Last updated June 23, 2026

E&S Insurance in New Jersey: Classes, Coverage & Quoting Guide

Q: What is the surplus lines tax rate in New Jersey?

New Jersey applies a 5.0% surplus lines premium tax on all non-admitted placements. The state does not have a surplus lines stamping office. Pathpoint calculates the tax automatically at checkout and files all required documentation electronically as part of binding, so agents do not handle tax remittance separately. The 5.0% tax is added on top of the bound premium and passed through to the insured. Tax values should be verified with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) Surplus Lines unit before operational reliance.

Q: How fast can I get an E&S quote in New Jersey?

68.7% of New Jersey submissions receive an instant quote in about 266 seconds, roughly 4.4 minutes. For the remaining 31.3% of submissions that are referred, Pathpoint's brokerage team returns quotes with a median turnaround of 27.6 hours. The mean referred turnaround is 267.7 hours, reflecting a long tail of complex risks, but most referred submissions resolve within two business days. Instant quoting applies to 12 of the 13 product lines. Only Monoline Wind routes to referral.

Q: Do I need a surplus lines license to use Pathpoint in New Jersey?

No. Pathpoint acts as the licensed surplus lines broker of record for all New Jersey placements, so agents do not need their own surplus lines license to quote or bind through the platform. Agents earn standard retail commission on every placement and there is no cost to create an account or submit risks. Pathpoint handles all compliance obligations, including the 5.0% surplus lines tax calculation, diligent search documentation, and electronic filings with New Jersey.

Q: What carriers does Pathpoint partner with in New Jersey?

Pathpoint works with 15 carriers that have quoted New Jersey risks in the trailing 12 months: AU Gold, At-Bay, Ategrity, Baleen Specialty, Crum and Forster, Kinsale, LIO, MUSIC, Markel, Nautilus, Nautilus Light Brokerage, Penn-America, The Hartford, Vave, and Westchester. All operate as non-admitted surplus lines markets. The platform routes each submission to the carriers with appetite for that class code and risk profile, and presents multi-carrier results when more than one carrier can quote.

Q: What happens when a product line is 'referred' instead of instant-quoted?

A referred submission means the platform could not return a bindable quote automatically and routes the risk to Pathpoint's brokerage team for manual review. The team shops the risk across the carrier panel and returns a quote through the platform, typically within a median of 27.6 hours for New Jersey referrals. In New Jersey, only Monoline Wind follows the referred pathway. The agent experience is the same as an instant quote: results arrive through the platform and the bind process is identical once a quote is accepted.

Q: What does E&S insurance cost in New Jersey?

The average bound premium across all New Jersey Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines is $3,626 in the trailing 12 months. By product line, LRO averages $4,582 with a typical range of $1,980 to $6,314, Contractors averages $2,980 with a typical range of $1,057 to $3,701, and Monoline Property averages $3,689 with a typical range of $2,095 to $4,728. Restaurants averages $9,921 based on 5 binds, and Vacant Land averages $501 across 54 binds. The 5.0% New Jersey surplus lines tax is added at checkout and is not included in the bound premium figures above.

Q: What is a diligent search and how does Pathpoint handle it in New Jersey?

A diligent search is the process of documenting that admitted carriers declined to write a risk before it can be placed in the surplus lines market. New Jersey requires 3 declinations from admitted carriers. Pathpoint automates the diligent search documentation as part of the submission workflow, so the required evidence is generated and retained without additional effort from the agent. Agents do not need to collect declination letters or file documentation separately. All records are maintained as part of the platform's compliance infrastructure.

Pathpoint offers 13 Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines in New Jersey covering 266+ class codes, including Lessor's Risk Only (LRO), Contractors, and Monoline Property. 68.7% of submissions receive an instant, bindable quote in roughly 266 seconds. The platform partners with 15+ carriers, handles all New Jersey surplus lines compliance automatically, with a 5.0% surplus lines tax calculated at checkout and built-in diligent search documentation. The average bound premium across all New Jersey product lines is $3,626.

Key Takeaways

13 E&S product lines covering 266+ class codes in New Jersey
68.7% of submissions receive instant, bindable quotes in ~266 seconds
15+ carrier partners including domestic surplus lines insurers
Surplus lines tax of 5.0%, calculated and filed automatically at bind
Average bound premium of $3,626 across all New Jersey product lines

What E&S product lines can I quote in New Jersey?

