Get Started

Aon vs USI Insurance Services

Aon and USI both describe U.S. brokerage and consulting for middle-market businesses, including technology companies. Aon announced a definitive agreement to acquire USI on August 31, 2026, with closing expected in the fourth quarter subject to conditions; the announced deal does not itself establish that the acquisition has closed. Choose by the current team and proposal, and confirm how any closing would affect account service. 4,16,35

Introduction

Aon and USI are both insurance brokerages with middle-market and technology practices, so this pair turns on team fit and a current transaction. Aon announced on August 31, 2026 that it agreed to acquire USI, with closing expected in the fourth quarter subject to customary conditions. Until the transaction closes, that announcement alone does not establish a completed acquisition or a change to your broker relationship. 4 16

Coverage Comparison

CoverageAonUSI Insurance Services
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 24USI arranges cargo and transit 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 23,25USI 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 24,23USI 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 25USI arranges 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 24,29,23USI 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 24,25USI arranges directors and officers liability insurance.
Employee health and benefitsNot listedListed 28USI advises employers on health-plan design, medical costs, pharmacy and benefits administration.
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 25USI 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 25USI 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 23,25USI arranges general liability 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.Listed 25USI arranges kidnap and ransom insurance.
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.Listed 25USI arranges management liability coverage, including directors and officers, employment practices, fiduciary and crime insurance.
Medical malpracticeNot listedListed 27USI arranges medical malpractice insurance.
Product liabilityNot listedListed 24,23USI 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 25USI arranges professional errors and omissions insurance.
Representations and warrantiesNot listedListed 26USI 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 USI arranges contract, commercial and international surety bonds.
Technology errors and omissions (E&O)Not listedListed 24USI arranges technology errors and omissions insurance.
Umbrella and excess liabilityListed 14Aon lists umbrella and excess within construction liability coverage areas; ask whether either applies to your project and jurisdiction.Listed 23,25USI arranges umbrella and excess liability.
Workers’ compensationListed 14Aon lists workers compensation among global construction coverage areas; this does not establish state availability or a placement.Listed 23,25USI 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

USI Insurance Services

Broker

Broker

5.3/ 10

Assessed provider: USI Insurance Services. Scope: USI Insurance Services LLC and its U.S. brokerage and risk-consulting operation for property-casualty, technology, executive, employee-benefit and related commercial risks; the evidence covers placement and claims-support roles and does not identify USI as a 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

USI Insurance Services

6.4/ 10

Review Score

1 rated source

USI’s public feedback is too sparse and office-specific for a firmwide verdict. Check the local team’s responsiveness and experience with your type of business.[4][6][8]

Read USI Insurance Services reviews

Key Differences Between Aon and USI Insurance Services

Similar buyer focus, different account teams

Aon markets a dedicated Middle Market practice for mid-sized organizations; USI says it serves middle-market clients and describes technology clients from early seed stage through IPO. Aon’s selected-program terms describe discussion of markets and strategy plus application support. USI describes its USI ONE advisory process but directs technology and property-and-casualty inquiries to a local office or specialist. Ask each firm which team would handle your specific account and how it would approach the same risks. 4 16 1 17 24

Pending acquisition, claims and compensation

USI’s public announcement says the purchase remains subject to conditions and was expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. USI’s claims materials direct many losses to the insurer and involve its account team for specified specialty lines; Aon’s terms place notice on the client for certain programs unless a signed agreement says otherwise. Both describe insurer-paid commissions and additional compensation that can vary. Get each firm’s written service, notice and compensation terms, including how the proposed transaction would affect your account if it closes. 35 19 1 22 1

What to Confirm in Quotes

Ask USI and Aon which legal producer, account team and insurer markets would serve you now, who handles renewals and claims notices, and what happens to the service agreement if the announced acquisition closes. Compare current proposals and compensation terms without treating the pending transaction as completed.

Compare Services

What each provider documents about the services you may need

CriteriaAonUSI Insurance Services
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.

USI describes itself as a U.S. insurance brokerage and consulting firm that arranges property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program, and retirement solutions. The reviewed official pages do not identify USI as the insurer that issues commercial policies. 16,15,22,35Company-reported. Brand and operating description on current USI about and homepage materials, plus the 31 August 2026 Aon announcement’s About USI text. Role of any affiliate insurer is outside this fact.

USI’s commissions page states that, as a licensed insurance producer, it may advise on insurance contracts, sell insurance, and obtain coverages for clients. Privacy and staff materials identify the operating company as USI Insurance Services LLC. Current California producer-license status remains independently unverified. 22,21,36Company-reported. Producer role as described by USI. Does not verify license class, surplus-lines authority, or appointment status.

On 31 August 2026, Aon plc announced a definitive agreement to acquire USI from KKR and other shareholders for a $17.0 billion purchase price, with closing expected in the fourth quarter of 2026 subject to customary conditions including regulatory approvals. Aon stated that Aon and USI will continue to operate independently until the closing date. The reviewed announcement does not establish that the transaction has closed. 35Company-reported. Announced transaction status as of the 31 August 2026 release. Does not change a buyer’s existing policy terms by itself.

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.

USI does not publish a self-serve commercial quote flow on the reviewed pages. Technology and P&C inquiries are directed to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local office. The contact page includes a website message box that USI warns is not secured in transit and should not be used for sensitive information. Small- and medium-sized management-liability inquiries are also directed to Select.Business@usi.com. No public binding timetable or online eligibility tool was found. 24,23,19,31Company-reported. Public inquiry paths as of access date. Not an application completeness or speed claim.

