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Virginia trustee bonds.
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When the court or the trust instrument requires it, a trustee must give bond. It secures 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 when the court finds it needed or the trust calls for it under Va. Code § 64.2-755
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Amount is specified by the court to protect the interests of 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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Price

How much does a Virginia trustee bond cost?

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

How it works

Built for the order requiring bond.

When a court finds a trustee’s bond is needed, or a trust instrument requires it, 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 order or trust provision 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 specified 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 file 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. Virginia doesn’t bond every trustee — but when the trust instrument requires it, or the court finds a bond is needed to protect the beneficiaries, a bond is required before the trustee can fully act.

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 specifies the amount and can modify or terminate the bond at any time.

Virginia StatuteVa. Code § 64.2-755 (Trustee’s bond), part of Virginia’s Uniform Trust Code, provides that a trustee shall give bond to secure performance of the trustee’s duties only if the court finds that a bond is needed to protect the interests of the beneficiaries or is required by the terms of the trust and the court has not dispensed with the requirement. The court may specify the amount of a bond, its liabilities, and whether sureties are necessary, and may modify or terminate a bond at any time. A regulated financial-service institution qualified to do trust business in the Commonwealth need not give bond even if the terms of the trust require it; “bond with surety” includes payment in cash of the full amount, in which case no surety is required.

You need this bond if you’re

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A trustee the trust instrument requires to give bond to protect the beneficiaries
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A successor or substitute trustee stepping in where the court or trust requires bonding
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A court-directed trustee the court finds needs bond to protect the beneficiaries’ interests
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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 file 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 order or trust provision, 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 Virginia trustee bond?It is the bond a trustee gives to secure the faithful performance of fiduciary duties. Under Va. Code § 64.2-755, a trustee gives bond only if the court finds one is needed to protect the beneficiaries or the trust requires it and the court has not dispensed with it. The court specifies the amount to protect the beneficiaries.
How much does it cost?It is underwritten, not flat-rated. The court specifies the penal sum, sized to protect 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 Virginia trustees need a bond?No. Under Va. Code § 64.2-755 a trustee gives bond only where the court finds one is needed to protect the beneficiaries or the trust requires it and the court hasn’t dispensed with it. A regulated financial institution qualified to do trust business need not give bond even if the trust requires it. Where a bond is required, the court specifies the amount and may later modify or terminate it.
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. Paying the full amount of the bond in cash is also an option — in which case no surety is required. 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 file 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 order or trust provision 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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