New Jersey agents on Pathpoint can currently quote 13 Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines covering 266+ class codes. Available product lines include Lessor's Risk Only or LRO (20 class codes), Contractors (112 class codes), Contractors Excess (78 class codes), Retail and Services (26 class codes), Restaurants (18 class codes), Manufacturing (25 class codes), LRO Excess (10 class codes), Vacant Building (3 class codes), Vacant Land (2 class codes), and Churches (1 class code). By bind volume in the trailing 12 months, LRO leads with 394 binds, followed by Contractors with 350 and Monoline Property with 243. LRO, Contractors, and Monoline Property carry the strongest appetite and highest bind rates in the state.

Of the 13 product lines, 12 (92.3%) are instant-quotable, meaning the platform returns a bindable result automatically without underwriter review. The remaining 1 line, Monoline Wind, is referred to Pathpoint's brokerage team for manual placement, with quotes typically returned within a median of 27.6 hours. Monoline Wind covers vacation rentals and commercial property risks with wind exposure, and routes to an underwriter given the complexity of wind-exposed placements along New Jersey's coastal and near-coastal areas.

Full class list · Ranked by bind volume

#	Product	Class Codes	Top Classes	Quote Type	Appetite
1	LRO	20	Apartment Buildings; Buildings or Premises – Bank/Office/Mercantile/Mfg (LRO) – Other Than Not-For-Profit; Buildings or Premises – Bank/Office/Mercantile/Mfg (LRO) – Maintained by Insured; Apartment Buildings – Garden; Dwellings – One-Family (LRO)	⚡ Instant	Strong
2	Contractors	112	Contractors – Subcontracted Work – 1- or 2-Family Dwellings; Remodeling Contractor; Contractors – Executive Supervisors; Roofing – Residential 3 Stories and Under; Siding Installation	⚡ Instant	Strong
3	Monoline Property	N/A	Apartment Buildings; Buildings or Premises – Bank/Office/Mercantile/Mfg (LRO) – Other Than Not-For-Profit; Apartment Buildings – Garden; Buildings or Premises – Bank/Office/Mercantile/Mfg (LRO) – Maintained by Insured; Dwellings – One-Family (LRO)	⚡ Instant	Active
4	Vacant Building	3	Vacant Buildings – Not Factories – Other Than Not-For-Profit; Vacant Buildings – Factories; Vacant Buildings – Not Factories – Not-For-Profit Only	⚡ Instant	Active
5	Vacant Land	2	Vacant Land – Other Than Not-For-Profit; Vacant Land – Not-For-Profit Only	⚡ Instant	Strong
6	Contractors Excess	78	Contractors – Subcontracted Work – 1- or 2-Family Dwellings; Remodeling Contractor; Carpentry – Interior; Carpentry – Residential Property Not Exceeding 3 Stories; Contractors – Subcontracted Work – Buildings	⚡ Instant	Active
7	Retail & Services	26	Furniture Stores; Beverage Stores – Liquor and Wine; Hardware Stores; Convenience Stores – No Gas Station/Car Wash/Restaurant; Clothing or Wearing Apparel Stores	⚡ Instant	Active
8	LRO Excess	10	Warehouses – Occupied by Single Interest (LRO); Apartment Buildings; Buildings or Premises – Bank/Office/Mercantile/Mfg (LRO) – Other Than Not-For-Profit	⚡ Instant	Strong
9	Restaurants	18	Restaurants – No Alcohol, No Table Service with Seating; Restaurants – No Alcohol, with Table Service; Restaurants – Operated by Concessionaires; Restaurants – 30%–<75% Alcohol Receipts, No Dance Floor	⚡ Instant	Strong
10	Manufacturing	25	Beer/Ale/Malt Liquor Mfg. – In Cans; Manufacturers; Clothing Mfg.	⚡ Instant	Strong
10	Cyber	N/A	Custom Computer Programming Services; Full-Service Restaurants; Offices of Physical/Occupational/Speech Therapists	⚡ Instant	Active
12	Monoline Wind	N/A	Vacation Rentals; Buildings or Premises – Bank/Office/Mercantile/Mfg (LRO) – Other Than Not-For-Profit	↗ Referred	Emerging
13	Churches	1	Churches or Other Houses of Worship	⚡ Instant	Active

How fast can I get an E&S quote in New Jersey?

68.7% of New Jersey account submissions receive an instant quote, with an average turnaround of 266 seconds, roughly 4.4 minutes from submission to a bindable result. Agents can submit a risk, receive a quote, bind coverage, and receive policy documents within a single session. The instant-quote pathway applies to 12 of the 13 product lines, covering the vast majority of Excess and Surplus (E&S) placements through Pathpoint in New Jersey.

