as focus areas: artisan & general contractors; apartments and other habitational; barber shops; beauty and tanning salons; day care centers; guides & outfitters; pest control; restaurants; special events; tattoo & body piercing; health care professionals; hotels & motels; landscapers; lessors risk; liquor liability; manufacturing; mercantile (including BOPs); vacant buildings; and tree trimmers. • They position the binding team as using only financially stable, A‑rated carriers for these classes, which implicitly favors better‑run risks within these segments (e.g., standard/above‑average maintenance and operations, reasonable loss history, and compliance with safety and licensing requirements). Preferred business / target appetite – P&C Brokerage: • Brokerage arm is designed for larger or more specialized exposures and complex placements in the E&S marketplace. • Specific appetite areas include: casualty; excess/umbrella; property and inland marine; pollution/environmental; hired & non‑owned auto; food‑borne illness; international coverage; and products recall. • Top brokerage classes include: artisan and general contractors; habitational; builders risk; vacant buildings; manufacturing/distributing; wholesale/retail stores; environmental contractors and consultants; storage tanks; cannabis‑related risks; liquor; retail and service industries; wrap‑up project policies; and excess auto. • Notably, appetite explicitly includes cannabis‑related risks and environmental contractors/consultants – classes many standard markets avoid – indicating willingness to entertain higher‑hazard, regulatory‑sensitive risks via E&S facilities when underwriting controls and terms are adequate. Restricted or declined classes (inferred operationally): • No explicit public “decline” list is provided on the P&C appetite page. Underwriting is positioned around E&S and hard‑to‑place business, but still anchored to A‑rated markets, which implies they are likely to: – Avoid risks with unquantifiable or uncontrollable exposures, severe and unmitigated loss history, or poor risk management even within target classes. – Be selective on higher‑hazard segments inside their listed classes (e.g., bars with significant assault & battery exposure, special events with high crowd hazard, contractors with inadequate safety practices or uninsured subs, tattoo/piercing without appropriate consent and infection‑control protocols, cannabis operations with weak security or compliance). • Lines such as personal auto, standard BOPs and other mainstream admitted‑market business are not emphasized and should generally be kept with standard carriers unless they specifically direct otherwise. Geographic notes: • Cochrane describes itself as one of the premier General Agents in the West, but states that it is now licensed in all 50 states with a national footprint. Headquarters are in Spokane, WA, with underwriting offices in Kalispell, MT; Roseville, CA; Denver, CO; and Springfield, MO. • Historically their distribution and many niche programs (e.g., firearms/ARMS program through prior trade press, transportation and shooting sports programs) have been Western‑centric, but current site language supports national capabilities. Retail agents should still confirm state‑specific availability and filings with the assigned underwriter for certain specialty programs (e.g., cannabis, firearms, environmental, or wrap‑ups). Submission and producer/broker requirements: • Appointment is required to do business. Retail agencies must follow the “Get Appointed” process: – Download and complete the appropriate Appointment Application (separate versions for California and non‑California producers). – Provide full contact information and upload or email/fax the signed application and required forms. – Cochrane runs a standard credit and security report on agency principals; results must meet internal minimum standards. – Minimum requirements include: agency in business at least three (3) years; established book of business; and prior experience working with surplus lines markets. – Once all documents are received, an appointment committee reviews applications weekly; typical turnaround is up to about one week for appointment status. • After appointment, retail agents are serviced by dedicated underwriting teams by department (P&C, transportation, garage, personal lines, professional, programs, surety). Underwriters are positioned as the primary contact for risk selection, terms, and structure. • Cochrane emphasizes its proprietary online Consumer Portal and advanced technology for E&S transactions: insureds can review quotes, bind, complete required forms, and pay Cochrane directly within the portal, while the retail agent is kept in the loop. Operationally, this means agents should be prepared to: – Provide complete underwriting information up front so that quotes can be issued and shared via the portal. – Coordinate with insureds on portal access, completion of carrier or program‑specific supplemental applications, and direct payment flows when using the portal. • For P&C placements generally, they highlight the importance of “strong wholesale submissions” and responsiveness to today’s tight E&S markets in their Knowledge Center, which signals an expectation that agents provide complete accords, loss runs, narratives, and relevant supplemental information to improve placement odds, especially for complex or distressed risks. Notable broker/producer instructions and expectations: • Cochrane presents itself as a partner to retail agents, with a stated focus on personalized, responsive service and long‑term relationships. Agents are expected to work through their dedicated underwriting teams rather than individual carrier contacts. • They stress that doing business with them is meant to be “easy” via technology and streamlined processes, but they still require professional, complete submissions, particularly in their brokerage segment (complex E&S placements and specialty programs). • Appointment FAQs clarify that: – Agencies that do not meet the minimum age/experience or credit/security standards may face appointment denial; Cochrane notes some flexibility, but decisions rest with the appointment committee. – Agents should allow up to a week post‑submission for appointment decisions and plan prospecting accordingly. • Internal risk management posture (from their A‑rated‑carrier requirement and program structures) suggests that retail brokers should proactively address safety controls, compliance, and loss mitigation in narratives when submitting higher‑hazard classes such as liquor, cannabis, environmental, special events, and firearms‑related operations. Practical operational takeaways for front‑line brokers: • Use Cochrane primarily for small to middle‑market commercial P&C E&S risks, especially in target classes like contractors, habitational, hospitality/liquor, light manufacturing, mercantile, and certain professional/health‑care and personal service businesses, plus specialty areas like cannabis, environmental, storage tanks, and wrap‑ups. • Expect appetite for both binding‑level risks and more complex brokerage‑level business; identify early whether a risk fits within the listed binding "Top Classes" or requires brokerage handling. • Confirm jurisdictional availability and any program‑specific state restrictions with the assigned Cochrane underwriter, especially for cannabis, firearms, environmental, or other regulated/higher‑hazard segments. • Ensure your agency meets appointment prerequisites (3+ years in business, E&S experience, acceptable credit/security) before investing in significant marketing with Cochrane. • For submissions, prioritize completeness (accords, detailed operations description, 3–5 years loss runs, supplemental apps as needed) to leverage their technology and speed to quote/bind in tight E&S conditions.