AmTrust Financial Review

About AmTrust Financial

AmTrust Financial is one of the largest small-business insurers in the country and, notably, the third-largest provider of workers' compensation insurance in the US. Founded in 1998 to cover specialty risks other carriers overlooked, AmTrust built its business around small-commercial accounts — exactly the profile of most trades shops — with workers' comp as its anchor line, plus BOP, general liability, and commercial auto. It's widely available through independent agents and the digital small-business platforms (it underwrites coverage sold through brokers like Insureon and TechInsurance).

For a trades business, AmTrust's relevance is workers' comp scale and small-business focus. As the third-largest WC writer, it has the underwriting appetite and class coverage for a wide range of trades, and its small-business orientation means it actively wants contractor accounts. Being accessible through digital brokers also makes it easy to get an AmTrust quote without a traditional agent relationship.

The honest note is its financial-strength rating: AmTrust is rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best — solidly in the "Excellent" tier, but a notch below the A+/A++ of GUARD, CNA, Chubb, or State Farm. A- is perfectly serviceable for most small-business coverage, but for a contractor weighing carriers, it's worth knowing AmTrust sits slightly lower on financial strength than some peers (and the company navigated financial scrutiny in the late 2010s before stabilizing). For pure workers' comp, its scale and pricing often still make it competitive.

For a small trades business — especially one whose primary need is competitively-priced workers' comp from a large, small-business-focused writer — AmTrust is a credible option, easily quoted through agents or digital brokers. Contractors who prioritize the highest financial-strength rating may prefer an A+/A++ carrier (GUARD, CNA, biBERK); for WC scale and small-business fit, AmTrust earns a look.