CNA Insurance: Agent's Guide 2026

CNA is one of the largest commercial insurers in the United States and the carrier agents turn to when standard small-commercial markets fall short. With deep strength in professional liability, management liability, and healthcare, CNA is built for accounts that need specialty coverage and underwriting judgment. If your book includes mid-market businesses, professional firms, or healthcare organizations, CNA should be a core part of your carrier panel.

TLDR: CNA carries an AM Best A+ (Superior) rating -- upgraded in December 2025 -- and wrote $10.7 billion in net premiums in 2025. The carrier excels in specialty lines (management liability, professional liability, healthcare) and mid-market commercial. Ideal for agents who serve professional firms, healthcare organizations, and larger or more complex accounts.

Company Overview

CNA's roots go back to 1897, when Continental Casualty Company was founded in Hammond, Indiana. The current parent entity, CNA Financial Corporation, was incorporated in 1967 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Since 1974, Loews Corporation has been CNA's majority shareholder, currently holding approximately 86.5% of CNA Financial's publicly traded stock. That Loews backing provides CNA with deep capital support and long-term financial stability.

CNA reported $10.7 billion in core P&C net written premiums for 2025, split across Commercial (54%), Specialty (33%), and International (13%). The Specialty segment -- which includes management liability, professional liability, and surety -- has historically been CNA's primary engine of profitability and capital generation. In recent years, the Commercial segment has improved significantly through underwriting discipline and expense management, becoming a meaningful profit contributor in its own right.

In December 2025, AM Best upgraded CNA's Financial Strength Rating to A+ (Superior) from A (Excellent), with a stable outlook. This upgrade reflects CNA's strongest-level risk-adjusted capitalization, consistently profitable results, and improved commercial underwriting performance. The A+ rating puts CNA on equal footing with carriers like Hartford and Liberty Mutual from a financial strength perspective, which matters when you are placing larger or more complex accounts.

Commercial Lines Products

Business Owner's Policy (BOP)

CNA's BOP program targets small to mid-sized businesses with standard commercial property and general liability needs. While CNA's BOP is competitive, it is not the carrier's primary differentiator -- agents typically turn to CNA for accounts that have outgrown a simple BOP or need specialty coverages alongside standard commercial lines. That said, the BOP program covers a solid range of classes including offices, retail, restaurants, and light service businesses.

CNA's BOP includes business income coverage, equipment breakdown, and optional endorsements for cyber liability, employment practices liability, and other add-ons. The program is accessible through the CNA Central agent portal.

Workers' Compensation

CNA writes workers' compensation across a wide range of industries, with particular strength in middle-market accounts. Their workers' comp program is supported by dedicated risk control consultants who provide on-site safety assessments, training, and return-to-work program support. For accounts where the experience modification rate is a factor, CNA's loss control resources can be a genuine selling point.

CNA's workers' comp appetite is broadest for accounts with $25,000+ in annual workers' comp premium -- the range where their underwriting and risk control services provide the most value. Smaller workers' comp accounts may find more competitive pricing with carriers focused on small commercial.

Commercial Auto

CNA offers commercial auto as part of its commercial package and on a standalone basis. Their auto program covers liability, physical damage, hired/non-owned auto, and fleet management. CNA is competitive for mid-market commercial auto -- accounts with 10-50+ vehicles where fleet management, driver selection, and loss control matter. For single-vehicle or very small fleet accounts, progressive or other small-commercial carriers may be more competitive on price.

General Liability

Standalone general liability is available for accounts that need GL separate from a package. CNA writes GL across most standard commercial classes, with appetite extending into more complex risks than typical small-commercial carriers will touch. Their GL forms include both ISO-based and proprietary options depending on the account segment.

Management Liability

Management liability is one of CNA's crown jewels. Their management liability program includes:

• Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability: Coverage for private companies, public companies, and nonprofits against claims alleging wrongful acts in their capacity as directors or officers.
• Employment Practices Liability (EPLI): Protection against claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and other employment-related allegations.
• Fiduciary Liability: Coverage for claims against employee benefit plan fiduciaries.
• Fidelity and Crime: Protection against employee theft, fraud, and other criminal acts.

CNA is the preferred professional liability carrier for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). They are also the endorsed carrier for nine state bar associations. These endorsements reflect the depth of CNA's specialty underwriting and their long track record in professional lines.

Professional Liability (E&O)

CNA's professional liability program covers a wide range of professions, including accountants, architects, engineers, lawyers, technology firms, real estate agents, and consultants. Their E&O forms are often broader than commodity products -- offering coverage enhancements for regulatory proceedings, subpoena expenses, and network security breaches that simpler forms exclude.

