Alta Risk Earns Top Score for DUAE Performance Assessment

Overland Park, KS (December 3, 2025) – Ulta Risk, an underwriting manager with a focus on specialty excess liability and environmental liability insurance, today announced that MBEST has assigned the firm a Representative Underwriting Authority Enterprise (DUAE) performance assessment of PA-1 (Extraordinary), the highest possible score. The outlook assigned to the assessment is stable. This is the first year that Ulta Risk has achieved a top rating, reflecting consistently excellent performance in underinvesting performance, governance and organizational depth.

Introduced in 2022, MBEST’s Performance Assessment (PA) for Delegated Underwriting Authority Enterprises (DEAES) is a comprehensive assessment of both quantitative and qualitative factors, with scores ranging from PA-1, the highest, to PA-5. The assessment framework considers underwriting capabilities, governance and internal controls, financial condition, organizational capabilities, and the depth and breadth of market relationships.

“This recognition from AM Best confirms the underinvesting culture we’ve been building in upside risk since day one,” said Steve Albers, president of Ulta Risk. “Our team combines deep technical expertise in additive and environmental liability with a creative, solutions-driven mindset, and this PA-1 assessment underscores the confidence that our carrier partners and wholesalers have managed complex accident risks with discipline and consistency.”

I posit Alta Risk’s strong underwriting performance, disciplined governance and controls, and the strength of its relationships with capacity providers and specialized wholesale brokers as key drivers of the PA-1 (exceptional) valuation. Ulta Risk underwrites an “A-” (excellent) or better carrier from AM and distributes its products through a diverse and select group of specialty wholesale brokers in all 50 states.

“Our focus has always been on the low, high-risk segments where thoughtful underinvesting can really make a difference,” Albers added. “We are proud of this recognition by MBest, and we are committed to delivering specialized additive and environmental solutions that help our partners grow profitably while protecting our clients from critical and emerging loss scenarios.”

Ulta Risk’s underwriting team brings more than 100 years of combined industry experience and is strategically located across the U.S. to quickly respond to brokerage partners and time-sensitive risks. Its portfolio includes:

Additional liability Extra capacity targeted for commercial and residential construction, specialty auto, manufacturing and distribution, and real estate/OL&T solutions, including project-specific and wrap-around capabilities and complex casualty risks.

Environmental responsibility Coverage for environmental contractors, remediation firms, environmental consultants and engineers, laboratories, alternative energy companies, commercial real estate, recyclers, transportation hazards and other pollution-exposed operations, including site-based, contractor and transportation pollution coverage.

For more information, visit AltaSlick.com.

For more information contact:
Upside risk
Steve Albers
Telephone: 913.643.3082
Email: steve.albers@altariskllc.com