Baleen Specialty is an Excess & Surplus (E&S) carrier available through North Peak Access. Since E&S business carries additional compliance requirements — state affidavits, surplus lines taxes, and separate signature packets — the binding process involves several more steps than the quote-and-bind flow for an admitted policy. This article walks you through the full flow, from quoting to policy issuance.
🚨 Before you start: Confirm you've exhausted your admitted carrier options, including any admitted markets you checked outside of the Terminal.
Step 1. Quote a risk with Baleen
When available, complete Baleen's question set in the Terminal. If the business's mailing address is different from its primary location, you can enter it separately.
Submit the application and wait for Baleen's quote to return.
Once the quote returns, ensure you review the following:
Premium Financing is available through FIRST Insurance Funding, so you can compare full pay vs. financing with your insured.
Click View Details to see the quote details and a breakdown of surplus lines taxes and fees.
Click Download Quote to get three documents you can share with your customer:
The Baleen Policy Specimen
The North Peak Access Wholesale Summary
The Premium Finance Agreement
Need underwriting help at any point?
Contact underwriting@northpeakaccess.com
Step 2. Complete the North Peak Access submission flow
Click Request Bind on the quote to open the North Peak Access submission flow. You'll move through three sections:
State forms
ACORD forms
Attachments
Complete state forms:
Each state has its own due diligence or affidavit requirements. Click View & Edit on each listed form and complete it in full.
🚨 Important: These forms are compliance-critical. Missing or incomplete state forms can delay your bind and, in some cases, result in the policy being canceled or the minimum earned premium not being refunded.
If you checked an admitted carrier before coming to Baleen, use this section to document that carrier's name, NAIC number, who you spoke with (or the site you used), the date, and the decline reason.
The Terminal will pre-fill what it can from your application, but confirm every field is accurate before clicking Save & Close on each form. Once all state forms are complete, click Complete State Forms.
Complete the ACORD 125 and 126:
Click View & Edit on each ACORD form and check for accuracy, including:
The authorized representative's name in the Producer's Name field
State producer license number (required for Florida)
National Producer Number, if it didn't pre-populate
The date
Save each form when you're done, then click Complete ACORD Forms.
Add attachments
Upload loss runs or any other documents needed to satisfy the quote's subjectivities, then click Complete Attachments.
You can review the North Peak Access Wholesale Summary and Premium Finance Agreement again from this screen by clicking View.
Step 3. Send the DocuSign packet for signatures
Once you’re ready to generate and send the DocuSign packet:
Confirm the email addresses for you and your customer are correct — this is your last checkpoint before every form you've completed goes out for signature.
Check the acknowledgment box confirming you've reviewed all forms for accuracy (or click Previous to make corrections).
Click Generate DocuSign Envelope. Make a note of the email subject line in case the packet ends up in a spam folder.
Click Close once the envelope has been sent.
Step 4. Sign the packet
Your signature, as the producing agent, is required:
Open the DocuSign email, click Review Documents, and accept DocuSign's terms.
Use the Signature button to find and complete every signature field across the application, state forms, and the Premium Finance Agreement.
Then, click Finish.
Your insured's signature is also required:
Your insured will be sent the DocuSign packet for signature. Consider joining a call to walk them through it live.
They'll sign the ACORD forms, any state-specific forms requiring their signature, and the Premium Finance Agreement if they want financing (they'll also need to add the date next to their signature).
They should review every place referencing "applicant," "insured," or "customer" before clicking Finish.
⚠️ Note: Signing the Premium Finance Agreement doesn't commit your insured to financing — the loan is only booked if they choose installments at checkout. They can still choose to pay in full.
If they pay in full, they can reject the Premium Finance agreement or, if they sign the agreement and then pay in full, the Premium Finance agreement will be null and void.
Step 5. Pay and issue the policy
Once both signatures are complete, you will receive a confirmation email. At this time, please return to the Terminal and open the completed Baleen quote.
Click View Quotes, and then select Pay & Issue Policy.
Choose how your customer wants to pay: in full, or with a down payment and installments billed through FIRST Insurance Funding (credit card only today — ACH is coming soon).
Click Recalculate Quote, if prompted, to confirm the latest surplus lines taxes and fees.
Review the final amount, click Continue, and then enter payment details.
Once payment succeeds, Baleen will issue the policy, and you'll receive the policy documents to send to your insured.
The North Peak Access team also handles the state surplus lines filing and automatically books the premium finance loan, if selected. So, no extra steps needed on your end.
Congratulations — you have now successfully placed a General Liability policy with Baleen through North Peak Access!