For agents who serve professional services firms, CNA's professional liability is a core differentiator. The carrier's underwriting staff has deep expertise in specific professions, which means they can underwrite complex professional risks that generalist carriers decline or price aggressively.

Surety

Through CNA Surety, the company offers contract surety (bid, performance, and payment bonds), commercial surety, and fidelity bonds. CNA Surety is one of the largest surety writers in the country and a meaningful addition to your agency's capabilities if you serve contractors or businesses that need bonding.

Target Appetite

CNA's appetite is centered on the middle market and specialty lines:

Industries they write well: Professional services (accounting, law, engineering, architecture, IT consulting), healthcare (hospitals, physician groups, long-term care facilities, allied health), financial institutions, real estate firms, manufacturing, construction, technology companies, and nonprofits.

Premium range: CNA is most competitive for accounts with $25,000 to $1 million+ in annual premium. Their underwriting model and expense structure are built for accounts that require judgment underwriting and risk control -- not high-volume, low-touch small commercial.

Account complexity: CNA actively seeks accounts that need multiple coverage lines, specialty forms, and underwriting expertise. Multi-location businesses, accounts with professional liability needs, healthcare organizations, and companies with management liability exposure are squarely in CNA's wheelhouse.

What they avoid: Very small accounts (under $10,000 annual premium) are generally better placed with small-commercial specialists. CNA also has limited appetite for long-haul trucking, cannabis, and high-hazard environmental exposures. Accounts requiring only simple BOP coverage without specialty needs may get better pricing elsewhere.

Geographic focus: CNA writes in all 50 states and D.C., with international capabilities through their International segment. Their underwriting offices are concentrated in major metropolitan markets, with dedicated industry practice groups for healthcare, professional services, and construction.

Quoting Process for Agents

CNA's quoting process reflects its middle-market focus -- more involved than click-to-bind small commercial carriers, but with dedicated underwriting support.

CNA Central portal: CNA Central is the primary agent portal for starting and binding quotes, accessing policy documents, loss runs, and claims information. In 2024, CNA added quick-quote capabilities for workers' compensation through the portal, streamlining what was previously a more manual process.

Turnaround times: Standard small commercial quotes (BOP, GL) can be returned within one to two business days through CNA Central. Mid-market and specialty accounts typically require three to seven business days depending on complexity and submission completeness. Professional liability and management liability quotes may take longer for complex risks but are generally handled within five to ten business days.

Binding authority: Agents have binding authority for accounts within CNA Central's automated underwriting guidelines. Accounts outside these guidelines require underwriter approval. CNA assigns dedicated underwriters to established agencies, which helps maintain consistent turnaround.

Submission requirements: CNA expects complete ACORD applications with current loss runs for mid-market submissions. Specialty lines (management liability, professional liability) require supplemental applications specific to each coverage line. Complete submissions get faster turnaround -- CNA underwriters have noted publicly that incomplete submissions are the primary cause of delayed quotes.

Commission Structure

CNA's commission rates are competitive for the middle market, though specific rates vary by agency agreement, line of business, and production volume. General market expectations:

• Commercial package (BOP, GL, property): 12-15% new and renewal
• Workers' compensation: 8-12% new and renewal
• Commercial auto: 10-13% new and renewal
• Management liability / Professional liability: 12-15% new and renewal
• Surety: Varies by bond type and state; a schedule is provided during appointment

CNA offers profit-sharing and contingency programs for agencies that meet growth and loss-ratio targets. The specifics depend on your agency agreement and the volume of business placed with CNA. Agents with a significant mid-market book tend to find CNA's total compensation (base commissions + contingencies) competitive with Travelers and Hartford.

Claims Handling

CNA's claims organization is built to handle the complex claims that come with specialty and middle-market business.

Reputation: CNA reports that customer survey results show insureds are consistently pleased with claim handling, and the carrier's NAIC complaint index has been well below the national average at 0.27 -- meaning CNA generates far fewer complaints per premium volume than the industry benchmark. That said, third-party review sites show mixed feedback, with some policyholders reporting slow communication and unexpected denials. This pattern is common among middle-market carriers where claims are more complex and outcomes are not always straightforward.

Process: Claims are reported through the CNA Claims Center online portal, by phone, or through the agent portal. CNA assigns specialized claims adjusters based on the coverage line -- professional liability claims go to professional liability claims specialists, management liability claims go to D&O/EPLI specialists, and so on. This specialization generally results in more informed claim handling than carriers that use generalist adjusters for all lines.

