Introduction
Aon describes broker-led service for mid-sized organizations; Harper markets commercial brokerage help to businesses in harder-to-place industries. Harper’s online form starts an inquiry, and its published privacy and terms materials say licensed staff and insurers review underwriting and binding decisions. Choose the route that matches the team and product you need, then get the actual producer and written bind confirmation. 4 23 18 17
Coverage Comparison
| Coverage | Aon | Harper |
|---|---|---|
| Builders risk | Listed 14Aon names Construction Property/Builders Risk on its global construction page; confirm whether this line is offered for the buyer, state, and placement. | Listed 16Harper includes builders risk in its construction and contractor insurance offering. |
| Business owner’s policy | Not listed | Listed 22Harper accepts business owner’s policy inquiries through its coverage intake. |
| Cargo and transit | Listed 9Aon lists cargo placements in its global marine practice; U.S. eligibility, insurer, limits and policy terms are not stated on the reviewed page. | Not listed |
| Commercial auto | Listed 6Aon lists automobile liability within its global Professional Services Practice for law, accounting and consulting firms; U.S. availability and specific policy terms are not established. | Listed 16Harper lists commercial auto insurance and describes approaching insurers for customers. |
| Commercial property | Listed 8Aon describes commercial-property brokerage and risk management, with a U.S.-available analytics tool; tool availability does not establish state-specific insurance availability. | Listed 16Harper lists commercial property insurance and describes approaching insurance companies for customers. |
| Crime | Listed 6Aon lists crime within its global Professional Services Practice for law, accounting and consulting firms; U.S. availability and specific policy terms are not established. | Not listed |
| Cyber liability | Listed 7,6Aon describes cyber insurance and related brokerage, analytics and claims support; confirm the producing entity, insurer, jurisdiction and policy terms for a U.S. placement. | Listed 16Harper lists cyber insurance and describes approaching insurers for customers. |
| Directors and officers | Listed 5Aon describes D&O brokerage and program services in a global practice; this does not identify the producer, insurer or state availability for a particular U.S. placement. | Not listed |
| Employment practices liability | Listed 6Aon lists EPL for professional-services firms in a global practice; this does not establish eligibility for every U.S. employer or state. | Not listed |
| Fiduciary liability | Listed 6Aon lists fiduciary liability within its global Professional Services Practice for law, accounting and consulting firms; U.S. availability and specific policy terms are not established. | Not listed |
| Garage liability | Not listed | Listed 16Harper lists garage liability among the coverages its brokerage handles. |
| General liability | Listed 14Aon lists general liability within construction liability coverage areas in its global construction practice; this does not establish a standalone or U.S.-available line. | Listed 16Harper lists general liability in its business-insurance services and quote inquiry. |
| Kidnap and ransom | Listed 6Aon lists kidnap and ransom within its global Professional Services Practice for law, accounting and consulting firms; U.S. availability and specific policy terms are not established. | Not listed |
| Liquor liability | Not listed | Listed 22Harper includes liquor liability in its coverage directory and insurance-placement service. |
| Management liability | Listed 6Aon describes management liability in its global Professional Services Practice as a partnership program for law, accounting and consulting firms, rather than a standalone line; U.S. availability and specific policy terms are not established. | Listed 30Harper arranges management liability insurance through its partner brokerage service. |
| Medical malpractice | Not listed | Listed 22Harper arranges medical malpractice insurance. |
| Product liability | Not listed | Listed 22Harper includes product liability in its coverage directory. |
| Professional errors and omissions (E&O) | Listed 6Aon describes professional-liability/E&O services for law, accounting and consulting firms; a U.S. placement and any separate technology E&O terms remain to be confirmed. | Listed 22Harper includes professional liability in its coverage directory and quote intake as claims about work or advice. |
| Surety bonds | Listed 10Aon markets Commercial Surety globally and says availability depends on jurisdiction; the page does not establish U.S. placement availability. | Listed 27Harper arranges license, permit and contract surety bonds. |
| Tools, equipment and inland marine | Not listed | Listed 22Harper arranges inland marine coverage for tools and equipment that leave the shop. |
| Umbrella and excess liability | Listed 14Aon lists umbrella and excess within construction liability coverage areas; ask whether either applies to your project and jurisdiction. | Listed 22Harper arranges umbrella insurance. |
| Workers’ compensation | Listed 14Aon lists workers compensation among global construction coverage areas; this does not establish state availability or a placement. | Listed 22,25Harper arranges workers’ compensation insurance. |
A listing may be arranged through an insurer or partner. “Not listed” means this catalogue has no separate offering recorded; ask the provider whether it can quote the coverage and request the policy terms.
