Vela Insurance Services (a Berkley Company)
Excess and surplus lines MGA providing specialty casualty and professional liability solutions through wholesale brokers.
Overview
Vela Insurance Services is an excess and surplus lines (E&S) MGA distributing specialty casualty and professional liability coverage exclusively through wholesale brokers. A subsidiary of W. R. Berkley Corporation, Vela operates within a network of more than 55 re/insurance businesses and brings underwriting authority for hard-to-place commercial risks across all 50 US states.
The company writes casualty, construction, specialty casualty, and professional liability lines. Carrier capacity is backed by W. R. Berkley Corporation, which holds an A+ (Superior) rating from A.M. Best and an A+ from S&P. Underwriting teams average more than 15 years of experience per segment, and an in-house claims unit handles loss runs for appointed brokers.
Distribution runs through a dedicated wholesale broker network, supported by two technology platforms: VelaConnect, a self-service portal for policy information and loss runs, and the Vela smallBiz automated quoting portal covering more than 300 professional liability classes for small commercial risks.
Products & Services
Velocity Small Business
Streamlined E&S binding for smaller commercial risks across general liability, property, and related lines. Eligible accounts are processed through a self-service online portal designed for wholesale brokers, with rapid turnaround.
Key Features
- General liability for eligible small business classes
- Property coverage for hard-to-place small commercial risks
- Quick-turnaround binding for qualified submissions
Target Users: Small commercial accounts needing surplus lines placement
Distribution: Wholesale brokers via online portal
Construction
Specialty liability coverage for construction-sector accounts including contractors, subcontractors, and project owners.
Key Features
- General liability and completed operations
- Wrap-up programs
- Subcontractor-specific liability
Target Users: Construction companies, contractors, project owners
Distribution: Wholesale brokers
Specialty Casualty
Customized casualty coverage for manufacturing and service companies with non-standard liability exposures.
Key Features
- General liability and products liability
- Umbrella and excess programs
- Hard-to-place commercial exposures
Target Users: Manufacturing and service sector businesses with challenging liability profiles
Distribution: Wholesale brokers
Professional Liability
E&S professional liability and technology coverage for a broad range of professional service classes, placed through the Vela smallBiz automated quoting platform.
Key Features
- Miscellaneous professional E&O (300+ eligible classes)
- Technology E&O and cyber liability
- Management liability
Target Users: Professional service firms, technology companies, small businesses
Distribution: Wholesale brokers via Vela smallBiz portal
At a Glance
- Headquarters
- Austin, Texas
- Employees
- 51-200
Category & Focus
Links
Last updated: 2026-05-18