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Who insures it · 3 named markets · read 2026-10-28

Who insures USL&H and Jones Act?

USL&H and Jones Act is a risk most standard carriers decline on sight. The markets below say in their own published appetite or program pages that they write it; each line links to that page with the date it was read.

3 markets publicly write USL&H and Jones Act: The American Equity Underwriters, Inc. (AEU), Signal Mutual Indemnity Association, RT Specialty. 1 program administrator, 1 admitted carrier, 1 wholesaler.

By Sam Alishahi, independent insurance broker

The markets

Who says they write it

From each market's own appetite, product or program page (or a trade article quoting it), read on the date shown. Appetites change: the linked page controls. A market listed here isn't necessarily one this agency is appointed with; a licensed broker reaches most of them directly or through a wholesaler.

MarketWhat they say they writeWherePaperSource
The American Equity Underwriters, Inc. (AEU)
Program administrator		USL&H (Longshore) workers' compensation, State Act and Maritime Employers' Liability (MEL) for waterfront employers, as program administrator of the ALMA group self-insurance fund.
“We offer USL&H, State Act, and MEL coverage for waterfront employers.”		not stated (State Act and MEL 'available nationally')not statedamequity.com · read 2026-10-28
Signal Mutual Indemnity Association
Admitted carrier		U.S. DOL-authorized self-insured group providing federal Longshore Act (USL&H) workers' compensation and its extensions (DBA, OCSLA, NAFIA); facilitates placement of incidental Maritime Employers' Liability (MEL) for Jones Act seaman-status claims.
“Signal is the largest self-insured group provider of Longshore benefits in the United States”		United States (no states listed)not statedsignalmutual.com · read 2026-10-28
RT Specialty
Wholesaler		Marine practice lists USL&H and Marine Employers Liability among its areas of expertise.
“Marine Employers Liability”		not statednot statedrtspecialty.com · read 2026-10-28

Signal Mutual is a group self-insurer, not a carrier in the usual sense; 'admitted carrier' is the closest allowed type. Travelers, Great American, Markel, Chubb, Kinsale and Zurich ocean-marine pages fetched do not name USL&H, Jones Act or MEL; ICW Group, Texas Mutual, LWCC and AmTrust pages fetched do not mention USL&H; Osprey and Falvey homepages do not name these lines; Maritime Program Group's site did not respond.

How USL&H and Jones Act gets placed

Standard markets first where any will look at it; when they won't, the placement goes through surplus lines, where a licensed surplus lines broker places it with an eligible non-admitted insurer and files the state's surplus lines tax and stamping forms. In California, risks on the Department of Insurance export list can go to surplus lines without the usual diligent search of admitted carriers. Surplus lines policies aren't backed by a state guaranty fund, so the insurer's financial rating matters more.

What an underwriter will want before quoting: a full description of the operation, years in business and the owners' experience, revenue or payroll, loss runs (five years where available, currently valued), the contracts or venue requirements that set the limits, and photos or safety plans where the hazard is physical.

I'm licensed in 49 states and Washington, DC and your request stays with my agency, not passed to another agent. In Florida, where my licenses are still being issued, a partner agency in your state helps in the meantime.

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