Current Spot Scores
Each score uses the rubric for that provider’s documented role. Providers with more than one role may have a score for each.
Aon
BrokerBroker
6.7/ 10Assessed provider: Aon. Scope: Aon group commercial insurance brokerage, assessed at brand level from Aon's published terms, its 2025 SEC filing, and U.S., U.K. and Irish regulator records. It does not assess a single producing entity, insurer or placement, and it is not a ruling on Aon's consulting or benefits businesses.
Harper
BrokerBroker
5.9/ 10Assessed entity: Harper Global Enterprises Inc.. Scope: Limited to the licensed agency Harper Global Enterprises Inc., doing business as Harper Global Insurance Agency, acting as a commercial insurance broker. Harper Group Corp., its parent, is described but not separately assessed. A December 2025 federal disclosure links the two.
Review Scores
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
Aon
Review Score
3 rated sources
Public ratings for Aon are low: Trustpilot shows 1.2 out of 5 from 782 reviews, and BBB shows 1.6 from five. Aon is a global firm, so those pages mostly reflect other parts of the business, not large U.S. commercial accounts.[4][6][7]
Read Aon reviewsHarper
Review Score
We found no customer star rating for Harper. Its Trustpilot page has 0 reviews, and BBB shows 0 customer reviews and 2 complaints.[4][6]
Read Harper reviewsKey Differences Between Aon and Harper
Specialist Brokerage and Business Fit
Aon markets a Middle Market practice for mid-sized organizations across North America. Harper describes a commercial brokerage for businesses in harder-to-place industries, including contracting, restaurants, auto, care and manufacturing. Its quote form gathers operating and coverage details but does not display a premium or policy. Choose Harper when one of its listed specialty teams fits your business; choose Aon when you want its middle-market placement practice. Those public audiences are not underwriting eligibility rules.
Aon markets a dedicated Middle Market practice for mid-sized organizations and says it serves growing businesses across North America. The reviewed page gives no numerical size cutoff and does not establish U.S.-only eligibility; Aon’s broader global client statement describes the parent’s client base, not this practice’s eligibility rules. 4,3Company-reported. Company-reported marketing page, North America; no numerical revenue, employee-count, state or U.S.-only eligibility definition is stated.
Businesses in hard-to-place industries can ask Harper for broker help; its listed specialties include contracting, restaurants, auto, care, manufacturing and transportation. 23,28Company-reported. Examples of advertised appetite, not a verified customer census or eligibility guarantee.
Inquiry, Human Review and Binding
Harper says AI organizes application details and follow-up, while licensed staff and carriers review eligibility and binding decisions. Its terms require written confirmation from Harper and the insurer; a text quote alone does not start coverage. Aon’s U.S. terms describe consultations, application support and a client’s instruction to bind certain programs. So the key choice is how you want to begin, not which online form guarantees faster protection. No placement-time claim is established for either company here.
You can request a quote by providing business, revenue, state, operations and coverage details; the form starts an inquiry and does not show a premium or issued policy. 16Company-reported. Browser inspection of the blank homepage footer form. No data entered or submitted, so later application, quote, payment and binding screens were not tested.
Harper says AI extracts document details, drafts messages and organizes follow-up, while licensed staff and carriers review eligibility and binding decisions; automated marketing does not mean a machine approves coverage alone. 18Company-reported. Privacy sections 3 and 8; stated controls only. No audit of model accuracy, staff review or underwriting delegation.
Do not rely on a text message to start or change coverage: Harper’s terms require written confirmation from Harper and the insurer, and text quotes remain subject to underwriting. 17Company-reported. Section 11, effective August 24, 2026. Does not establish a particular insurer’s required payment or signing sequence.
For certain U.S. Commercial Risk programs, Aon says it consults with the client about market conditions, insurers to approach and program strategy, helps prepare underwriting information and applications, and obtains the client’s instructions to bind specific programs based on Aon’s proposal. The client signs applications that require a signature. 1Company-reported. Company-reported contractual terms for certain U.S. Commercial Risk programs; not a universal workflow, online checkout claim, insurer role or guarantee that a quote can bind.
