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Aon vs Lockton

Aon and Lockton both describe broker-led risk programs, with Aon highlighting a dedicated Middle Market practice and Lockton naming technology and private-equity clients. Choose between them by matching your account to the proposed team, insurer markets and service agreement; neither public profile identifies the insurer or terms for your particular placement. 4,1,16,15

Introduction

Aon and Lockton are both brokerages that arrange insurance rather than taking the policy risk. Aon markets a Middle Market practice; Lockton names technology, hardware, software, telecom and private-equity organizations among the businesses it serves. The practical comparison is the team and placement strategy proposed for your account, not a conclusion that either broker will reach a particular market or price. 4 16

Coverage Comparison

CoverageAonLockton
Builders riskListed 14Aon names Construction Property/Builders Risk on its global construction page; confirm whether this line is offered for the buyer, state, and placement.Not listed
Cargo and transitListed 9Aon lists cargo placements in its global marine practice; U.S. eligibility, insurer, limits and policy terms are not stated on the reviewed page.Listed 19Lockton arranges cargo insurance.
Commercial autoListed 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 19Lockton arranges commercial auto insurance.
Commercial propertyListed 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 20Lockton arranges commercial property insurance.
CrimeListed 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.Listed 24Lockton arranges commercial crime insurance.
Cyber liabilityListed 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 17,16Lockton arranges cyber insurance.
Directors and officersListed 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.Listed 18,16Lockton arranges directors and officers liability insurance.
Employee health and benefitsNot listedListed 22Lockton arranges employee health and benefits programs.
Employment practices liabilityListed 6Aon lists EPL for professional-services firms in a global practice; this does not establish eligibility for every U.S. employer or state.Listed 24Lockton arranges employment practices liability insurance.
Fiduciary liabilityListed 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.Listed 23Lockton arranges fiduciary liability insurance.
General liabilityListed 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 19Lockton arranges general liability insurance.
Key personNot listedListed 24Lockton arranges key person insurance.
Kidnap and ransomListed 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
Management liabilityListed 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.Not listed
Product liabilityNot listedListed 19Lockton arranges product liability insurance.
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 24Lockton arranges professional errors and omissions insurance.
Representations and warrantiesNot listedListed 24Lockton arranges representations and warranties insurance.
Surety bondsListed 10Aon markets Commercial Surety globally and says availability depends on jurisdiction; the page does not establish U.S. placement availability.Listed 24Lockton arranges surety bonds.
Umbrella and excess liabilityListed 14Aon lists umbrella and excess within construction liability coverage areas; ask whether either applies to your project and jurisdiction.Listed 19Lockton arranges umbrella and excess liability insurance.
Workers’ compensationListed 14Aon lists workers compensation among global construction coverage areas; this does not establish state availability or a placement.Listed 21,19Lockton 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

Broker

Broker

6.7/ 10

Assessed 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.

Provider assessment

Lockton

Broker

Broker

5.6/ 10

Assessed provider: Lockton. Scope: Lockton's U.S. brokerage presentation, including Lockton Companies, LLC d/b/a Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC and Lockton, Inc. as named in reviewed U.S. materials; scope is commercial placement and claims advocacy and does not identify a quote-specific risk-bearing insurer.

Provider assessment

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

6.1/ 10

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 reviews

Lockton

8.4/ 10

Review Score

3 rated sources

Lockton’s reviews vary by office and entity. Local Google-derived ratings provide some service feedback, but no reliable firmwide verdict.[2][6][7][8]

Read Lockton reviews

Key Differences Between Aon and Lockton

Practice fit and placement work

Aon’s published U.S. terms describe discussing market conditions, insurers to approach and program strategy for certain programs. Lockton’s technology practice lists cyber, D&O, contract review and international programs alongside other commercial lines. Neither source establishes the coverage or insurer available to your business. Ask each broker to show how it would structure the specific risks, which markets it would approach and what information it needs from your team. 1 4 15 16

Account service, claims and compensation

Lockton describes dedicated account teams, renewal service and claims staff who help analyze and negotiate claims with insurers. Aon describes selected-program administration, but its terms leave insurer notice to the client unless a separate written agreement changes that duty. Both publish compensation arrangements that can vary: Aon lists commissions and potential contingent compensation; Lockton’s terms also allow client fees, supplemental compensation and other charges. 19 16 1 1 1 27

What to Confirm in Quotes

Ask each broker to name the proposed account team, placement markets, service commitments, claims-assistance scope and insurer-notice responsibilities. Request the legal producer and written compensation disclosure for your account, then compare the actual insurer proposals and policy terms rather than broker-level service descriptions.

Compare Services

What each provider documents about the services you may need

CriteriaAonLockton
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.

You work with Lockton as a broker for risk, benefits and retirement programs; it arranges and services policies but is not the risk-bearing insurer. 15,27,34Company-reported. Company-reported US brand and Terms of Business. The contracting Lockton company can differ by client. Private-ownership and independence claims are marketing statements, not a regulatory finding.

Confirm the legal producer on your California broker agreement: Lockton’s terms name Lockton Companies, LLC and affiliates, its site operator is Lockton, Inc., and certificates use Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC as a California DBA. 27,28,35Company-reported. Company legal disclosures and company-issued certificates. Missouri charter number 00498854 appears in website terms as a company statement. Current secretary-of-state and producer-license status were not independently verified.

Verify Lockton’s current California producer authority before appointing it: certificates list license 0F15767 for Lockton Companies, LLC dba Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC, but status, classes and expiration were not independently checked. 35,36Not found in reviewed sources. Company-issued certificate header versus CDI lookup homepage only. Not a finding that the license is inactive or that California product placement is unavailable.

