AF Specialty, a division of AF Group, has announced a new capacity partnership with Applied Surety Underwriters as part of its broader strategy to expand surety solutions across the United States.

The programme is designed to support both commercial and contract surety business, focusing on middle-market construction accounts as well as larger commercial surety clients. It will provide tailored solutions for a wide range of entities, including public and private companies, municipalities, and nonprofit organisations.

The partnership will also place emphasis on specialist sectors such as heavy industry, energy, and infrastructure, where demand for surety capacity remains strong and underwriting expertise is critical.

Walter Matthews, vice president at AF Specialty, said:
“Strategic partnerships with established and highly reputable teams like Applied Surety Underwriters ensure that we continue to deliver innovative capacity solutions in a strong market. We’re excited to support the growth of specialty underwriters, especially with a team that has experienced leadership, deep industry knowledge, operational excellence and advanced technology capabilities.”

Joshua Betz, president and founder of Applied Surety Underwriters, added:
“Strong carrier relationships are the backbone of the surety MGU market, and we’re proud to add another high-quality partner to the platform. We’re looking forward to building something great with AF Specialty while continuing to support agents, brokers and clients with responsive underwriting and reliable capacity.”

The collaboration reflects continued growth in the U.S. surety market, where carriers and managing general underwriters are increasingly forming partnerships to expand capacity, improve underwriting responsiveness, and meet rising infrastructure and construction demand.