Surety Bonds

What is a Contract Performance / Surety Bond?

✓ Provides protection to the contract principal against default by the contractor
✓ Identical to a bank guarantee in all material respects
✓ Commonly referred to as Bonds, Surety Bonds, Insurance Bonds, Unconditional
Undertakings, or Bank Guarantees (if issued by a Bank)

Surety Division established in 2008

Surety Facilities of $5.0Bn

Why AssetInsure?

✓ APRA licensed and regulated Insurer
✓ Largest issuer of contract performance bonds in Australia and New Zealand
✓ Established in 2008
✓ Exclusive surety managing agent for Swiss Re in Australia and New Zealand with S&P rating AA-
✓ Assetinsure / Swiss Re Surety Bonds enjoy widespread acceptance by Corporate, Government and Government Agency beneficiaries

What are the benefits?

Diversification of financier group

Introduction of a trusted and proven partner to work alongside your bank(s) and other financiers.

Frees up assets

Frees up assets tied up as security by the bank as our surety facility is typically unsecured.

Relieves cashflow stress

Less reliant on Bank Facility for performance bonding
Banking capacity can be redeployed to aid in liquidity i.e. overdraft or working capital facilities.
Provides resilience to cashflow shocks i.e. principals withholding or delaying payment.

Confidence in capacity to enable growth

  • Established track record of supporting its clients and critical industries throughout various stages in the cycle
  • Extensive industry knowledge and expertise

Service Levels and Delivery

Our specialist and well resourced team consistently deliver market leading service levels in both underwriting and administration.

Comparison – why Surety Bonds are a smarter alternative

Bank Guarantee

  • General Security Agreement providing security interest over all present and future assets of the borrower
  • Specific security over Cash and/or Property
  • Cash and/or Property collateralisation
  • Deed of Indemnity and Guarantee
  • Director Guarantees

Surety Bonds

✓ No tangible security
✓ Deed of Indemnity and Guarantee
✓ Director Guarantees

Do I qualify & how to apply?

Assessment Criteria

  • Well developed business with solid track record
  • At least 3 years of continuous profitability
  • Operating for at least 5 years
  • Minimum turnover of $20m p.a.
  • Minimum net tangible asset position of $3m
  • Positive net operating cash flow
  • Positive working capital position
  • Demonstrated capital retention within the business
  • Evidence of professional financial and operational management
  • Main contracting entity is not in a trust structure
  • Technical ability to deliver on all contractual requirements

NB. Applicants who have ATO payment arrangements or are engaged in speculative property developments will not be considered.

Initial Assessment Requirements

  • Completed Corporate Questionnaire – Facility Application.
  • Group capability statement
  • Confirmation of what your guarantee requirements are
  • Structure chart showing all entities and shareholdings with brief description of each entity
  • 3 years of consolidated financial statements
  • Most recent management accounts
  • Summary of all banking / finance facilities including limit, current balance, expiry date, details of security pledged etc.
  • Order book report for current and upcoming projects including project name, brief description, client, contract value, commencement / completion date, and billing remaining.

What’s the typical process?

  • Initial assessment performed by Assetinsure
  • Indicative Expression of Interest outlining Assetinsure’s key terms including facility limit and pricing.
  • Completion of full underwriting process
  • Binding term sheet
  • Legal documentation
  • Facility activation and bonds issued

All our forms

Need more information?
Download our ebook here

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Customer Testimonials

Dale Morrison CFO, McConnell Dowell

‘‘We have partnered with Assetinsure for more than 10 years. During this time the Assetinsure team has been a supportive partner for our business and worked with us to meet the requirements of our varied customers across our operating regions in Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands and South East Asia.

Assetinsure works hard to understand our business and has always been responsive to our requests. We really appreciate and value our relationship and what the team brings to the table’’.

Gareth Adams , CFO , ADCO Constructions

‘‘The key benefit is that the bonds are unsecured. A bank guarantee is secured dollar for dollar by cash or a general security agreement which is not efficient as capital is tied up. If we relied on the bank it would struggle to provide the capacity we need as our bank Relationship Manager and Credit Manager are not as knowledgeable of the construction industry’’.

Craig Mills CFO, JK Williams Civil Construction

‘‘It has two big benefits. One, better use of capital as assets are not tied up. Two, based on our modelling and apart from small bonds for short periods, it is more cost effective. So a better use of capital and it saves money. Also we have a better relationship with Assetinsure than we do with the bank. The bank does not invest the same amount of time to understand the dynamics of the business. The surety Relationship Manager (RM) is interested in the business and always reads and understands the information we send them. The bank RM hardly reads the information we send them’’.

David Jarman, Group CFO, Leighs Constructions NZ

“Leighs Construction has been working with Assetinsure as a bond provider for several years and we find your service excellent. Our clients are increasingly willing to use Assetinsure’s Swiss Re-backed bonds, that have the same S&P rating as the trading Banks. This gives us good flexibility in our bonding programme. Bonds are always sent out promptly, often turned around in a day and arriving overnight from Sydney. Overall we enjoy and value our relationship with Assetinsure.”