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 start with a Lockton team inquiry or email its cyber and technology group; reviewed pages do not offer a self-service bind flow or guaranteed quote turnaround. 26,15,29,17,28Company-reported. US contact, privacy, technology and cyber-technology pages. Form submission was not completed. Website terms state site content is general information, not broking advice.

Servicing and renewals

Aon says it consults with clients before placing or renewing coverage and, where applicable, administers the insurer relationship for selected programs, including billing, data reporting and negotiated requirements. The terms do not promise automatic renewal, a timetable, a specific market or a particular outcome. 1Company-reported. Company-reported terms for selected U.S. Commercial Risk programs; administration varies where applicable and may be changed by written agreement.

Lockton describes dedicated account teams, risk control and renewal service, including a round-the-clock technology service model; confirm actual service commitments and portal features because public pages provide no standard service agreement. 19,16,27,20,15Company-reported. Company service descriptions and default Terms of Business; a signed services agreement can differ. Portal capabilities remain undocumented in this review.

Claims assistance

Under Aon’s U.S. brokerage terms, the client is responsible for directly notifying insurers as its policies require unless a separate signed agreement says otherwise; Aon says it does not assume that notice or monitoring duty without a separate written agreement. This allocation does not determine whether Aon separately offers or agrees to claims advocacy or other claims-related services. 1,5,7Company-reported. Company-reported contractual allocation for covered U.S. Commercial Risk services; policy terms and any separate written agreement control. Aon separately describes claims advocacy on its D&O and cyber pages.

Lockton says its integrated claims team helps investigate, map facts to coverage and negotiate with insurers, but Lockton does not pay claims; service descriptions do not establish claim outcomes or quality. 16,18,23,25,21,27Company-reported. Company-reported advocacy and consulting. Lockton is not identified as the claims-paying insurer.

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.

Request all commissions and fees for your account: Lockton’s terms allow insurer commissions, client fees, contingent/supplemental compensation, insurer service fees, affiliate reinsurance income and finance interest, but publish no standard rates. 27Company-reported. Compensation Disclosure section of US Terms of Business. Amounts for a given account are not disclosed on the public site.

Sources

Aon Official Website

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.

Lockton Official Website

  1. Lockton United States. Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Technology. Lockton; Industry introduction; cyber liability heading; dedicated technology team; listed services including claims advocacy, contract review, directors and officers liability, and international program design; 24/7 service model. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Cyber & Technology. Lockton; A complete solution to inform, improve, and insure cyber and privacy risk; insurer partnerships; Insure step including claim life cycle; contact cyber@lockton.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. D&O Insurance. Lockton; Program description; Side A/B/C overview; who can be covered; Claims management and Professional & Executive Risk Claims team. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. Casualty Insurance. Lockton; Introduction on designing and placing liability, auto and workers’ compensation programs; Casualty Insurance Solutions: Auto, Cargo, General & Product Liability, Umbrella & Excess Liability, Workers’ Compensation; dedicated service team. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  6. Property Insurance. Lockton; Matching property risks to the global marketplace; manuscript property policy; assistance with complex claim recovery. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  7. Workers' Compensation. Lockton; Program design with claims experts; access to more than 100 regional, global and program markets; claims service advocates. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  8. Lockton People Solutions. Lockton; Introducing Lockton People Solutions; integrated health and risk programs; FAQ on products (employee experiences, total rewards and benefits, management and measurement) and private ownership. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  9. Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Lockton; What is fiduciary liability insurance; typical coverage list; claims management; distinction from ERISA bonds. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  10. Risk & People Solutions for Private Equity Firms. Lockton; Lockton capabilities across the investment life cycle: D&O/GPL, transaction insurance (reps, tax, litigation), E&O, crime and FI bonds, cyber, EPL, surety, portfolio company programs, key person insurance and benefits design. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  11. Loss Prevention and Claims. Lockton; Claims consulting description: investigations, policy mapping, discussions with insurer lawyers and loss adjusters; documenting and presenting claims. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Contact Us. Lockton; Inquiry form requiring Terms of Use and Privacy Notice acknowledgment; general enquiries mailbox disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  13. US Terms of Business. Lockton; Opening entity definition; Surplus Lines; Use of a Particular Insurer; Compensation Disclosure; servicing, claims handling and renewal language in Confidentiality section; Intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Lockton US Terms of Use. Lockton; Who we are: Lockton, Inc., Missouri corporation, charter number 00498854; Kansas City principal office; last updated October 15, 2021; Site content is general information, not broking or insurance advice. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. Lockton Companies Website Privacy Notice. Lockton; Last updated January 2025; collection when visitors solicit an insurance policy quote; disclosure to insurance companies and intermediaries for quotes. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  16. Offices - Lockton US. Lockton; Global headquarters Kansas City, 444 W 47th St. Suite 900; US inquiry email KC-Inquiries@lockton.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  17. Lockton Insurance Brokers - San Francisco. Lockton; Office heading Lockton Insurance Brokers - San Francisco; Suite 600, Three Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  18. Lockton Insurance Brokers - Los Angeles. Lockton; Office heading and 777 S. Figueroa St. Suite 5200, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  19. Lockton Insurance Brokers - Irvine. Lockton; Office heading and 19800 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine, CA 92612. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  20. Our Story. Lockton; Independence changes everything; family organization and private ownership statements; insurance, employee benefits consulting and retirement services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  21. Lockton-produced certificate of insurance producer header. Lockton; Producer block: Lockton Companies, LLC DBA Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC in CA; CA license #0F15767. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  22. California Department of Insurance — Check a License. California Department of Insurance; Public license-status inquiry page. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated . Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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