At-Bay vs The Hartford Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance

The Hartford publishes average minimum premiums across five named professional-liability products; At-Bay publishes a limit ceiling for MPL.

What Is At-Bay Insurance?

At-Bay offers Cyber, Tech E&O, and miscellaneous professional liability insurance through its disclosed insurance agency and surplus lines broker. Its Stance security services have policy eligibility conditions, with managed detection and response sold separately. ^1,²

Read the At-Bay profile

What Is The Hartford?

The Hartford is the brand of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., whose subsidiaries underwrite property-and-casualty insurance and employee benefits. Small-business buyers can start online or by phone or work through independent agents, while the issuing company and state eligibility still have to be confirmed on a quote. ^7,^8,⁹

Read the The Hartford profile

What Is Professional Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance?

Professional errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, also called professional liability insurance, addresses claims that professional services or advice caused a client financial loss. What's covered depends on the services actually scheduled in the policy, not the product label alone. ^11,^12,^13,¹⁴

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance

Named Products With Prices Versus One Product With a Limit

The Hartford publishes average minimum monthly premiums across five named professional-liability products: Misc. Professional Liability Standalone at $62, an endorsement version at $41, Architects and Engineers at $239, Healthcare Professionals at $38, and Technology Companies E&O at $146. ¹⁰ At-Bay instead sells one named product, MPL, publishing a limit ceiling of up to $5 million rather than a set of premium figures by profession. ³

Policy Form Flexibility

The Hartford says many of its professional-liability policies are written claims-made with a retroactive date and an extended reporting period of typically 30-60 days, extendable to a year or more, though some are written on an occurrence basis. ¹⁰ At-Bay's MPL page states its coverage is claims-made-and-reported as one feature among several, without describing an occurrence-basis alternative. ³

What Neither Page Names

The Hartford's reviewed page does not publish standard coverage limits or retentions, saying cost and limits are set at quote. ¹⁰ At-Bay's current MPL page does not name the insurer that would issue a new policy. ³

What to Confirm in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes

Ask The Hartford which of its five named professional-liability products matches your business, since pricing differs sharply by product. ¹⁰
Ask At-Bay directly which insurer would issue your MPL policy. ³
Confirm whether The Hartford would write your policy claims-made or occurrence, and what an extended reporting period would cost. ¹⁰
Ask At-Bay for its published $5 million limit ceiling and applicable state restrictions. ³
Ask The Hartford for the actual limit and retention it can offer, since neither is published on the reviewed page. ¹⁰

Offering Details

At-Bay vs The Hartford Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	At-Bay Miscellaneous Professional Liability (MPL) Insurance	The Hartford Professional Liability Insurance (Errors & Omissions)
Role in This Line	At-Bay markets MPL as one of its own named insurance products, sold through its disclosed producer, At-Bay Insurance Services LLC, with the product page directed at "properly licensed insurance professionals" submitting business rather than at direct retail buyers. ^3,⁴Company-reported. Current MPL product page and license disclosures; this describes the distribution channel, not who bears the underwriting risk.	The Hartford's professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, protects businesses when they make mistakes in the professional services provided to clients, including claims that turn out to be baseless. ¹⁰Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23.
Issuing Insurer	The current MPL product page does not name the insurer that issues the policy. A September 2023 press release named United Specialty Company in connection with MPL, but that historical reference does not establish the current issuing insurer for a new MPL quote. ^3,⁵Not found in reviewed sources. Reviewed MPL page as of 2026-09-23 and the September 2023 press release; restates the existing provider fact that MPL's current issuer is unresolved, distinct from the August 2023 Cyber/Tech E&O transition to At-Bay Specialty Insurance Company paper.	Not described in the reviewed sources.
Who It’s For	At-Bay says it provides primary MPL for businesses of all revenue sizes with limits up to $5 million, subject to state restrictions and eligibility requirements detailed in a separate MPL appetite guide. ³Company-reported. Current MPL appetite paragraph; the linked appetite guide's specific eligibility requirements were not independently opened for this record.	The Hartford targets professional liability at businesses that sign contracts requiring coverage, offer professional services directly to customers, or regularly give advice to clients, and lists industries it covers: accountants, consultants, interior designers, advertising agencies, graphic designers, technology professionals and healthcare professionals. ¹⁰Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23.
Coverage Features	At-Bay lists MPL coverage highlights including automatic coverage for acquired subsidiaries, claims-made-and-reported coverage, coverage for independent contractors, disciplinary-proceedings defense, a duty-to-defend contract, personal-injury coverage (including emotional distress), punitive damages where insurable, a professional-services definition written for each insured, and an 80/20 hammer clause. ³Company-reported. Product-page coverage-highlights list; an 80/20 hammer clause is a settlement provision where the insurer pays 80% and the insured pays 20% of costs after the insured declines a recommended settlement. The issued policy and declarations control actual wording, limits and exclusions.	The Hartford says the policy can cover claims of negligence, misrepresentation, inaccurate advice, personal injury (libel/slander) and copyright infringement, plus defense costs. Many of its professional liability policies are written on a claims-made basis with a retroactive date and an extended reporting period (typically 30-60 days, extendable to a year or more for an added cost), though some are written on an occurrence basis. ¹⁰Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage and policy-form description; the issued policy controls.
Limits and Retentions	At-Bay publishes an MPL limit ceiling of up to $5 million, with state restrictions that are not detailed on the product page itself. ³Company-reported. Current appetite paragraph; this is an advertised ceiling, not a guaranteed available limit for any specific applicant.	The Hartford publishes average minimum monthly premiums by product: Misc. Professional Liability Standalone $62, Misc. Professional Liability Endorsement $41, Architects and Engineers Professional Liability $239, Healthcare Professionals Professional Liability $38, and Errors & Omissions Insurance for Technology Companies $146. The page does not publish standard coverage limits or retentions; cost and limits are set at quote. ¹⁰Company-reported. Company-reported pricing as of 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford May 4, 2026); premiums are not coverage limits.
How to Apply	At-Bay directs MPL submissions to underwriting by email or through automatic quotes on its Broker Platform, which At-Bay describes as a workflow of creating a quote, customizing limits and retentions, and binding the policy. ^3,⁶Company-reported. Current submission instructions and the general broker-platform workflow description; MPL-specific automation details were not separately confirmed.	Not described in the reviewed sources.

