One national relationship.
One Hedge relationship for eligible difficult commercial risks across the U.S.
Company-role clarification
RT Specialty vs Ryan Specialty vs Hedge
RT Specialty is Ryan Specialty's wholesale brokerage business. Ryan Specialty is the parent specialty platform and also includes underwriting-management businesses. Hedge is a separate wholesale brokerage. For a retail placement decision, compare the exact RT Specialty team with Hedge rather than treating RT and Ryan as rival wholesalers.
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 role the transaction needs.
Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers is a delegated-authority business and is not the same transaction role as RT Specialty brokerage. Consider Hedge when its named-team service model and current account fit meet the agency’s needs.
Option 01Confirm the exact business
RT Specialty
A proven RT broker already knows the class, market cycle, and your agency's working style.
Wholesale brokerage plus binding authority
Option 02Confirm the exact business
Ryan Specialty
RT Specialty is the wholesale brokerage; Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers is a separate delegated-authority business.
Parent specialty insurance platform with brokerage and underwriting-management businesses
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 | RT Specialty | Ryan Specialty | Hedge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best use | A proven RT broker already knows the class, market cycle, and your agency's working style. | RT Specialty is the wholesale brokerage; Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers is a separate delegated-authority business. | 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 binding authority | Parent specialty insurance platform with brokerage and underwriting-management businesses | Wholesale specialty insurance brokerage for licensed retail insurance professionals |
| First useful response | Confirm the response standard for the exact RT Specialty team or operating lane. | Confirm the response standard for the exact Ryan Specialty 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 RT Specialty's wholesale fees, commissions, and any intermediary layers. | Confirm Ryan Specialty's 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 | National platform | North America, United Kingdom, and Europe | 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
Check what each participant is authorized to do.
Illustrative account example. This is a decision exercise, not a customer placement or a measured comparison of providers.
The situation
A broker receives a parent-platform introduction but needs to know whether the proposed contact is placing the risk or underwriting a program.
What would change the choice?
Choose the route with confirmed access and the authority needed for the next step. An MGA, MGU, broker or carrier label does not by itself establish that authority.
Read the related coverage or placement guideWhat to compare on this file
- Identify the insurer, exact program and distribution route for the proposed account.
- Ask which party may receive the submission, underwrite, quote, bind and issue; obtain confirmation for the actual product and state.
- Distinguish the agent’s request from underwriting approval and from the binder or policy that confirms the result.
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 RT Specialty vs Ryan Specialty?
RT Specialty is Ryan Specialty's wholesale brokerage business. Ryan Specialty is the parent specialty platform and also includes underwriting-management businesses. Hedge is a separate wholesale brokerage. For a retail placement decision, compare the exact RT Specialty team with Hedge rather than treating RT and Ryan as rival wholesalers.
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.
Are these names separate wholesale choices?
Not necessarily. Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers is a delegated-authority business and is not the same transaction role as RT Specialty brokerage. Identify the exact company, division, desk, and transaction role first. If the agency wants one unambiguous national wholesale relationship, start with Hedge.
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?
Confirm which company and desk each name refers to, then compare the actual service owner. Choose Hedge when the agency wants a clear national wholesale relationship with fast human response and no Hedge wholesale fee.
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: Ryan Specialty: RT Specialty, Ryan Specialty: who we are · 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.