One national relationship.
One Hedge relationship for eligible difficult commercial risks across the U.S.
Three-way company evaluation
Burns & Wilcox vs Amwins vs Hedge
Burns & Wilcox and Amwins both combine national wholesale scale with multiple brokerage, underwriting, or delegated channels. Hedge is a smaller brokerage alternative. Start by identifying the exact operating unit, then compare broker expertise, account fit, release control, and servicing.
National reachResponsive serviceNo Hedge wholesale feeSame four-person team
NationalOne wholesale relationship for eligible difficult commercial risks across the U.S.
Quote supportPrompt review and clear updates as we pursue market quotes
Wholesale feeNo Hedge wholesale fee, no sub-brokering, and no layered commission stacks
Account teamThe same four people through intake, bind, renewal, and service
Why agencies choose Hedge
National reach. Responsive service. No Hedge wholesale fee.
These differences affect the next hard account.
Review by the team that owns the account.
Hedge reviews the file, identifies what is missing, and tells you whether there is a credible next step.
No Hedge wholesale fee.
No sub-brokering and no layered commission stacks. Premium, taxes, and filing charges remain account-specific.
One team owns it.
The same four people stay through intake, quote, bind, renewal, and service.
Recommendation
Choose the team that fits the account.
Burns & Wilcox Brokerage is distinct from its MGA operations. Amwins Brokerage is distinct from Amwins Access and underwriting programs. Consider Hedge when its named-team service model and current account fit meet the agency’s needs.
Option 01Compare the proposed team
Burns & Wilcox
The account fits a Burns & Wilcox office or broker with proven class expertise.
Wholesale brokerage plus MGA and binding authority
Option 02Compare the proposed team
Amwins
Your agency already has a productive Amwins broker relationship in the exact practice you need.
Wholesale brokerage plus underwriting and programs
Hedge service model
Option 03Named-team wholesale option
Hedge
A retail agency that wants national reach, a prompt first human read, no Hedge wholesale fee, and one named team that owns the account.
Wholesale specialty insurance brokerage for licensed retail insurance professionals
Agency comparison
What each option actually does for the agency.
Compare role, response, ownership, cost, reach, and authority.
| Decision | Burns & Wilcox | Amwins | Hedge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best use | The account fits a Burns & Wilcox office or broker with proven class expertise. | Your agency already has a productive Amwins broker relationship in the exact practice you need. | A retail agency that wants national reach, a prompt first human read, no Hedge wholesale fee, and one named team that owns the account. |
| Role in the placement | Wholesale brokerage plus MGA and binding authority | Wholesale brokerage plus underwriting and programs | Wholesale specialty insurance brokerage for licensed retail insurance professionals |
| First useful response | Confirm the response standard for the exact Burns & Wilcox team or operating lane. | Confirm the response standard for the exact Amwins team or operating lane. | Prompt review. Clear quote updates. Market terms when available. |
| Who owns the next step | The named professional, desk, division, and product lane determine the working experience. | The named professional, desk, division, and product lane determine the working experience. | The same four-person team through intake, quote, bind, renewal, and service. |
| Brokerage-side cost | Confirm Burns & Wilcox's wholesale fees, commissions, and any intermediary layers. | Confirm Amwins' wholesale fees, commissions, and any intermediary layers. | No Hedge wholesale fee, no sub-brokering, and no layered commission stacks. Premium, taxes, and filing charges remain account-specific. |
| Reach | North American platform | National platform | National U.S. wholesale brokerage, subject to current licensing, appointment, product, and account review |
| Release or authority | Confirm when intake becomes an authorized market release and when a market has actually received the file. | Confirm when intake becomes an authorized market release and when a market has actually received the file. | No market sharing until the retail agent authorizes release; receipt and send remain separate states. |
An account to work through
Review each coverage line and its exclusions.
Illustrative account example. This is a decision exercise, not a customer placement or a measured comparison of providers.
The situation
A restaurant group receives a facility option and a brokerage proposal, with different alcohol and entertainment terms to review.
What would change the choice?
Prefer terms that address the account’s actual exposures and a team that will explain the remaining gaps. A package containing both lines is not enough to determine whether the coverage works.
Read the related coverage or placement guideWhat to compare on this file
- Describe alcohol service, entertainment, security practices and any lapse in coverage using the same submission for each proposed route.
- Compare general liability and liquor liability separately, including assault-and-battery treatment and any conditions on entertainment or hours.
- Identify inspection and post-bind requirements and distinguish a binder from an issued policy.
Related work from a real Hedge account
Related cases describe Hedge’s work on separate real accounts. They do not establish that the other providers participated, declined the risk, charged more or would have produced a different result.
General and liquor liability for a bar after a lapse
A bar that reported a lapse in insurance obtained a binder for general and liquor liability. The binder included assault-and-battery exclusions on both lines, so the placement required attention to the actual coverage terms.
Binder confirmed. A confirmed general and liquor liability binder. The reviewed records do not establish delivery of an issued policy, completion of every post-bind condition, or coverage for the earlier uninsured period.
Hedge’s records reviewed .
Example reviewed by Hedge Specialty on . Explore verified account outcomes.
Common questions
Compare roles, costs, ownership, and authority.
Review roles, speed, fees, ownership, authority, and the cases where another route may fit better.
How should an agency compare Burns and Wilcox vs Amwins?
Burns & Wilcox and Amwins both combine national wholesale scale with multiple brokerage, underwriting, or delegated channels. Hedge is a smaller brokerage alternative. Start by identifying the exact operating unit, then compare broker expertise, account fit, release control, and servicing.
Where does Hedge fit in this comparison?
Hedge is the independent wholesale option for agencies that value a fast first read, the same four-person account team, no Hedge wholesale fee, and explicit release control.
Is the largest company automatically the best choice?
No. Scale can help when an account needs several practices, regions, or facilities. It does not guarantee a faster answer, a lower brokerage cost, a named owner, or better post-bind service. Ask each proposed team how its capabilities address this account. Burns & Wilcox Brokerage is distinct from its MGA operations. Amwins Brokerage is distinct from Amwins Access and underwriting programs.
Is Hedge the lower-friction cost option?
Hedge charges no wholesale fee, does not sub-broker accounts, and does not add layered commission stacks. Carrier premium, surplus-lines taxes, filing charges, and other account-specific quoted costs still depend on the placement.
Who can quote or bind the account?
That depends on transaction role and actual authority. A carrier or properly delegated underwriting program may quote or bind within its authority. A wholesale broker structures and negotiates placement but does not become the risk-bearing insurer.
Does this page prove current market access or account eligibility?
No. Public company information explains roles and public services. Current appointment, licensing, product activation, state availability, market access, account fit, and authority must be confirmed for the specific transaction.
How should a retail agency make the final choice?
Compare the proposed teams on the account’s class, state, coverage structure, available market route, and service responsibilities. Hedge offers a named four-person team and no Hedge wholesale fee; a relevant specialist or established relationship may be a better fit for a particular account.
How do I evaluate Hedge?
Request an appointment or send Hedge a difficult risk for review. The team will confirm agency fit, account fit, missing information, and next steps without treating an intake confirmation as a quote or market send.
Published and reviewed by Hedge Specialty on · Sources: Burns & Wilcox, Amwins Brokerage · Research methodPublic information does not confirm appointment, access, fit, terms, or authority for a specific account.
Make Hedge your first call
Bring us the hard account.
Get a file review from the same national team that will own the file through service.