Technology: CNA has invested in digital claims intake and status tracking through CNA Central. Agents and policyholders can track claim status, submit documents, and communicate with adjusters through the portal. The technology is functional but not as polished as what you will find at newer digital-first carriers.

Technology and Agent Tools

CNA's technology is solid for a middle-market carrier but does not lead the industry in digital innovation:

• CNA Central: The primary agent portal handles quoting, policy management, billing, claims, and document retrieval. The recent addition of quick-quote workers' comp is a meaningful improvement.
• IVANS Download: CNA supports policy and claims download to major agency management systems, including Applied Epic, Vertafore AMS360, and other IVANS-connected platforms.
• Risk control resources: CNA provides agents and policyholders with access to risk control consultants, industry-specific safety materials, and loss prevention tools. These resources are especially valuable for workers' comp and general liability accounts.
• CNA Surety portal: A separate portal for surety bond quoting and management.
• API / Integration: CNA supports IVANS-based integrations but does not offer a public API for direct quoting. Third-party comparative raters that include CNA typically do so through screen-scraping or manual bridges rather than API integration.

The portal has improved over the past few years but is still more functional than intuitive. Agents who are accustomed to the speed of Progressive's or ERGO NEXT's portals may find CNA Central slower for simple tasks. For mid-market accounts, the portal's depth of policy and claims information makes up for the interface.

What Agents Say

Strengths agents highlight:

• Unmatched depth in professional liability and management liability
• Endorsed carrier for major professional associations (AICPA, NAR, NSPE, state bar associations)
• Strong underwriting staff with genuine industry expertise
• A+ rating upgrade in 2025 adds credibility when presenting to sophisticated buyers
• Workers' comp risk control resources are genuinely useful for mid-market clients
• Competitive mid-market pricing when the account fits CNA's appetite

Weaknesses agents mention:

• Not competitive for small commercial accounts under $10,000-$15,000 in premium
• Quoting turnaround is slower than small-commercial carriers -- plan for days, not minutes
• Portal is functional but dated compared to newer carrier platforms
• Appetite can feel narrow if your book is primarily small retail, restaurants, or light contractor work
• Claims communication could be more proactive -- agents sometimes have to chase updates

How CNA Compares

CNA vs. Travelers: Both are broad-line commercial carriers, but their strengths differ. Travelers is better for small commercial breadth and construction. CNA is stronger in professional liability, management liability, and healthcare. For agents who serve mid-market professional firms, CNA is often the primary market. Many agents carry both appointments and use each where it fits best.

CNA vs. Hartford: Hartford is more competitive for small-to-mid commercial accounts ($5K-$50K premium range) and has a more user-friendly agent portal. CNA wins on specialty lines depth -- particularly D&O, EPLI, and professional liability for specific professions. If your account needs management liability, CNA should be your first quote.

CNA vs. Hiscox: Hiscox focuses on small business professional liability and BOP for businesses with fewer than 10 employees. CNA's professional liability program is deeper and handles larger, more complex accounts -- mid-size law firms, large accounting practices, engineering companies with significant project exposures. For micro-business professional liability, Hiscox is simpler and faster. For anything beyond basic E&O, CNA provides coverage breadth that Hiscox cannot match.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get appointed with CNA?

Visit the CNA Agent page to learn about the appointment process. CNA is selective with new appointments and typically looks for agencies with an established commercial book, demonstrated expertise in CNA's target markets, and a minimum annual production commitment. You will need a valid P&C license and E&O coverage. CNA Surety has a separate appointment process with its own production requirements. Agents can also access CNA through aggregator networks and wholesale brokers.

What is CNA's minimum premium?

CNA does not publish a hard minimum premium, but as a practical matter, the carrier is most competitive for accounts with $15,000+ in annual premium. Small BOP accounts under $5,000 in annual premium are generally better placed with carriers built for high-volume small commercial. Specialty lines (professional liability, management liability) have their own minimum premium schedules that vary by coverage and risk size.

What industries does CNA specialize in?

CNA's deepest expertise is in professional services (accounting, law, engineering, architecture, technology), healthcare (hospitals, physician groups, long-term care, allied health), financial institutions, construction, manufacturing, and nonprofit organizations. Their professional liability endorsement partnerships with organizations like the AICPA, NAR, and NSPE reflect this specialization.

Does CNA offer pay-as-you-go workers' comp?

CNA does offer pay-as-you-go workers' compensation billing options through payroll provider partnerships. This is most commonly available for mid-market accounts. Ask your CNA underwriter about eligible payroll platforms and enrollment requirements.