RLI Corp (NYSE: RLI) is a specialty insurance company that underwrites select property, casualty, and surety products through its subsidiaries, collectively known as RLI Insurance Group. The company makes money by collecting premiums on risks that fall outside the underwriting criteria of standard insurance carriers, operating across the specialty admitted insurance market, the excess and surplus insurance market, and the specialty reinsurance markets. Founded in 1965 and conducting operations through three insurance companies, RLI targets exposures that require individual underwriting and tailored coverage rather than commoditized, price-driven policies. The specialty market in which RLI operates competes on availability, coverage, and service rather than price, and many risks are underwritten on an individual basis to respond to distinctive risk characteristics. RLI's stated approach is to apply extensive market knowledge and expertise to manage higher-risk specialty exposures in pursuit of superior financial returns.

Revenue model

Premium income from underwriting specialty property, casualty, and surety insurance policies across the specialty admitted, excess and surplus, and specialty reinsurance markets. Risks are individually underwritten with tailored coverages rather than standardized products.

Products and services

Specialty property insurance, specialty casualty insurance, surety products, excess and surplus lines coverage, specialty reinsurance. Coverage is individually underwritten for risks that do not meet standard market criteria.

Customers and end markets

Insureds with risks that do not fit standard admitted market underwriting criteria, including those requiring specialty admitted coverage for regulatory or contractual reasons and those in the excess and surplus market. End markets include risks with distinctive or harder-to-place characteristics.

Value-chain role

Specialty insurance underwriter and risk carrier operating in the specialty admitted, excess and surplus, and specialty reinsurance segments.

Source: SEC 10-K, filed 2026-02-20

Industry: Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance Peers: Hanover Insurance Group Inc Fidelity National Financial Inc First American Financial Corp White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd Kemper Corp Kinsale Capital Group Inc Old Republic International Corp Progressive Corp Selective Insurance Group Inc