What to Confirm in Quotes
- Ask Harper which licensed producer contracts with you and who provides the required written confirmation before coverage starts. 18 17
- If you submit sensitive application or loss information to Harper, review its stated model-training use before uploading records. 18
- Ask both brokers for an itemized premium, taxes, fees and compensation disclosure; Harper does not publish account-specific buyer fees and Aon says compensation varies by arrangement. 32 1
Compare Services
What each provider documents about the services you may need
| Criteria | Aon | Harper |
|---|---|---|
| Business role | Aon’s U.S. Commercial Risk terms describe Commercial Risk Solutions U.S. as broker of record for certain insurance programs. Separate electronic-delivery terms name Aon Risk Services Companies, Inc. acting for itself and licensed brokerage subsidiaries to deliver arranged policies; the terms define an insurer as the policy issuer and risk bearer. These group-level descriptions do not identify the producer or authority for a particular placement. 1,2Company-reported. Company-reported U.S. Commercial Risk brokerage and electronic-delivery terms; certain programs only. No specific insured, licensed producer, appointment, policy issuer, state authority or placement was matched. | Harper is a commercial insurance brokerage: it helps businesses find insurance from other companies and arrange the purchase. You can request a quote online or speak with a specialist, who gathers information, approaches insurers and explains the options. 17,24Company-reported. Current buyer-facing brokerage description. This does not establish insurer status, universal market access or an independently tested purchasing outcome. Harper Global Enterprises Inc., doing business as Harper Global Insurance Agency, is the licensed agency. In a 9 December 2025 federal filing, that company identified Harper Group Corp. as its corporate parent. Harper still does not publish terms saying which company contracts with you or how you are charged. 15,18,17Verified. Parent relationship from the federal docket entry. The DBA is company-disclosed. No terms of service were found naming the contracting party. Other brokers can ask Harper about wholesale and non-admitted-market access, but its page does not identify the delegated insurers, products, states or limits; this does not make Harper the insurer. 29Company-reported. Selective authority expressly claimed by company, not inferred from AI. No delegation contract or named binding program obtained. Non-admitted means the insurer is not licensed as an admitted insurer in the state of placement. |
| Customer focus | Aon markets a dedicated Middle Market practice for mid-sized organizations and says it serves growing businesses across North America. The reviewed page gives no numerical size cutoff and does not establish U.S.-only eligibility; Aon’s broader global client statement describes the parent’s client base, not this practice’s eligibility rules. 4,3Company-reported. Company-reported marketing page, North America; no numerical revenue, employee-count, state or U.S.-only eligibility definition is stated. | Businesses in hard-to-place industries can ask Harper for broker help; its listed specialties include contracting, restaurants, auto, care, manufacturing and transportation. 23,28Company-reported. Examples of advertised appetite, not a verified customer census or eligibility guarantee. |
| Application process | For certain U.S. Commercial Risk programs, Aon says it consults with the client about market conditions, insurers to approach and program strategy, helps prepare underwriting information and applications, and obtains the client’s instructions to bind specific programs based on Aon’s proposal. The client signs applications that require a signature. 1Company-reported. Company-reported contractual terms for certain U.S. Commercial Risk programs; not a universal workflow, online checkout claim, insurer role or guarantee that a quote can bind. | You can request a quote by providing business, revenue, state, operations and coverage details; the form starts an inquiry and does not show a premium or issued policy. 16Company-reported. Browser inspection of the blank homepage footer form. No data entered or submitted, so later application, quote, payment and binding screens were not tested. Harper says its internal Hub software helps staff complete forms, identify markets and manage client communication; the launch announcement describes greater automation as a future direction. 21Company-reported. Founder-authored description hosted by the accelerator; not independent verification of automation quality or a buyer-facing software subscription. Harper says AI extracts document details, drafts messages and organizes follow-up, while licensed staff and carriers review eligibility and binding decisions; automated marketing does not mean a machine approves coverage alone. 18Company-reported. Privacy sections 3 and 8; stated controls only. No audit of model accuracy, staff review or underwriting delegation. Before uploading sensitive records, understand how Harper uses them: its privacy policy says applications and loss data help train Harper’s models, while enterprise AI vendors say they do not train foundation models on customer data. 18Company-reported. Sections 2, 7 and 8. Company-reported data handling, not an independent privacy or security certification. Do not rely on a text message to start or change coverage: Harper’s terms require written confirmation from Harper and the insurer, and text quotes remain subject to underwriting. 17Company-reported. Section 11, effective August 24, 2026. Does not establish a particular insurer’s required payment or signing sequence. Harper advertises a 24–48-hour placement time, but it is a company estimate rather than a deadline; ask what approvals and documents remain before relying on a start date. 28Company-reported. February 26, 2026 marketing claim, not independently measured. Current homepage refers to same-week answers, a different milestone; neither is a binding service-level guarantee. |
