Overview — Continental Risk: Products Liability Insurance
Continental Risk / Continental Marine Insurance Services places products liability insurance for manufacturers, distributors, importers, retailers and contractors through its excess & surplus lines markets. This program is designed to handle both standard product exposures and harder-to-place risks where admitted markets may be unavailable or unsuitable. Coverage can include liability for bodily injury and property damage arising from a covered product, as well as completed operations exposure.
Ideal Accounts and Target Classes
This program is a fit for insureds that need flexible surplus lines solutions and specialty underwriting attention. Typical classes we consider include:
- Body armor and ballistic apparel manufacturers and importers
- Consumer appliances and electronics makers
- Firearms and ammunition manufacturers, distributors and importers (including replicas and law-enforcement lines)
- Food and beverage processors, including alcoholic beverage producers
- Machinery and industrial equipment manufacturers
- Material handling equipment and conveyor system manufacturers
- Recreational and extreme sports equipment suppliers
- Tobacco and e-cigarette manufacturers and importers
- Toys, games and apparel manufacturers and retailers
Coverage Highlights and Advantages
- Access to multiple E&S carriers with appetite for specialty product lines and higher-severity risks.
- Completed operations coverage to protect contractors and manufacturers after product installation or servicing.
- Ability to consider risks with complex distribution channels, import exposures or international supply chains.
- Underwriting flexibility for non-standard limits, deductibles and endorsements that admitted carriers may not offer.
Underwriting Notes and Submission Requirements
Continental Risk evaluates each risk on its merits. Typical information underwriters will request includes:
- Product descriptions, labeling and warning language
- Annual and product-line revenue, production volumes and distribution channels (domestic vs. international)
- Claims and loss history, including warranty and recall experience
- Quality control, testing procedures and safety certifications
- Manufacturing locations and any contract manufacturing or private-label arrangements
Because this program operates in the surplus lines marketplace, minimum premiums, retentions and specific terms will vary by carrier and by state.
Appetite, Typical Restrictions and What May Not Fit
The program actively considers many hard-to-place product risks but will routinely decline accounts that lack basic loss control, have unresolved or frequent large claim activity, or involve certain regulated pharmaceuticals or medical devices that require specialized admitted markets. Broad exclusions and specific carrier guidelines will apply per submission.
Territories and Availability
Available through Continental Risk as an E&S broker in the following jurisdictions: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, DC, WV, WI and WY. Because this is a non-admitted placement, filings and eligibility are governed by state surplus lines rules.
Why Place Products Liability with Continental Risk
- Specialized E&S brokerage with relationships across multiple carriers to place unusual or higher severity product risks.
- Experienced underwriting team that understands manufacturing, import and distribution exposures.
- Practical approach to submissions—underwriters will work with brokers to define appropriate terms, retentions and risk transfer solutions.
Example Accounts
You might submit a mid-sized electronics importer who needs product liability and completed operations coverage for devices sold nationwide, or a manufacturer of protective ballistic garments seeking an insurer that understands testing and certification exposures. Both would benefit from surplus lines flexibility and tailored endorsements.
Please contact Continental Risk’s underwriting team for specific appetite confirmations and submission instructions.