Blake Jaenke, CFO, Wormall Civil

“We have worked with AssetInsure for nearly 15 years.
AssetInsure’s products allows us to successfully grow our business by not having funds tied up in bank guarantees.
AssetInsure works with us to maximise the limit that can be provided. This ensures we can confidently tender for contracts knowing we will be able to meet our contractual requirements.
We are constantly impressed with the turnaround times, pricing, accuracy of documentation and their willingness to work with us and our clients.”

Ben Baker, CFO, Shadforth's Civil

“I wish to express my utmost satisfaction with the surety bond services provided by AssetInsure. As a business in the construction industry, we understand the importance of having a reliable surety bond provider and AssetInsure has consistently exceeded our expectations.

Their team’s professionalism and expertise have been invaluable to our operations. Their prompt turnaround time for new bonds and communication ensures we are always informed of the progress.

I highly recommend AssetInsure. Their professionalism, expertise, and personalised attention make them the ideal surety bond provider. “

Ben Lawlor, CEO CB Civil – New Zealand

“Assetinsure have taken the time to understand our business and also have a good understanding of the NZ markets we work in. Their approach and products offer us great support and flexibility. I have found them very professional, responsive and great to deal with.”

Brett Halvorson CFO United Civil Construction Ltd, New Zealand

“Assetinsure has proven to be a reliable and professional partner in the construction industry. Their expertise in the field of surety bonds and their commitment to customer satisfaction have made them our go-to choice for our bonding needs.

Throughout our engagement with Assetinsure, they have consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the unique requirements and challenges faced by our company. Their team of experts worked closely with us to assess our needs accurately, providing tailored solutions
that aligned perfectly with our project requirements.

Assetinsure has exceeded our expectations with their professional approach, expertise, and outstanding customer service. Their ability to tailor solutions to our specific needs, coupled with their efficiency and reliability, sets them apart from other surety bond providers. We highly recommend Assetinsure to any construction company seeking reliable and comprehensive bonding services.”

Eamonn Morris, Multiplex Finance Director – Global

“Assetinsure has been part of the Multiplex surety program since 2009 and continues to be a valuable partner to our business.”

Mike Tomkins, Director - Tomkins Commercial

“We are delighted to express our gratitude to Assetinsure for their exceptional services as our preferred surety bond provider. At Tomkins Commercial and Industrial Builders, we are committed to delivering high-quality construction projects while upholding the highest standards of professionalism and reliability. Choosing Assetinsure as our bonding partner has been a strategic decision that has contributed to our success and reputation in the industry.

Assetinsure’s comprehensive understanding of the construction sector and their expertise in surety bonds have been instrumental in supporting our business endeavours. Their team’s responsiveness and professionalism in providing bond solutions to meet our specific project requirements have been invaluable. We have found their underwriting process to be efficient and well-organized, ensuring a seamless experience for our company and our clients.

By partnering with Assetinsure for our surety bond needs, we have been able to provide our clients with the utmost confidence in the security provided. We genuinely appreciate the collaborative and professional approach that Assetinsure consistently demonstrates, and we wholeheartedly recommend their services to any business seeking a reliable surety bond provider.”

Richard Simons, CFO, NRW Holdings

“NRW has worked with Assetinsure for over 10 years. Assetinsure knows our industry, they know our clients and understand our business. Leveraging Assetinsure’ s support we have been able to grow our business whilst preserving bank credit lines to fund our expansion. Andrew and the Assetinsure team invest the time to understand our projects and as a result, can respond quickly to each of our requests and provide valuable advice on wording and terms.

We regard Assetinsure as a trusted business partner for the long term.”

Kunjan Ganatra, Chief Operating and Financial Officer, McNab

“As one of the largest Construction and Development groups in Queensland, we’ve collaborated with many surety bond providers, and among them, Assetinsure stands out.

For the past 7+ years, surety bonds have played a key part of enabling and supporting the strategy for our growing business. Over this time, the Assetinsure team have consistently been highly responsive and knowledgeable, tailoring solutions based on a deep understanding of the unique complexities of our business as well as the industries we operate in.

We can confidently recommend Assetinsure to any business seeking a trusted surety bond partner who truly takes the time to understand their unique needs, and then consistently delivers time and again.”

Kevin Deery, Chief Operating Officer / Acting Chief Financial Officer, Civmec

“Assetinsure have provided Civmec with bonding capacity for a number of years. We appreciate their continued support, accessibility to senior management and industry knowledge. We look forward to maintaining a strong relationship with them.

Craig Mortensen, Group Executive Director - Chief Financial Officer, BMD Group

“Assetinsure is one of our key finance partners who have supported BMD’s growth since 2013. We utilise performance bonds as one avenue to secure our projects, since these securities are unsecured by nature. In doing so, it strengthens our cashflow and provides us the flexibility to deploy capital more strategically. The demonstrated expertise in structuring and delivering these widely accepted bonds by Assetinsure, aligns with our delivery capability across sectors such as Urban Development, Transport, Resources, Renewables and Defence. Your team’s unwavering dedication to understanding our unique requirements has solidified Assetinsure as a reliable and trusted partner.

For further information, please call us on 02 8274 2823 or Email: ian.lee@assetinsure.com.au. Or send us your enquiry and the team will get back to you as soon as possible

Are you eligible?
Click here to check if you meet our assessment criteria before submitting the form.