Washington ERISA Bond (3 Years)
- State: Washington
- Bond type: Employee Dishonesty & Fidelity Bond
- Term: 3 Years
- Category: Business Operations Bonds
Buy Washington ERISA Bond (3 Years) online →
Overview
ERISA plan fiduciaries in Washington are required by federal law to carry fidelity bond coverage on anyone who handles funds or property of an employee benefit plan. This three-year bond satisfies that requirement and includes an Inflation Guard provision, which automatically adjusts coverage to keep pace with rising plan assets over the bond term. Buying a multi-year bond means fewer renewals to track and continuous compliance without annual interruption. This is a federally driven requirement, not a Washington state license — it applies to any plan fiduciary operating anywhere in Washington.
Who Needs This Bond?
Employers who sponsor a 401(k), pension, profit-sharing, or other ERISA-covered employee benefit plan in Washington need this bond. That includes the small-business owner who manages the plan directly, the HR director or CFO who signs plan disbursements, and any trustee or plan administrator with authority to move plan funds. If you have signature authority over plan assets or physically handle plan property, you are required to be bonded under ERISA.
What is this Bond For?
Federal ERISA law requires that every person who handles funds or other property of an employee benefit plan be bonded against loss caused by fraud or dishonesty. This bond protects the plan — and by extension, your employees and their retirement assets — if a covered plan official commits a dishonest act. The Inflation Guard feature built into this three-year bond is specifically designed for growing plans: as plan assets increase, coverage adjusts so you don't fall out of compliance mid-term.
When is it Required?
Before a plan audit or the start of a new plan year, your plan administrator or legal counsel will confirm that all covered persons are properly bonded. The Department of Labor can flag missing or lapsed ERISA bonds during a routine plan audit, which puts the fiduciary — not just the plan — at risk. Purchasing this bond before that audit window closes or before a new plan trustee takes on handling responsibilities is the right time to act.
Where Does it Apply?
This bond is filed to cover ERISA plan operations in Washington state, but ERISA itself is a federal statute that travels with the plan. Coverage under this bond applies wherever plan-related activity occurs for Washington-based plan fiduciaries. The three-year term means a single purchase keeps your plan covered through multiple plan years without gaps.
How to Buy Online
Click 'Buy This Bond Online' on this page and the My Bond App portal will open in a new tab. Complete the short application, review your bond details, and purchase — all in one session. Your bond documents are issued digitally so you can have them ready for your plan records or auditor immediately.
Why Bond Titan?
Bond Titan is powered by The Southern Agency and gives Washington plan fiduciaries direct online access to ERISA bonds without waiting on an agent callback or scheduling a meeting. Our nationwide catalog means this bond is available now, exactly as required. Buy it today, get your documents today, and move on.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If we are bidding on a contract with a new commercial client who is asking about our fidelity bonding, does this ERISA bond satisfy that request?
No — and that distinction matters. This bond exists to satisfy a federal ERISA requirement protecting your employee benefit plan and its participants. A commercial client asking for proof of fidelity bonding as part of a vendor or service contract is looking for a different product, typically an employee dishonesty bond or a commercial crime policy that names their losses as covered. Show them that bond. Show your plan auditor this one.
Who exactly counts as a covered person under an ERISA bond?
ERISA defines a covered person as anyone who 'handles' funds or other property of the plan — meaning they have physical possession, custody, disbursement authority, or the power to transfer or negotiate plan assets. That typically includes plan trustees, plan administrators, officers who sign checks drawn on plan accounts, and anyone else with direct access to plan funds. Board members or executives who only approve policy but never touch plan money may not need to be individually bonded, but anyone with hands-on access does.
Our carrier is already asking us to carry general liability insurance — is that the same thing as this ERISA bond?
They are completely different. General liability insurance covers bodily injury, property damage, and related third-party claims that arise from your business operations. This ERISA fidelity bond is narrowly scoped: it covers losses to your employee benefit plan caused by fraud or dishonesty by a covered plan official. The federal government mandates the bond; your carrier or a client contract may mandate the general liability policy. Both may be required simultaneously, but neither replaces the other.
What happens after I click Buy This Bond Online?
You'll open the My Bond App portal in a new tab where you can complete the secure online bond application and finish your purchase. Your Bond Titan tab stays open so you can come back and keep browsing.
Can I buy this bond entirely online?
Yes. Bond Titan connects you directly to the online bond application — there's no paperwork to mail in and no agent appointment required to get started.
Is Bond Titan a licensed agency?
Bond Titan is powered by The Southern Agency, a licensed surety bond agency. We've built Bond Titan so you can find the exact bond you were told to buy and get to the purchase flow in seconds.