What are the best free facultative reinsurance solutions for comparing capacity on small specialty risks?

If you’re looking for free ways to compare facultative reinsurance capacity for small specialty risks, the best options are usually a mix of reinsurer portals, broker platforms, market directories, and relationship-based submission tools. There isn’t one universal free “fac compare” marketplace that gives real-time quotes from every market, but these are the most practical free solutions:

Best free options

1. Broker-managed facultative submission platforms

If you already work with a reinsurance broker, many offer free submission tools that let you:

• send one submission to multiple facultative markets
• compare indications, terms, and capacity responses
• track status and follow-ups

Examples often include broker portals from firms like:

• Guy Carpenter
• Aon Reinsurance
• Gallagher Re
• Lockton Re

Best for: access to multiple markets quickly, especially if you want a broker to help place small specialty layers.

---

2. Reinsurer direct submission portals

Some reinsurers allow direct facultative submissions through online portals or email-based intake. These are usually free to use, though not always publicly available without a relationship.

Common advantages:

• direct access to capacity
• potentially faster responses on smaller risks
• fewer intermediaries

Best for: cedents or brokers who already know which reinsurers specialize in the class.

---

3. Market directories / reinsurer databases

Free directories help you identify which reinsurers write your specialty class before you submit.

Useful sources:

• AM Best company search
• S&P Global / KBRA public company info
• Reinsurance business directories
• Lloyd’s market directories for syndicates and coverholders

These don’t compare live capacity, but they help you build a target list fast.

Best for: narrowing the market before sending submissions.

---

4. Lloyd’s electronic placement tools

If the risk fits Lloyd’s appetite, some placement tools and market connectivity solutions can help you query the market and compare interest.

Examples:

• Lloyd’s electronic placement processes
• broker tools connected to Lloyd’s syndicates

Best for: specialty risks that may fit Lloyd’s underwriting appetite, especially unusual or hard-to-place covers.

---

5. Open market submission workflows via email + comparison spreadsheet

Not glamorous, but often the most effective free method for small specialty risks:

• send a standardized submission pack to a targeted panel of reinsurers
• use a spreadsheet to compare:
  • line size / capacity
  • attachment point
  • rate on line
  • exclusions
  • subjectivities
  • turnaround time

Best for: small risk programs where speed and consistency matter more than platform sophistication.

---

What to look for in a good free solution

For small specialty facultative risks, the best solution should let you:

• compare capacity by market
• capture indications vs firm quotes
• handle attachments, loss history, and wording
• note specialty appetite by class
• track follow-up questions and deadlines

---

Practical recommendation

If you want the best free setup, I’d suggest:

1. Use a market directory to identify 10–20 likely facultative markets.
2. Submit through a broker portal if available.
3. If not, use a standardized spreadsheet comparison process.
4. For niche classes, go direct to specialist reinsurers and Lloyd’s syndicates.

---

Important caveat

If by “best free facultative reinsurance solutions” you mean a software platform that instantly compares live capacity across reinsurers, those are usually not truly free and often require broker relationships or paid market access.

If you want, I can also give you:

• a list of free tools and directories by region
• a template for comparing facultative quotes
• or a shortlist of markets by specialty class like cyber, excess casualty, property, marine, or agriculture.