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.

USI describes USI ONE as a proprietary consultative process that combines Omni analytics, a national network of specialists, and an enterprise planning process. Technology and P&C pages say clients receive tailored recommendations aimed at total cost of risk. Those are company descriptions of advisory method, not independently verified service outcomes. 17,24,23Company-reported. Company-described brokerage and consulting process. Savings or outcome figures in case studies are not adopted as independent findings.

USI PATH is described as a proprietary risk-control platform that presents industry loss drivers, improvement areas by coverage line, and curated vendor solutions with preferred pricing and ROI projections. The homepage also markets PATH as guiding clients through risk control from identifying sources of loss to targeting solutions. Performance, ROI, and premium-reduction claims on those pages are company-reported. 32,15Company-reported. Risk-control tool as marketed. Access for a given client is not specified on the public pages.

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.

USI’s contact page tells people seeking claims assistance to contact the appropriate USI office. A May 2021 claims kit instructs clients to report property, workers’ compensation, general liability, and commercial auto claims to the insurance company, and to involve the USI account team or claims consultant for environmental, executive/management liability, professional liability/E&O, and cyber. Natural-disaster guidance likewise points commercial P&C clients to their claims representative or client service team. The materials describe reporting assistance, not claims-handling quality or authority to settle. 19,33,34,23Company-reported. Public claims-reporting instructions. The 2021 kit may not reflect every current account’s reporting rules.

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.

Unless otherwise negotiated, USI says compensation for placing coverage is customarily a commission calculated as a percentage of premium and paid by the insurer. It may also receive additional monetary and non-monetary compensation from insurers or intermediaries (including affiliates), which can be contingent on volume, profitability, or other factors, and some agreements include growth or distribution incentives. Clients may request the nature and source of expected compensation, including on alternative quotes. Standard commission percentages and fee schedules for startup accounts are not published. 22Company-reported. USI’s published producer-compensation disclosure. Account-specific amounts require a proposal.

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.

USI Insurance Services Official Website

  1. Insurance Brokerage and Consulting. USI Insurance Services; Practice tiles for property and casualty, employee benefit consulting, personal risk, PATH, and Valhalla headquarters footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. The Power of ONE. USI Insurance Services; History, client-count, nationwide office, and P&C / benefits / personal risk / retirement description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. The USI ONE Advantage. USI Insurance Services; Omni, Network, and Enterprise planning process description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Find a USI office near you. USI Insurance Services; More than 10,000 professionals, over 200 U.S. offices, serving every state. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. Contact Us. USI Insurance Services; Unsecured website message note, Valhalla corporate office, claims-assistance instruction to contact a USI office. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  6. Disclaimer. USI Insurance Services; General-information disclaimer and no-warranty language. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  7. Privacy. USI Insurance Services; Privacy notice identifying USI Insurance Services, California appendix, and disclosure of personal information to insurance carriers as needed to provide services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  8. Commissions and Fees. USI Insurance Services; Licensed-producer authority, insurer-paid commission default, contingent compensation, and client request right. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  9. P&C Insurance and Risk Consulting. USI Insurance Services; Listed P&C risk exposures, claim advocates, and pcinquiries@usi.com contact. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  10. Technology Insurance. USI Insurance Services; Technology practice client types, seed-to-IPO range, and listed insurance placement lines including PrivaSafe. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  11. Business Services. USI Insurance Services; Listed coverage solutions including D&O, EPL, crime, fiduciary, E&O, cyber, kidnap and ransom, and claim advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Private Equity. USI Insurance Services; Representations and warranties insurance, employee benefits due diligence, and post-close P&C and benefits servicing. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  13. Healthcare. USI Insurance Services; Medical professional (malpractice) liability, required bonding, and other listed healthcare specialty coverages. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Employee Benefits. USI Insurance Services; Employer benefit consulting services and EBsolutions@usi.com contact. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. USI Exclusive PrivaSafe. USI Insurance Services; Manuscripted cyber and privacy program description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  16. Protect Your Organization From Increasing Third-Party Cyber Exposures. USI Insurance Services; PrivaSafe risk-transfer description and review of existing cyber and technology E&O policies before marketing. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  17. Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks. USI Insurance Services; ExecuSafe program for D&O and management liability, including EPL, fiduciary, and crime; Select.Business@usi.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  18. Reduce Claims and Costs by Optimizing Your Risk Control. USI Insurance Services; USI PATH proprietary risk-control platform description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  19. Client Emergency Preparedness Claims Kit. USI Insurance Services; Updated May 2021 claims-reporting table directing some lines to the insurer and executive, professional, and cyber lines to the USI account team or claims consultant. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  20. Natural Disaster Planning. USI Insurance Services; Commercial P&C claims contact via client service team or local office; Select/Small Commercial contacts. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  21. Aon to acquire USI to establish the premier U.S. middle-market platform. Aon plc via PR Newswire; 31 August 2026 announcement; independent operation until expected Q4 2026 close; About USI description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  22. USI Insurance Services LLC associate biography (San Francisco). USI Insurance Services; Letterhead naming USI Insurance Services LLC, 575 Market St Suite 3750 San Francisco, CA, and CA DOI License # 0G11911. 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.

Suggested Comparisons

All Comparisons

Get Help With Insurance Buying and Renewals.

Get help buying coverage and managing renewals, with less paperwork for your team. Start with a free consultation.

Talk to Spot