| Fees and compensation | Aon’s U.S. brokerage terms say compensation may come from insurers or third parties and can vary by contract, insurer and arrangement. Aon and affiliates may also receive contingent and other compensation; contingent goals can create an incentive to place coverage with a particular insurer. Clients may request expected compensation information for their coverage and alternative quotes. The terms do not give a client-specific amount. 1Company-reported. General company-reported U.S. brokerage terms; actual compensation, fees and conflicts for a client or placement are not stated here and may depend on law or contract. | A licensed referral agent may receive 50% of Harper’s commission 60 days after settlement, according to Harper Partners; this is a share of commission, not a discount on your premium. 30Company-reported. Current licensed-agent referral program only. Illustrative dollar amounts not treated as fee quotes; cancellation/nonpayment clawbacks apply. No implication that Spot participates. Get premium, taxes, fees and financing charges itemized because reviewed Harper pages do not disclose buyer fees or account-specific commission rates; a free partner signup does not mean insurance is fee-free. 30,32,24,17Not publicly disclosed. Reviewed referral terms, pricing-transparency article, GL cost FAQ and messaging terms. No hidden fees is marketing, not a zero-fee promise; SMS cost statement applies only to messages. |
Related Reading
Sources
Aon Official Website
- Commercial Risk Solutions U.S. Brokerage Terms of Service. Aon; Lines 120–127: certain-program broker-of-record scope, consultation, application assistance, client signature and bind instruction, and account administration; lines 140–147: variable and contingent compensation, potential placement incentive, and client request route; lines 206–213: no price guarantee and surplus-lines limitations; lines 229–231: client insurer-notice duty unless separately agreed. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Aon Commercial Risk U.S. Electronic Disclosure and Consent Terms. Aon; Lines 120–125: Aon Risk Services Companies, Inc. acting for itself and licensed brokerage subsidiaries in electronic delivery; insurer is defined as issuer and risk bearer. The passage does not identify a producing entity or insurer for a particular placement. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Aon plc Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. Aon plc / U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; Cover lines 23–34: Aon plc is incorporated in Ireland and gives Dublin as principal executive office; lines 261–263: global client breadth; lines 271–273 and segment discussion: company-reported Commercial Risk brokerage and risk-consulting operations. Filing is parent-level evidence, not placement producer, authority or insurer evidence. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Middle Market Clients. Aon; Lines 125–132: mid-sized organizations and middle-market framing; lines 165–173: dedicated practice and North America statement; lines 188–224: Commercial Risk capabilities. No numeric company-size cutoff or U.S.-only eligibility rule is stated on the reviewed page. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Directors’ and Officers’ (D&O) Liability Insurance. Aon; Lines 135–160: general covered allegations and Side A, B and C scenarios, including public/private differences; lines 171–185: insurer-selection analytics, brokerage/claims-team collaboration and management-liability specialization. Product explanation and company-reported services; not an Aon-issued policy or quote. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Professional Services Practice | Insurance Broking & Risk Management. Aon; Lines 125–128: global professional-services team and named law, accounting and consulting firm audience; lines 131–147: professional-liability/E&O offering and terminology; lines 151–176: cyber and EPL offerings, including management liability described at lines 158–163 as a partnership program/category; lines 180–189: professional-services P&C listing, including crime, fiduciary, kidnap and ransom, and automobile liability. “Loss Prevention” section (directly inspected passage at lines 209–212) conditions law-firm loss prevention on Aon broking of lawyers’ professional liability. Global practice page; no state-specific placement schedule. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Cyber Risk. Aon; Lines 194–205: cyber risk financing and cyber insurance; lines 206–230: claims advocacy/preparation and third-party incident-response providers, separate client contracts, no performance guarantee, and possible referral remuneration. Company-reported global service description. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Property Risk Management. Aon; Lines 132–140: property/buildings/contents and possible business-interruption cover, broker team services; lines 148–159: rates, retentions, limits, deductibles, benchmarking and U.S.-available Property Risk Analyzer; lines 161–168: global market access and alternate risk transfer. Tool availability does not establish placement availability or authority by state. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Marine Insurance and Risk Management. Aon; Lines 123–126: global marine practice, customer examples and marine claims/risk services; lines 155–175: cargo offerings including project cargo, general cargo, stock throughput, excess storage and freight/logistics. No U.S. placement terms, insurer, limits or state authority specified. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Commercial Surety. Aon; Lines 125–127: commercial surety bond description and three parties; lines 190–210: Aon says it approaches the surety market globally and describes its brokerage support, with offerings depending on jurisdiction; lines 211–222: examples of bond types. Global company marketing; no U.S. producing entity, state authority, issuer or placement terms. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- About | Aon. Aon; Aon’s company overview and Our Capabilities list distinguish Risk Capital from Human Capital and describe group-wide capabilities. General company identity context; not placement, authority or insurer evidence. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Broking and Risk Transfer | Aon. Aon; Explore Our Risk Transfer Offerings; Property & Casualty, Specialty, Management Liability and industry listings. Broad catalogue only; not sufficient for a dedicated line record by itself. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Financial and Executive Risks | Insurance Broking & Risk Management. Aon; Financial Services Group Overview; D&O, fiduciary, EPL and crime references plus policy design and insurer market knowledge. Broad category/source context; not sufficient by itself to establish a separate U.S. product. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Construction and Infrastructure Insurance and Risk Management. Aon; Lines 125–126: global construction practice designing and placing risk solutions; lines 137–156: industry-specific property, casualty, construction professional liability, subcontractor default and construction surety offerings; lines 167–195: global coverage areas explicitly list Builders Risk, general/umbrella/excess liability within construction liability, workers compensation and surety among other categories. These are construction-practice marketing statements; page does not provide U.S. state or placement availability for each line. Accessed 2026-09-29.
