Markel Specialty Review 2025
Written by
Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She covers topics ranging from car insurance to healthcare costs.
Reviewed by
Cara Carlone is a licensed P&C agent with 20 years of experience. She has her P&C license in RI and TX and holds CPCU, API, and AINS designations.
Markel Specialty's Final Score
4 Stars
Markel Corporation is a holding company for insurance, reinsurance, and investment operations around the globe. Markel Specialty was founded in 1930, giving the carrier 90 years of experience in the insurance industry.
Today, Markel Specialty focuses on providing multiple business and personal insurance solutions in all 50 states. In addition to property and casualty solutions for businesses, the carrier offers personal insurance products like motorcycle insurance, horse and farm insurance, special event insurance, and more.
Markel Specialty has earned a reputation as an excellent insurance company with a stable outlook for the future. AM Best, the leading global credit rating agency monitoring the insurance industry, gives Markel Specialty an “A” rating, indicating the carrier is an excellent choice for insurance consumers. High ratings from AM Best assure customers that Markel Specialty can offer guaranteed, secure coverage from a financially sound insurance company.
We award Markel Specialty Insurance Company a final rating of four out of five stars. The insurance company has been around for 90 years and specializes in insurance products in the casualty, property, professional lines, and surety segments of the insurance industry.
Markel Specialty has received high ratings from AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Coverage is offered in all 50 states and extends to international operations in Bermuda, Dublin, and London. The insurance company provides 24/7 claims reporting via phone, online, fax, and email.
There is plenty of information available about the carrier’s coverage options on its public website. What's more, we found a lot of positive customer feedback online about Markel Specialty.
If you are in the market for business insurance or certain specialty insurance products for individuals, Markel might be the right fit for you. You can review Markel and all of your options with the help of a local independent insurance agent.
Key Takeaways
- Markel Specialty focuses on providing multiple business and personal insurance solutions in all 50 states. It's been in business for over 90 years.
- Markel Specialty has earned a strong reputation as a reliable insurance company with a stable outlook for the future, reflected in its excellent financial strength ratings, including an “A+ (Superior)” from AM Best.
- Markel's core business is specialty business and personal insurance products. Business insurance products include casualty insurance, property insurance, and more. Personal insurance products include motorcycle insurance, boat insurance, classic car insurance, and much more.
Markel Specialty Pros and Cons
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Markel Specialty Products
Markel's core business is specialty business and personal insurance products. The company's robust product line includes the following:
Business insurance products
- Casualty insurance
- Cyber liability insurance
- Errors and omissions insurance
- Executive liability insurance
- Management liability insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- Inland marine insurance
- Ocean marine insurance
- Railroad insurance
- Trade credit insurance
- Political risk insurance
- Terrorism insurance
- Workers' compensation insurance
Personal insurance products
- Bicycle insurance
- Boat and yacht insurance
- Classic car insurance
- Electric bike insurance
- Event insurance
- Horse and farm insurance
- Motorcycle insurance
- Pet health insurance
- Specialty property insurance
This list is not exhaustive. Your independent insurance agent can help find out more about the coverage offered by Markel Specialty and help you decide if this insurance company is the right one for you.
Markel Specialty Industries
While Markel Specialty can provide insurance solutions for a wide range of businesses, the carrier specializes in the following industries:
- Child care and enrichment
- Horse and farm
- Commercial and residential services
- Life sciences
- Construction
- Marine
- Financial institutions
- Sports and fitness
- Healthcare
To learn more, contact a local independent insurance agent.
What Discounts Does Markel Specialty Offer?
Markel Specialty does not offer information on specific discount programs for its personal or business insurance customers. Products that typically come with discount opportunities (motorcycle insurance, classic car insurance) are offered through carrier partners. Presumably, Markel's customers are eligible for any discounts that these partner carriers offer.
An independent insurance agent can provide even more information about ways to save with Markel Specialty.
Markel Specialty Customer Service
The carrier provides the following customer service options:
- Online bill payments for most insurance
- Assistance with phone and online premium payments
- Set up electronic funds transfer (EFT)
- Discuss billing history and payment plans
- Change payment plans
- Assistance with reinstating cancelled or pending cancellation policies
- Create updated billing statements
- Payment histories
Corporate Office Contact
1.800.446.6671
Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST
Product Specific Inquiries
Boat, bicycle, event, specialty property, motorcycle, and off-road vehicle
1.800.236.2453 or Live chat
Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. CST
(Live chat: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST)
Horse, farm, and agricultural products
1.800.842.5017 or Live chat
Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CST
Workers compensation and businessowners (BOP)
1.888.500.3344 or Live chat
Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CST
Other specialty commercial and small business products
1.888.642.4968 or Live chat
Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CST
General Claims Reporting
Submit online claim form, OR:
Call: 1.800.362.7535
Email: newclaims@markel.com
Cyber response hotline: 1.844.462.7535
Environmental/hazardous spill line: 1.855.442.5246
Fax: 1.855.662.7535
The best way to guarantee a smooth customer service experience is to work with an independent insurance agent. Independent insurance agents can assist you in handling claims and other concerns.
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Markel Specialty FAQs
Markel does not make an average claim response time frame promise, but states the following about its response commitment:
"Immediately report all claims to your agent or to Markel Claims online, by phone, by fax, or by email. Visit the report a claim page to find the best option for reporting your claim. Once your claim is submitted, you'll receive confirmation and a claim number, which can be used to access your claim information. A Markel representative will be assigned to your account in order to answer your questions and resolve your claim."
Markel Specialty has dedicated phone lines by product for general customer service. These phone contact options are available for varying hours, depending on the product line, but most provide more than standard business hours. The company also provides 24/7 claims reporting.
The carrier’s social media presence extends across Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
Claims can be reported to Markel Specialty by phone, fax, and email. Here's what Markel states on its public website about its overall claims process:
Step one: Reporting a claim
Immediately report all claims to your agent or to Markel Claims online, by phone, by fax, or by email. Visit the report a claim page to find the best option for reporting your claim. Once your claim is submitted, you'll receive confirmation and a claim number, which can be used to access your claim information. A Markel representative will be assigned to your account in order to answer your questions and resolve your claim.
Including as much information as possible will allow the process to move forward quickly and minimize the impact of your loss. Information needed may include policy number, insured and claimant names with contact details, date of loss, location, description of loss, current location of insured items, and all pertinent documentation necessary to properly evaluate the claim (police reports, photos, etc.).
Step two: Assessing the damage
After your claim is reported, a dedicated claims professional will be assigned to help navigate the claims process. Our claims teams have experience within their unique product lines and have access to external and internal advisers to help resolve your claim, including lawyers, loss adjusters, recovery and risk specialists, and other third-party services, depending on your specific needs. Our teams focus on collaboration and teamwork to resolve your claim.
Step three: Settlement and resolution
Once a settlement is reached, we will issue your claim payment. We hold ourselves to high ethical and professional standards, consistently providing prompt, fair, and equitable claims service. Your claims experience may vary depending on your specific situation and is handled on its own merit. Whether you are a business, organization, or individual, our goal is to assist you when the unexpected happens.
Yes, Markel creates a user-friendly experience for customers. The company's public website makes it easy to find and understand the products and services it offers. It also provides a detailed explanation of its claims process, how to file, and what to expect.
Online bill pay is available, as is 24/7 claims reporting via phone, fax, email, or online, which are great, modern customer service features.
https://www.markel.com
https://ratings.ambest.com/companyprofile.aspx?ambnum=2699&altnum=23112699
https://www.bbb.org/us/il/rosemont/profile/insurance-agency/markel-specialty-0654-88609685