Ryan Specialty Unit Withdraws Protest Over FL Commercial Clearinghouse Contract

Ten days after giving notice that it planned to protest the awarding of a contract to manage a clearinghouse for Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance commercial policies, Ryan Services Group has withdrawn the notice. It’s not that unusual, a Citizens official explained. Per state regulations, firms that bid on a program but did not win the contract have three days to file a notice of intent to protest. That gives them time to assess their options, Citizens’ media relations manager, Michael Peltier, said. After giving notice, company then has 10 days to file a formal protest. In this case, Ryan Services’ Risk Market Infrastructure (RMI) sent a letter on Monday, canceling the protest. “RMI withdraws its notice of intent to protest filed on September 4, 2026, regarding the referenced procurement,” reads the Sept. 14 letter from Tallahassee attorney Eduardo Lombard. Officials with Chicago-based Ryan released a statement about why the national brokerage decided to drop the protest. “We withdrew because we are proud to have been instrumental in the legislation that created the surplus lines clearinghouse, which we continue to believe is good for Florida property owners, taxpayers, Citizens, and the surplus lines industry,” reads the company statement, sent by its senior vice president and communications officer, Alice Topping. “Although we are disappointed that Risk Market Infrastructure, a Ryan Specialty subsidiary, was not selected as the administrator, we remain very supportive of the concept of a clearinghouse and will be pulling for its success.” The statement added: “We are as committed as we always have been to the Florida market and will continue to invest in bringing innovative specialty lines insurance solutions to our clients in Florida and everywhere else.” Citizens announced Sept. 1 that it had awarded the contract to Bridge Specialty Group, a division of Dayton-based Brown & Brown brokerage, to develop and administer a system that will help insurance agents move commercial policies from Citizens to qualified surplus lines insurers. Risk Market Infrastructure was the runner-up in the bidding, and Citizens officials have said they will turn to RMI if a contract with Bridge cannot be negotiated. The clearinghouse would be similar to a residential policy clearinghouse that has been in use for years. That platform is managed by EZLynx, a Texas-based technology firm that develops insurance agency management software. The commercial clearinghouse contract with Bridge Specialty has not been finalized, and an estimate on what it’s worth was not available Tuesday morning. The residential system contract with EZLynx, awarded in 2023, may give an idea: It was for almost $36 million over five years. RMI’s withdrawal notice is the latest development in the months-long push for a commercial clearinghouse. The effort by Ryan Turner insurance and state Sen. Joe Gruters surprised some Florida insurance agents and brokers, who have said that the number of commercial policies held by Citizens is shrinking on its own as a rejuvenated Florida market helps move policies to primary market carriers. Some have argued that the residential policy clearinghouse is cumbersome to use, and a commercial platform may not be worth the cost. Related: Ryan Files Protest Over Clearinghouse Contract Awarded to Brown & Brown Firm Topics Florida Commercial Lines Excess Surplus