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Beazley vs Markel Insurance

Beazley says small technology and business-services companies can consider MediaTech, while Markel describes multiple underwriting subsidiaries across its U.S. insurance operation. Compare the product, proposed insurer and terms for the specific risk. 1,21

Introduction

Coverage Comparison

CoverageBeazleyMarkel Insurance
Builders riskNot listedListed 41Markel builders risk
Cargo and transitNot listedListed 40Markel cargo and transit coverage
Commercial propertyListed 15Beazley offers commercial property insurance for mid-sized and large US and Canadian accounts on an excess-and-surplus-lines basis.Listed 39Markel commercial property
CrimeListed 11Beazley offers commercial crime insurance.Listed 36Markel Cyber 360 eCrime component (standalone product not established)
Cyber liabilityListed 1,9Beazley offers cyber insurance for small and midsized businesses.Listed 36Markel Cyber 360
Directors and officersListed 10Beazley offers directors and officers liability insurance for private organizations through ExecuGuard.Listed 38Markel private and nonprofit D&O
Employment practices liabilityListed 10Beazley offers employment practices liability insurance for private organizations through ExecuGuard.Listed 38Markel employment practices liability
Equipment breakdownNot listedListed 34Equipment-breakdown option within property coverage; standalone product not established
Fidelity bondsListed 11Beazley offers fidelity bonds for financial institutions.Not listed
Fiduciary liabilityListed 10Beazley offers fiduciary liability insurance for private organizations through ExecuGuard.Listed 38Markel fiduciary liability
General liabilityListed 17,13Beazley offers general liability insurance in packages such as its environmental-services policy.Listed 34Markel small-business casualty and property
Hired and non-owned autoListed 17Beazley offers hired and non-owned auto coverage within its environmental-services package.Listed 34Hired/non-owned auto option in small-business casualty; not commercial auto
Liquor liabilityNot listedListed 34Markel liquor liability
Management liabilityListed 10Beazley offers management liability insurance for private organizations through ExecuGuard.Listed 38Markel management liability
Media liabilityListed 1Beazley offers media liability insurance through MediaTech for small technology and business-services companies.Listed 36Markel Cyber 360 media liability component (standalone product not established)
Medical malpracticeListed 13,14Beazley offers medical professional liability insurance for digital-health businesses and middle-to-large life-sciences organizations.Not listed
Product liabilityListed 14Beazley offers product liability insurance for middle-to-large life-sciences organizations.Listed 34Markel products liability
Product recallListed 16Beazley offers product recall insurance through its manufacturing risk product.Not listed
Professional errors and omissions (E&O)Listed 1,17Beazley offers professional errors and omissions insurance through MediaTech for small technology and business-services companies.Listed 37Markel ProBiz miscellaneous E&O
Representations and warrantiesListed 12Beazley offers representations and warranties insurance.Not listed
Surety bondsNot listedListed 43Markel Surety bonds
Technology errors and omissions (E&O)Listed 1Beazley offers technology errors and omissions insurance through MediaTech for small technology and business-services companies.Listed 36Markel Cyber 360 technology professional liability component (standalone product not established)
Tools, equipment and inland marineNot listedListed 40Markel commercial inland marine
Umbrella and excess liabilityNot listedListed 42Markel excess casualty and umbrella
Virtual care and telehealthListed 13Beazley offers virtual care insurance for digital-health businesses.Not listed
Workers’ compensationNot listedListed 35Markel Workers Compensation

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.

Beazley

Hybrid provider

Broker

6.9/ 10

Assessed provider: Beazley. Scope: Beazley's US activity at the named-entity level: Beazley USA Services, Inc. as the US insurance-services and producer entity, and Beazley Insurance Company, Inc., Beazley America Insurance Company, Inc. and Beazley Excess and Surplus Insurance, Inc. as the US insurers named in the US terms and ratings table. Authority and authorisation are verified in Georgia, Texas, Pennsylvania and Colorado only. No Beazley US programme has an evidenced carrier or reinsurance panel: the reviewed material maps no product to an issuing entity, so capacity is assessed at entity authorisation level and no programme-level capacity claim is made. Beazley plc group evidence is contextual, and Lloyd's syndicate ratings are excluded from the US entity assessment.

Carrier & MGA

5.5/ 10

Assessed provider: Beazley. Scope: Beazley's US activity at the named-entity level: Beazley USA Services, Inc. as the US insurance-services and producer entity, and Beazley Insurance Company, Inc., Beazley America Insurance Company, Inc. and Beazley Excess and Surplus Insurance, Inc. as the US insurers named in the US terms and ratings table. Authority and authorisation are verified in Georgia, Texas, Pennsylvania and Colorado only. No Beazley US programme has an evidenced carrier or reinsurance panel: the reviewed material maps no product to an issuing entity, so capacity is assessed at entity authorisation level and no programme-level capacity claim is made. Beazley plc group evidence is contextual, and Lloyd's syndicate ratings are excluded from the US entity assessment.