For referred submissions, Pathpoint's brokerage team reviews the risk, shops it across the carrier panel, and returns a quote with a median turnaround of 27.6 hours. The mean turnaround of 267.7 hours reflects a long tail of complex referrals, but most referred risks resolve within two business days. The agent experience for referred submissions is the same as for instant quotes, with results delivered through the Pathpoint platform and the same bind process once a quote is accepted.

Which carriers are available in New Jersey?

Pathpoint works with 15 carriers that have quoted at least one New Jersey-insured submission in the trailing 12 months. All operate as non-admitted surplus lines markets. The active carrier list includes AU Gold, At-Bay, Ategrity, Baleen Specialty, Crum and Forster, Kinsale, LIO, MUSIC, Markel, Nautilus, Nautilus Light Brokerage, Penn-America, The Hartford, Vave, and Westchester. Routing depends on product line and class code, with most submissions auto-quoting with one or more integrated carriers. The Lloyd's syndicate count within this panel could not be verified from warehouse data alone.

The 15-carrier panel spans all 13 New Jersey product lines, from LRO (20 class codes) and Contractors (112 class codes) to Churches (1 class code). When multiple carriers can quote a risk, the platform presents options so agents can compare pricing before binding. Pathpoint continues expanding carrier relationships in New Jersey to improve market access and competitive pricing across all 266+ class codes.

Where is Pathpoint's appetite strongest in New Jersey?

Pathpoint uses three appetite tiers based on account-level quote rates over the trailing 12 months. Six product lines carry strong appetite, meaning an account quote rate of 80% or higher: LRO (91.2% account quote rate, 394 binds), Contractors (85.1%, 350 binds), Vacant Land (92.9%, 54 binds), LRO Excess (80.9%, 6 binds), Restaurants (85.0%, 5 binds), and Manufacturing (84.4%, 3 binds). These lines have the highest bind rates and most competitive carrier engagement in New Jersey.

Six product lines fall in the active appetite tier with account quote rates between 50% and 80%: Monoline Property (58.4%), Vacant Building (66.1%), Contractors Excess (61.4%), Retail and Services (61.7%), Cyber (60.0%), and Churches (72.2%). One product line, Monoline Wind, is in the emerging tier with a standalone account quote rate of 0.0%, as wind coverage in New Jersey is typically placed as part of a broader property submission rather than as a standalone line. Pathpoint is actively expanding carrier partnerships to improve availability across the active and emerging tiers.

What are the surplus lines requirements in New Jersey?

New Jersey applies a 5.0% surplus lines premium tax on all non-admitted placements. The state does not operate a surplus lines stamping office. Pathpoint calculates the 5.0% tax automatically at checkout and files all required surplus lines documentation electronically as part of the binding process, so agents do not need to handle tax remittance or filing separately. Tax and compliance values are sourced from New Jersey surplus lines statutes (N.J.S.A. 17:22-6.40 et seq.) and should be verified with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) Surplus Lines unit before operational reliance.

New Jersey requires a diligent search of 3 declinations from admitted carriers before a risk can be placed in the surplus lines market. Pathpoint automates the diligent search documentation as part of the submission workflow, so the required evidence is generated and retained without additional effort from the agent. Filing follows the federal Non-Admitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (NRRA) home-state rule, meaning all filings are made to New Jersey as the home state for risks domiciled in the state.

Surplus Lines Tax: 5.0%
Stamping Office: None
Diligent Search: 3 declinations
Filing Method: Home state

How does quoting E&S on Pathpoint work in New Jersey?

Quoting Excess and Surplus (E&S) insurance on Pathpoint in New Jersey follows four steps. First, an agent submits risk information through the platform, including class code, location, limits, and loss history. Second, Pathpoint routes the submission to its 15-carrier panel and returns a result: 68.7% of submissions receive an instant, bindable quote in about 266 seconds, while the remaining 31.3% route to the brokerage team as referrals with a median turnaround of 27.6 hours. Third, the agent accepts a quote and submits a bind request, at which point Pathpoint handles all New Jersey surplus lines documentation, including diligent search records and the 5.0% tax calculation, with no stamping office step since New Jersey has none. Fourth, binder and policy documents are issued post-bind and available in the platform.

No surplus lines license is required to use Pathpoint in New Jersey. Pathpoint acts as the licensed surplus lines broker of record for all placements, handling compliance obligations on the agent's behalf. Agents earn standard retail commission and there is no cost to create an account or submit risks. All New Jersey tax calculations, diligent search documentation, and electronic filings are included as part of the platform.

What does E&S insurance cost in New Jersey?