Harper Official Website
- Davis v. Harper Global Enterprises Inc. CourtListener; N.D. Ga. 1:25-cv-05899, docket entry 9 December 2025: Certificate of Interested Persons and Corporate Disclosure Statement by Harper Global Enterprises Inc. identifying Corporate Parent Harper Group Corp. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Harper Homepage. Harper; Opening insurer-shopping process; What we cover: Commercial property, Commercial auto, Cyber, Garage liability and General liability insurance; Industries We Serve, including Construction & Contractors, Manufacturing and Auto Repair & Service; insurer-logo panel; quote-request form, including property and work-vehicle options; Get covered invitation; legal footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Text Messaging Terms and Conditions. Harper Global Enterprises Inc.; Effective August 24, 2026; sections 1–3 (entity, consent and service messages), 5 (message costs), 9 (delivery) and 11 (coverage confirmation). Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Privacy Policy. Harper Group Corp.; Introduction; sections 2–3 on information collection and decision review; sections 7–8 on AI vendors, internal model training and human oversight. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Georgia Agency License Inquiry: Harper Global Enterprises Inc. Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, via Sircon; Georgia agency license 237101 record for HARPER GLOBAL ENTERPRISES INC., NPN 21740058: license and qualification tables. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- California License Number Search. California Department of Insurance; License-number search for 6017784. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Harper Company Profile and Founder Launch Post. Y Combinator / Harper founders; Company description and founder launch: complex commercial risks; internal Harper Hub form completion, carrier matching and communications; autonomy described as a goal. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- What We Cover. Harper; Coverage directory: Liquor Liability, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, Professional Liability, Umbrella, Workers Compensation; intake What do you need covered?: Property and liability bundled together, Claims about my work or advice (professional liability), Tools and equipment that leave the shop (inland marine), Umbrella; broker footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Industries We Serve. Harper; Industry directory and introductory customer focus: construction, care providers and auto dealers among the listed businesses. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- General Liability Insurance. Harper; Product introduction, certificate-request instructions, specialist-led placement steps and cost FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Workers Compensation Insurance. Harper; Workers Compensation Insurance product hero; What is Workers Compensation insurance?; Why Harper / insurer options; payroll classification discussion; FAQs about audits and pricing. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Security Guards Insurance. Harper; Description of guard businesses, coverage categories, use-of-force risks and service features. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Surety Bonds. Harper; Surety Bonds: license and permit bonds; contract bid, performance and payment bonds; repayment obligations and timing FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- We're Announcing $47M to Build the Insurance Company Every Business Deserves. Harper / Dakotah Rice; February 26, 2026 article: brokerage identity; AI-assisted submissions and follow-ups; 24–48-hour coverage statement; more than 165 underwriters; plans for additional direct appointments. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Insurance Brokers: Wholesale Program. Harper; Specialty and non-admitted markets, selective binding authority FAQ, white-label options and commission FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Harper Partners. Harper; Referral terms and FAQs covering commission split, timing, account ownership and service duties; Partner FAQ: What commercial lines can I send? (including management liability; Harper handles quoting, binding, servicing and renewals); illustrative example; footer qualification for unlicensed referral sources. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Customer Portal Entry. Harper; Public entry page: listed functions, invitation-based sign-in instructions and service-team contact. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Why 2000+ Companies Trust Harper For Business Insurance. Harper Insurance Team; Article dated January 21, 2025: carrier ratings, pricing transparency, claims support and ongoing management. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Form 700, revised June 14, 2024; purchasing through a broker-agent, commercial claims, surplus lines, and glossary definition of insurer. Accessed 2026-09-15.