Provider assessment

Markel Insurance

Carrier

Carrier & MGA

No Spot Score

Assessed provider: Markel Insurance. Scope: U.S. commercial insurance business and named insurer/service entities within Markel Insurance. Group ratings and company-published service-entity disclosures apply only to the named entities; product/state-specific insurer and claims roles remain quote/policy-specific.

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.

Beazley

Review Score

5.6/ 10

1 rated source

Beazley’s available customer feedback is mixed, with a 2.8/5 WalletHub rating from 15 reviews. That small, mixed-product sample gives business buyers limited guidance.[3][9]

Read Beazley reviews

Markel Insurance

Review Score

Not enough ratings

Markel’s five Trustpilot reviews offer a limited picture of customer experience. BBB complaints span multiple company locations, and its 2022 J.D. Power score reflects agents’ views, so these sources do not establish current policyholder service.[4][3][6][1]

Read Markel Insurance reviews

Key Differences Between Beazley and Markel Insurance

Business Roles and Insurer Access

Beazley is a specialty insurance group. Beazley USA Services, Inc. is a distinct service entity; Beazley’s U.S. terms list its California insurance license number. The specific policy issuer depends on the underwriting company named for that product. Markel Insurance describes its U.S. insurance operations within Markel Group Inc.; the FY2025 filing identifies multiple underwriting subsidiaries, so the insurer for a policy depends on its product and state. 5 21 6

Customer Focus and Application Route

Beazley says small technology and business-services companies can consider MediaTech. Its separate Life Sciences offering targets middle- to large-sized organizations. Markel’s U.S. small-business page lists child care and enrichment, commercial and residential services, sports and fitness, and manufacturing as example segments; it is not a complete eligibility schedule. 1 14 28

Beazley accepts MediaTech placement through third-party platforms or email. An application or submission is not acceptance or binding. Markel’s FY2025 filing describes wholesale and retail distribution for its U.S. Wholesale and Specialty division and says certain admitted products and programs are marketed directly to consumers. Its workers’ compensation page also invites an online application or an appointed-agent quote request; it does not establish online purchase or binding. 1 21 29

What to Confirm in Quotes

For the specific line and state, confirm the proposed underwriting company, placement channel, application steps and who will service the policy after issue. Compare actual policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions, effective dates and total cost; the public descriptions do not establish equivalent coverage or eligibility. 5 21

Compare Services

What each provider documents about the services you may need

CriteriaBeazleyMarkel Insurance
Business role

Your policy comes from a Beazley underwriting company, not the service entity: Beazley is a specialty insurance group, while Beazley USA Services, Inc. reports doing business in California as Beazley Insurance Services under company-disclosed license 0G55497. The license was not independently verified. 5,6,7Company-reported. US group and disclosed insurance-services entity; no regulator verification or product-specific producer appointment established.

Markel describes Markel Insurance as the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc., a Virginia holding company. Markel Group's FY2025 filing identifies multiple underwriting subsidiaries. The insurer for a specific policy depends on the product, state and current quote or policy disclosures; Markel Insurance is not one standalone legal insurer. 21,22Company-reported. U.S. commercial-insurance identity and parent/business relationship; not a product-specific issuer assignment.

Customer focus

Small technology and business-services companies can consider MediaTech; digital-health buyers can look at Virtual Care, while Beazley’s Life Sciences offering targets middle and large organizations. 1,13,14Company-reported. Product-specific audiences; funding stage is not an eligibility criterion established by these sources.

Markel's U.S. small-business page lists child care and enrichment, commercial and residential services, sports and fitness, and manufacturing among the segments it describes. Separately, its FY2025 filing describes Markel Insurance's global specialty business as underwriting hard-to-place risks; that wording is not specific to U.S. Wholesale and Specialty. 28,21Company-reported. Company-stated U.S. small-business examples and separate global business characterization; neither establishes eligibility.

Application process

Prepare company services, products, employee count, US and foreign revenue, financial statements and expected changes for a MediaTech application; Beazley accepts placement through third-party platforms or email, but submission is not acceptance or binding. 1,2Company-reported. Published small-business placement description and F00859 042022; no application submitted or binding time tested.

Markel's FY2025 filing says U.S. Wholesale and Specialty distributes through wholesale and retail channels on admitted and excess-and-surplus bases, including limited small-account binding authority. In 2025, 71% of this division's gross written premium was placed through wholesale brokers, 26% through retail agents and brokers, and the remainder through alternative channels. Certain admitted products and programs are marketed directly to consumers, but that does not establish online purchase or binding for every product. 21Company-reported. FY2025 Markel Insurance U.S. Wholesale and Specialty distribution; not the whole Markel Insurance business.

For workers' compensation, Markel directs applicants to submit an online application or contact an appointed agent to request a quote; the reviewed page does not establish that purchase and binding are completed online. 29Company-reported. Markel U.S. workers' compensation page only; route to request a quote.

Agencies can request a Markel appointment; Markel says appointments are made by affiliated insurer and product, and producers must hold the required state license. This is a producer onboarding route, not an insured's application path. 32Company-reported. Commercial agency appointment information; not retail purchase process.

