Specialty insurance broker for logistics and trade, a Munich Re company, offering BMC-84 bonds, contingent cargo and auto, cargo legal liability and E&O for freight brokers and carriers.
Services
Who it serves
Overview
Roanoke Insurance Group is a specialty insurance brokerage focused on supply chain logistics and global trade. It offers insurance, surety bonds and ATA Carnets, and its site says it is a Munich Re company and a coverholder at Lloyd's. Its U.S. corporate headquarters is in Schaumburg, Illinois, and its Canadian headquarters is in Toronto.
Roanoke says it was founded in 1935 as the first provider of U.S. customs bonds and later became the first ATA Carnet provider in the U.S. For freight brokers, it is one of the specialists that can bundle the federal broker bond with contingent liability and E&O coverage. Note that the older roanoketrade.com address now redirects to roanokegroup.com.
Compare with other Insurance providers: Progressive Commercial, Great West Casualty Company and Reliance Partners, or see all Insurance.
Services
For freight brokers, Roanoke lists cargo insurance, cargo legal liability (with sub-products for bill of lading legal liability, contingent auto, contingent cargo liability, contingent motor truck cargo and motor truck cargo legal liability), contingent auto insurance, errors and omissions, cyber and commercial business insurance, and transportation bonds including the BMC-84.
Roanoke's freight broker page explains the reasoning behind these products in plain terms: a broker does not have care, custody or control of the cargo and does not operate the truck, but can still be held liable if the trucker's insurance fails to cover a loss. Contingent coverage is designed to step in and defend the broker in that situation.
For brokers whose operations reach further, Roanoke also offers warehouse legal liability, bailee liability, packers legal liability, and customs bonds for importers. Other transportation bonds include NVOCC, ocean freight forwarder, bonded carrier and bonded warehouse bonds.
Its resource center includes tools such as FastBond, CoverageDock and KnowledgePort, a cargo insurance calculator, risk alerts and a glossary.
Who it is for
Roanoke's site lists 3PL and 4PL providers, customs brokers, domestic and international freight forwarders, FTZ operators, freight brokers, importers and exporters, indirect air carriers, motor truck carriers, NVOCCs, property brokers and warehouse operators. For a freight broker, it is a fit when you want your BMC-84 bond, contingent cargo, contingent auto and E&O handled by a firm that specializes in logistics. Motor carriers can look at its motor truck cargo legal liability product, though carriers will still need auto liability and physical damage from a trucking insurer.
Brokers that also arrange customs clearance, ocean or air shipments, or warehousing may find it simpler to keep their bonds and liability coverage with one specialist, since Roanoke handles customs bonds and warehouse liability as well as domestic brokerage coverage.
How working with them works
Roanoke works as a broker with in-house underwriting, claims, marketing and technology teams and a regional structure for client support. Prospects contact a Roanoke broker by phone or through its site. Its claims section has separate tracks for cargo, transportation legal liability, business insurance, BMC bond claims and FMC claims. Pricing is not published.
Questions to ask before you sign
For the BMC-84 bond, ask what underwriting is needed, how fast the bond is filed with FMCSA, whether collateral is required, and what your obligation is to the surety if a claim is paid against the bond. Compare the bond against the BMC-85 trust option if you are deciding between them.
For contingent cargo, ask whether the policy responds only after the carrier's insurer denies a claim, or whether it is a broader legal liability form that pays based on your own liability. Ask about exclusions for theft, fictitious pickups, double brokering, temperature control and specific commodities.
For contingent auto liability, ask about the limit, defense costs, and whether it responds when you are sued along with a carrier after a serious crash. Ask what E&O covers, such as mistakes in paperwork or carrier selection, and what it excludes.
If you run trucks too, confirm what Roanoke can place for primary auto liability, physical damage and the BMC-91X filing, or whether you need a separate trucking insurer.
Ask which insurer underwrites each policy and check its current AM Best rating yourself. Ask how claims are reported, who adjusts them, and how quickly they are acknowledged.
Company background
Roanoke says it has focused on trade and logistics for more than 90 years and serves the U.S. and Canada. It describes itself as a Munich Re company, a coverholder at Lloyd's and a BBB accredited business. Its about page says it focuses solely on trade and logistics and supports clients through a regional structure. It does not publish headcount or revenue figures.
Sources
Information compiled from public sources. Last verified November 2026. Confirm details directly with the company.