Full Comparison

More At-Bay vs The Hartford Comparisons

Other Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Comparisons

Sources

At-Bay

Cyber, Tech E&O & Professional Liability Insurance. At-Bay; Product cards and agency disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
At-Bay Stance. At-Bay; Real Protection Against Real Threats; Endpoint, Email, MXDR; footnotes 1 and 3–6. Accessed 2026-09-16.
MPL Insurance: Coverage Highlights & Appetite. At-Bay; MPL Coverage Highlights list; MPL Appetite paragraph; Send us your submissions; "material on this page is intended for use solely by properly licensed insurance professionals". Accessed 2026-09-23.
Licenses. At-Bay; Producer introduction; agency and surplus-lines footer naming At-Bay Insurance Services LLC. Accessed 2026-09-16.
At-Bay Doubles Miscellaneous Professional Liability Appetite. At-Bay; September 28, 2023 release: final paragraph before Media Contacts. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Broker Platform. At-Bay; How it works: Create a quote, Customize your quote, Bind your policy, Manage renewals; FAQs. Accessed 2026-09-16.

The Hartford

Legal Notice. The Hartford; The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. holding-company description; no representation that all products are available in all locations; P&C writing-company table as of December 31, 2025 including Hartford Fire (NAIC 19682) and Hartford Underwriters (NAIC 30104); life writing companies including Hartford Life and Accident (NAIC 70815). Accessed 2026-09-16.
SaaS Insurance for Your Business. The Hartford; Audience list (software startups, SaaS, IT consulting); Get a Business Owner’s Policy; What Is Business Owner’s Policy Insurance?; general liability introduction and Get a Quote; Get Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Property Insurance for Your Business; Benefits of The Hartford’s WC Insurance for Employers and Employees; cyber insurance and data breach descriptions; Get a quote for cyber insurance; EPLI introduction and Private Choice Premier; add-ons (workers’ compensation, data breach, commercial auto); technology professional liability mention; small-business availability banner; industry-average premium footnote; footnote 2 state restrictions; footer product-availability disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Find a Local Insurance Agent. The Hartford; Small-business and midsize agent locators; FAQ that buyers can purchase without an agent by calling or quoting online; statement that agents may charge fees. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Professional Liability Insurance Coverage. The Hartford; What Is Professional Liability Insurance Coverage?; What Does Professional Liability Insurance Cover?; Who Needs Professional Liability Insurance Coverage?; How Much Does Professional Liability Insurance Cost?; How Does Professional Liability Insurance Work? (claims-made vs. occurrence). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Guide

FAQ: Professional liability insurance. Texas Department of Insurance; What’s professional liability coverage?; What types of damages…; What’s general liability insurance?; Do I need professional liability… if I have general liability…?; Is professional liability insurance required?; Can a client require…?; What’s the difference between occurrence policies and claims-made policies. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Professional liability insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening paragraphs (professional services/advice and E&O name); Claims not covered by general liability; What types of businesses need professional liability insurance?; What’s covered… and what’s not (claims-made versus occurrence, defense and judgments, non-financial/intentional limits, BOP/in-home exclusion). Accessed 2026-09-16.
Get business insurance. U.S. Small Business Administration; Six common types of business insurance table. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Professional Liability – US Direct Errors and Omissions Insurance. Hiscox Inc. specimen; About this Policy / Coverage for Claims Made Against You; I.A Insuring Agreement; I.B Defense; I.C Settlement; II.A Notice of Claims; II.C Optional Extended Reporting Period; III.A, III.K, III.M, III.R, III.S Exclusions; IV.A–B Limits and Deductible; VI.O Professional Services; VI.U Wrongful Act. Accessed 2026-09-16.