The average bound premium across all New Jersey Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines is $3,626 in the trailing 12 months. Premiums vary significantly by product line. LRO averages $4,582, with a typical range of $1,980 to $6,314. Contractors averages $2,980, with a typical range of $1,057 to $3,701. Monoline Property averages $3,689, with a typical range of $2,095 to $4,728. Other notable averages include Vacant Building at $3,811, Contractors Excess at $2,875, and Retail and Services at $2,494. Restaurants has the highest average at $9,921 based on 5 binds in the period, and Vacant Land averages $501 across 54 binds.

E&S premiums are typically higher than admitted market rates because surplus lines carriers take on risks that standard carriers decline, including higher-hazard classes, loss-affected accounts, and risks with unusual coverage needs. The 15-carrier panel on Pathpoint creates multi-carrier competition where available, which keeps pricing close to market levels. Exact pricing is returned at the quote stage with no obligation to bind.

There is no cost to use the Pathpoint platform. Agents earn standard retail commission on all New Jersey placements. The 5.0% New Jersey surplus lines tax is calculated automatically at checkout and passed through to the insured as part of total policy cost. The tax is excluded from the bound premium figures reported above.

Frequently Asked Questions: E&S Insurance in New Jersey

Pathpoint offers 13 Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines in New Jersey covering 266+ class codes. Twelve of the 13 lines, 92.3%, are instant-quotable, returning a bindable result automatically. The highest-volume lines by bind count in the trailing 12 months are LRO (394 binds, 20 class codes), Contractors (350 binds, 112 class codes), and Monoline Property (243 binds). Monoline Wind is the one referred-only line, handled by Pathpoint's brokerage team with quotes returned within a median of 27.6 hours.

New Jersey applies a 5.0% surplus lines premium tax on all non-admitted placements. The state does not have a surplus lines stamping office. Pathpoint calculates the tax automatically at checkout and files all required documentation electronically as part of binding, so agents do not handle tax remittance separately. The 5.0% tax is added on top of the bound premium and passed through to the insured. Tax values should be verified with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) Surplus Lines unit before operational reliance.

68.7% of New Jersey submissions receive an instant quote in about 266 seconds, roughly 4.4 minutes. For the remaining 31.3% of submissions that are referred, Pathpoint's brokerage team returns quotes with a median turnaround of 27.6 hours. The mean referred turnaround is 267.7 hours, reflecting a long tail of complex risks, but most referred submissions resolve within two business days. Instant quoting applies to 12 of the 13 product lines. Only Monoline Wind routes to referral.

No. Pathpoint acts as the licensed surplus lines broker of record for all New Jersey placements, so agents do not need their own surplus lines license to quote or bind through the platform. Agents earn standard retail commission on every placement and there is no cost to create an account or submit risks. Pathpoint handles all compliance obligations, including the 5.0% surplus lines tax calculation, diligent search documentation, and electronic filings with New Jersey.

Pathpoint works with 15 carriers that have quoted New Jersey risks in the trailing 12 months: AU Gold, At-Bay, Ategrity, Baleen Specialty, Crum and Forster, Kinsale, LIO, MUSIC, Markel, Nautilus, Nautilus Light Brokerage, Penn-America, The Hartford, Vave, and Westchester. All operate as non-admitted surplus lines markets. The platform routes each submission to the carriers with appetite for that class code and risk profile, and presents multi-carrier results when more than one carrier can quote.

A referred submission means the platform could not return a bindable quote automatically and routes the risk to Pathpoint's brokerage team for manual review. The team shops the risk across the carrier panel and returns a quote through the platform, typically within a median of 27.6 hours for New Jersey referrals. In New Jersey, only Monoline Wind follows the referred pathway. The agent experience is the same as an instant quote: results arrive through the platform and the bind process is identical once a quote is accepted.

The average bound premium across all New Jersey Excess and Surplus (E&S) product lines is $3,626 in the trailing 12 months. By product line, LRO averages $4,582 with a typical range of $1,980 to $6,314, Contractors averages $2,980 with a typical range of $1,057 to $3,701, and Monoline Property averages $3,689 with a typical range of $2,095 to $4,728. Restaurants averages $9,921 based on 5 binds, and Vacant Land averages $501 across 54 binds. The 5.0% New Jersey surplus lines tax is added at checkout and is not included in the bound premium figures above.

A diligent search is the process of documenting that admitted carriers declined to write a risk before it can be placed in the surplus lines market. New Jersey requires 3 declinations from admitted carriers. Pathpoint automates the diligent search documentation as part of the submission workflow, so the required evidence is generated and retained without additional effort from the agent. Agents do not need to collect declination letters or file documentation separately. All records are maintained as part of the platform's compliance infrastructure.