Specialty Commercial Insurance

We insure

what others won't.

Declined elsewhere? Non-renewed? Hard-to-place risk? GrayStone is the independent specialty broker built to place the coverage standard markets walk away from — with deep access to Excess & Surplus and specialty markets.

E&S & specialty markets

Hospitality & construction specialists

Independent brokerage

200+

Industry classes we place — including the hard ones

50+

Specialty & E&S market relationships

1:1

Every submission reviewed by a licensed specialist

100%

Independent — we work for you, not a carrier

Kitchen fire, equipment and spoilage

Why it’s hard to place

Relationships first. Markets that say yes.

We built GrayStone around a simple idea: every business deserves a broker who will actually fight to place its risk — not pass it along the moment it gets complicated.

Our roots are in hospitality and construction — two of the hardest classes to insure. That's where we earned our specialty-market relationships, and it's why loss-heavy, high-revenue and brand-new operations come to us when everyone else says no. We treat each submission as a story to underwrite, not a box to check.

The GrayStone difference

Built for the risks others decline.

Most agencies place the easy accounts and pass on the rest. We specialize in the rest — the high-revenue hospitality groups, the loss-heavy contractors, the brand-new ventures with no track record.

Specialty-market access

Direct relationships with E&S and specialty carriers that don't show up on a standard agency's appetite list — so we can place what others can't quote.

Hard-to-place specialists

Prior claims, non-renewals, lapses, assault & battery, liquor or fleet exposure — we underwrite the story standard markets won't read.

Straight answers, fast

You'll talk to a licensed broker, not a call center. Tell us about your risk and get a real read on whether — and how — it can be placed.

The GrayStone producers

The specialists in your corner

Hard-to-place risks demand people who know how to place them. Our producers bring decades of combined experience across the industries standard carriers shy away from — and they treat every business they take on like their own.

Chad Kramer

Founder

Jake Watkins

Commercial Producer

Lisa Stephens

Commercial Producer

Kaleigh Palmer

Commercial Producer

Declined elsewhere?

You're exactly who we built this for.

If any of these sound familiar, you don't need another rejection — you need a broker with the markets to actually place it.

Coverage declined elsewhere

Policy non-renewed

Adverse claims history

Brand-new venture or startup

High-risk operations

Liquor or construction exposure

What clients say

Brokers who actually place it.

Coverages & policies

Plain-language coverage, expertly placed.

We lead with commercial lines and round out personal coverage where you need it. Every policy comes with an explanation — not jargon.

General Liability

Third-party bodily injury & property damage — the foundation for any operation.

Liquor Liability

Critical for bars, restaurants and venues serving alcohol — including A&B.

Commercial Property

Buildings, contents and equipment — including distressed and vacant risk.

Workers' Compensation

Statutory coverage for your crew — including high-mod and high-hazard classes.

Commercial Umbrella

Extra liability limits over your primary policies — essential for high-exposure risk.

Products Liability

Manufacturers, CBD and consumer-product exposure — including imports.

Industries we specialize in

Industries we know cold.

Broad expertise across the lines standard markets shy away from — each category breaks down into dozens of specific business types.

Hospitality

Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, venues & breweries — liquor liability and A&B included.

Contractors

Every trade — GCs, roofers, concrete, demo, electrical & more. Height, fall & sub exposure.

Transportation

Trucking, fleets, tow, cargo & last-mile — including brand-new motor-carrier authorities.

Real Estate

Apartments, property management, mixed-use & distressed or vacant buildings.

Manufacturing

Food, beverage, chemical, plastics & metal fab — including products liability.

Automotive

Repair, body shops, dealers, towing & off-road / performance shops.       

Cannabis

Dispensaries, cultivators, processors & CBD retail — where legally insurable.

Energy & Industrial

Oilfield,, solar & industrial maintenance contractors.


Where we write

Licensed & writing coverage across states.

As accounts come in, we license fast. If you don't see your state highlighted yet, reach out — we add new states regularly to place the right risk.

Licensed & actively writing

Contact us to confirm

Hover a state for license details. California Agency License #6003439.

How it works

Three steps to placed.

No runaround. A consultative process built to get a real answer on your risk.

01

Tell us about your risk

Share your operation, history and what's been declined. The messier the story, the more we want to hear it.

02

We shop specialty markets

We take your submission directly to the E&S and specialty carriers who write your class — and negotiate terms.

03

You get placed

We present real options in plain language, bind the right coverage, and stay on as your broker.

FAQ

Answers for the risks others won't cover

Getting declined, non-renewed, or told your business is "too high-risk" is frustrating — but it doesn't mean you're out of options. Here are answers to the questions we hear most from business owners who need coverage the standard market won't provide.

  • What kind of insurance does GrayStone specialize in?

    We're a specialty commercial brokerage built for high-risk and hard-to-place businesses — the risks standard carriers often turn away. Through our access to Excess & Surplus (E&S) and specialty markets, we place coverage that everyday agencies can't. Hospitality and construction are among our deepest areas of expertise.

  • My business was declined or non-renewed elsewhere. Can you still help?

    That's exactly what we do. A decline, a non-renewal, or a tough claims history doesn't mean you're out of options — it means your risk needs a broker with the right market access. Tell us your situation and we'll get to work finding a fit.

  • What is Excess & Surplus (E&S) insurance?

    E&S is specialty coverage for risks that standard "admitted" carriers won't write — often because a business is higher-risk, unusual, or has a complex history. As an independent broker, we tap into these specialty markets to place coverage where a typical agency hits a dead end.

  • What industries do you work with?

    We cover a wide range of commercial industries — from restaurants, bars, and hospitality to contractors, trucking, manufacturing, cannabis, and more. If your industry is considered high-risk or hard-to-place, there's a good chance we've handled it.


    Explore our industries →

  • Will you work with businesses that have prior claims or losses?

    Yes. Prior claims and losses are part of many of the risks we place every day. Every business is evaluated on its own merits — and a rocky history is often exactly why a specialty broker can help where others won't.

  • Are you an independent broker?

    Yes. We're not tied to a single carrier, so we shop your risk across multiple specialty and E&S markets to find coverage that actually fits — instead of forcing you into a one-size-fits-all policy.

Insights & resources

Know your risk before you buy.

Switching Agents Mid-Term and the Broker of Record Letter

Switching Agents Mid-Term and the Broker of Record Letter

19 July 2026
Switch insurance agents mid-term with a Broker of Record letter. Learn the BOR process, timelines, benefits, and how to change brokers without losing coverage.
What to Do After a Large Commercial Claim

What to Do After a Large Commercial Claim

19 July 2026
Learn what to do after a large commercial insurance claim, from documenting damage and filing claims to maximizing recovery and rebuilding your business.
Umbrella Limits: How Much Excess Liability Is Enough

Umbrella Limits: How Much Excess Liability Is Enough

19 July 2026
Learn how much umbrella insurance you need to protect your assets. Compare coverage limits, costs, and excess liability options for businesses.

Get a quote

Tell us about the risk standard markets won't touch.

Send a few details and a licensed GrayStone broker will get back to you — and a specialist who knows your class will follow up personally — with a real read on whether and how it can be placed.

Prefer to talk it through? Call us — you'll reach a real broker.

Contact Us