Export List
A state-published list of insurance coverages or risk classes that may be placed directly in the surplus lines market without a diligent search.
What It Is
An Export List is a state-issued list of coverages, risks, or classes of business that the state insurance department has determined cannot be reasonably placed with admitted carriers. When a coverage appears on the export list, surplus lines brokers may place the risk in the non-admitted market without first conducting and documenting a diligent search of admitted carriers.
The specific list is published by the state's surplus lines stamping office or insurance department. Common items include hazardous product liability for specific industries, certain professional classes, large schedule property over a stated value, and coverages with industry-specific carve-outs (such as amusement rides or fireworks).
Not every state publishes an export list. In states without one, the surplus lines broker must document a diligent search by collecting declinations from a stated number of admitted carriers (often three) before placement.
Why It Matters for Brokers
The export list is a significant administrative shortcut in states that publish one, and it materially affects placement speed and documentation burden. A broker who fails to check the export list may spend hours collecting unnecessary declinations from admitted carriers, delaying the bind. Conversely, a broker who assumes a risk is on the list and skips the diligent search when it is not faces a placement defect, surplus lines tax filing rejection, and a potential E&O claim if a carrier later contests the placement. Verifying export list status at the start of every surplus lines submission is fast and protective.
Real-World Example
A broker in Florida is asked to place a $9 million schedule property risk on a coastal hotel. Florida's export list includes coastal property over a stated value, so the broker proceeds directly to the surplus lines market without collecting admitted carrier declinations. The placement is bound in 4 business days and the surplus lines tax filing is accepted on first submission. A peer broker in a non-export-list state would need to collect three admitted declinations before binding, adding 5 to 10 business days to the same placement.
Common Mistakes
- 1Assuming the export list is the same in every state, when scope and items differ significantly and some states publish no list at all.
- 2Failing to recheck the export list at renewal, since states update lists periodically and items move on or off without broad publication.
- 3Skipping diligent search documentation when the risk is similar to but not actually on the export list, creating a defective placement.
- 4Relying on wholesaler representations of export list status without verifying directly with the stamping office, leaving the retail broker exposed.
How brokerageaudit.com Handles This
Submission Intake checks the applicable state export list automatically when a surplus lines submission is created and prompts for diligent search affidavits when the risk is not exported. Document Pipeline stores affidavits and surplus lines tax filings against the policy file so audits and renewals are supported without rework.