Texas trustee bonds.
Quote on review.

When the trust instrument or a court requires it, a trustee must give a bond. It guarantees the faithful performance of the trustee’s fiduciary duties. The court sets the amount to protect the beneficiaries — and we underwrite it. A surety specialist reviews your file and returns a quote, usually within one business day.

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Required of a noncorporate trustee unless the trust provides otherwise under Property Code § 113.058
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Amount is set by the court to protect the trust estate and the beneficiaries
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Underwritten on the trustee’s file; collateral may apply to a large trust
Underwrittencourt sets the amountA-ratedA.M. Best carriers1 daytypical specialist reply
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Blumenfeld Development Group (BDG)
Capital Development Partners
McKinney Properties
Terra Capital
JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle)
Triple Five Group
The Georgetown Company
How it works

Built for the order requiring bond.

When a trust instrument requires bond, or a court orders one for cause, that bond gates the trustee’s authority to act. Here is the whole process:

TODAY · 10 MINUTES

Send us the file

Apply online with the trust provision or court order requiring the bond, the trust’s value, and the trustee’s details. The value of the trust drives the penal sum.

WITHIN 1 BUSINESS DAY

A surety specialist underwrites it

A specialist reviews the file, a credit check, and any financials, then returns a quote. The amount is set by the court — underwriting decides approval and any collateral on a large trust.

ON APPROVAL

Execute & file

Once you bind, we issue the executed bond on the required form with the power of attorney attached, ready to deposit with the clerk so the trustee can act with full authority.

In plain English

How a trustee bond works, and what to have ready.

  1. Why it is required

    A court, or the trust itself, requires the trustee to post a bond before managing the trust's money or property.

  2. Who it protects

    The trust's beneficiaries. If the trustee mishandles the trust, they can recover the loss from the bond, up to the bond amount.

  3. If there is a claim

    The surety pays a valid claim and the trustee repays the surety.

Have these ready

  • The court order or trust document that requires the bond, with the amount
  • The court and case number, if a court is involved
  • A summary of the trust's assets
  • Your attorney's name and contact details
About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

When a trustee must be bonded

A trustee holds and manages trust property for the beneficiaries. Texas doesn’t bond every trustee — a corporate trustee is exempt, and many trust instruments waive bond — but unless the instrument provides otherwise, a noncorporate trustee must give bond, and a court can require one for cause even where the instrument waives it.

The trustee bond secures the faithful performance of the trustee’s duties: investing prudently, accounting honestly, and distributing as the trust directs. If the trustee breaches those duties, the bond makes the beneficiaries whole and the surety looks to the trustee to repay it.

Because the surety stands behind the trust, the bond is underwritten on the trustee’s credit and finances, and a large trust can require collateral. The court fixes the amount and can increase, decrease, or add sureties on the application of an interested person.

Texas StatuteProperty Code § 113.058 (the Texas Trust Code) provides that a corporate trustee is not required to give a bond, but unless the trust instrument provides otherwise a noncorporate trustee must give bond — payable to the trust estate, the registry of the court, or each interested person, and conditioned on faithful performance of the trustee’s duties — in an amount and with sureties required by order of a court. An interested person may bring an action to require, increase, or decrease the bond, and for cause a court may require a bond even if the instrument provides otherwise.

You need this bond if you’re

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A noncorporate trustee serving under a trust that does not waive bond
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A successor or substitute trustee stepping in where the trust instrument requires bonding
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A trustee a court has ordered to give bond for cause to protect the beneficiaries
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Counsel or a beneficiary arranging the bond so the trustee can administer the trust with full authority
After you buy

Claims, renewal, filing, and what sets the price.

If a claim is made

A claim comes from the party the bond protects, the obligee named on the form, when the duty the bond guarantees is not met.

The surety investigates and pays a valid claim, up to the bond amount. You then repay the surety: a surety bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.

Renewal and term

Term and renewal are set in the underwriter's quote.

Keep the bond in force for as long as the obligation behind it runs.

How to file it

Execute & file. Once you bind, we issue the executed bond on the required form with the power of attorney attached, ready to deposit with the clerk so the trustee can act with full authority.

What sets the price

This bond is underwritten: the premium is quoted from the bond amount and your financial picture, so there is no flat price to show.

The application takes about ten minutes.

These are the actual underwriting fields — the trust provision or court order, the trust’s value, the trustee, and your finances. Submit once and a surety specialist returns a quote, typically within one business day. Free until your bond is issued.

Start the application →
FAQ

Common questions.

What is a Texas trustee bond?It is the bond a trustee gives to secure the faithful performance of fiduciary duties. Under Property Code § 113.058, a corporate trustee is exempt, but unless the trust instrument provides otherwise a noncorporate trustee must give bond — and a court may require one for cause even where the instrument waives it.
How much does it cost?It is underwritten, not flat-rated. The court fixes the penal sum, sized to protect the trust estate and the beneficiaries. A surety specialist then reviews the trustee’s credit and finances and any collateral and returns a premium quote, usually within one business day.
Do all Texas trustees need a bond?No. Section 113.058 exempts corporate trustees, and a trust instrument can waive bond for an individual trustee. Where bond is required — because the instrument calls for it or a court orders one for cause — the court sets the amount and may later increase, decrease, or add sureties.
Will I need collateral?Sometimes, especially on a large trust. Because the surety guarantees the trustee’s performance, a high penal sum may require collateral and financials. We tell you what your specific file needs before you commit.
How fast can the bond be issued?A specialist typically returns a quote within one business day of a complete application. Once you bind and any collateral is in place, the executed bond issues on the required form, ready to deposit with the clerk so the trustee can act with full authority.
Which A-rated carriers underwrite these bonds?Typically Arch Insurance Company (A.M. Best A+) or Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (A.M. Best A). Which one writes your bond depends on the bond type and your state. The carrier's name and official signature are printed on the bond you receive.
How do I contact Light RFP about this bond?Email insurance@lightrfp.com. It reaches the bond team at Light RFP Risk Management Services LLC (NY DFS License # PC-1978982). Write to us about quotes, applications, bond forms or certificates. We will respond within 24 hours.
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Get bonded and administer the trust.

Send us the trust provision or order and the trust’s value, and a surety specialist sizes, underwrites, and quotes the bond — typically within one business day. Free until your bond is issued.

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