Sources

Beazley Official Website

  1. MediaTech for Small Businesses. Beazley; Opening product description; What we offer: E&O (Tech and Professional), Media, Cyber coverage includes; How can we help; SME placement paragraph; Tools & Resources. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Beazley Digital Media Tech Application. Beazley; F00859, 042022 edition, pages 1–2: notice, general information and revenue information. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Beazley MediaTech Sample Policy. Beazley; F00731, 022019 edition; printed pages 14, 16–18: definitions and exclusions (PDF pages 15, 17–19). Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Beazley MediaTech Renewal Application. Beazley; F00729, 022019 edition; page 1, title and claims-made notice. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. Legal Information. Beazley; Website conditions: US jurisdiction availability, surplus lines and policy wording disclaimers; Beazley plc identity. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  6. US Web Services Terms of Use. Beazley; Page 1: operating entities and California insurance license table. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  7. US Contingency Toolkit. Beazley; PDF page 13: Event Tech Protect disclaimer; page 26: Disclaimer US (BZPAC211). Accessed 2026-09-16.
  8. Notify a Claim. Beazley; Policy-first guidance; Submit a Notice of Loss; US email directory. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  9. Full Spectrum Cyber for Small Businesses. Beazley; What we offer; Responsive Cyber; Vendor Services; Small and medium sized businesses. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  10. Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary). Beazley; ExecuGuard product introduction: combined EPL, D&O and fiduciary coverage for private organizations; What we offer: separate or shared limits, admitted or non-admitted; How can we help. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  11. Crime and Fidelity. Beazley; What we offer: Commercial Crime (commercial companies) and Financial Fidelity Bonds (financial institutions); fraudulent instruction condition. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Mergers & Acquisitions. Beazley; What we offer: representations/warranties, target customers and 50-state statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  13. Virtual Care. Beazley; Available Coverages; Who we can help; Where is this offered. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Life Sciences. Beazley; What we offer; Our Coverages: Products/Completed Operations, Healthcare Professional Liability; Who we can help: middle-to-large life-sciences organizations. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. North American Commercial Property. Beazley; North American Commercial Property: Coverage highlights; Who we can help (middle-to-large commercial accounts); Where is this offered (US and Canadian domicile, E&S basis). Accessed 2026-09-16.
  16. Product Recall – Manufacturing Risk and Response. Beazley; What we offer; Who we can help; Where is this offered. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  17. Environmental Package Policy (BeazleyOne Environmental). Beazley; BeazleyOne environmental package: Key Coverages (General Liability, Professional Liability); Additional Coverages (Hired and Non-Owned Auto); Who we can help (environmental-service businesses). Accessed 2026-09-16.
  18. Beazley US Marine. Beazley; Beazley US Marine: What we offer: Marine Hull and Marine Liability, primary and excess. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  19. US Specialty Programs. Beazley; What we offer; Who we can help; Where is this offered. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  20. Explore All Products. Beazley; US product directory, all product categories including Small Business Solutions and Reinsurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Markel Insurance Official Website

  1. Markel Group Inc. 2025 Form 10-K. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; filed by Markel Group Inc.; Cover page; Part I, Item 1 Business—Markel Insurance, U.S. Wholesale and Specialty, Programs and Solutions; Part II, Item 7/8 for group and segment risks. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. About us. Markel; Markel at a glance; description of Markel Insurance within Markel Group Inc. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. US Product Disclaimer. Markel; U.S. underwriting/entity and state-availability disclaimer; identifies Markel West Insurance Services, California license #2E11302, for certain non-admitted coverage. It does not state Markel Service national producer license #27585 or California DBA license #0645481. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  4. Insurance Programs. Markel; FAQ and legal disclaimer at page end; coverage by Markel insurers, Markel Service, Incorporated national producer license #27585 and California DBA license #0645481, and Markel West Insurance Services California license #2E11302 for certain non-admitted products. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  5. AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Markel Group Inc. and Its Subsidiaries. AM Best; Press release dated November 21, 2025; paragraphs naming ratings, rating rationale, and Markel North America Insurance Group members. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. North America Producer Compensation Disclosure. Markel; Base commissions, contingent compensation, business production/additional incentives, and Markel Specialty/Markel Service/insurer role statement. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. U.S. and Bermuda Claims Contacts. Markel; April 2026 claims-contact PDF footer: Markel West, Inc. d/b/a Markel West Insurance Services, California license #0D95581; coverage by one or more Markel insurers and non-admitted routes. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  8. Small Business Insurance. Markel; Small business products; Types of companies—Child care and enrichment, Commercial and residential services, Sports and fitness, Manufacturing. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. Workers Compensation Insurance. Markel; Introductory quote/application route; claims question and report-a-claim contact. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  10. Commercial Lines Agents & Broker Support. Markel; mPortal and Markel Online access; resources; digital distribution. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. My Account. Markel US; Online account portal capabilities; Business insurance; unlisted-product direction. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  12. Request appointment with Markel. Markel; Commercial and personal lines agency partner criteria; product-specific affiliate appointments; producer-license requirement. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. Markel Insurance Companies. Markel; Notice to California and Massachusetts Applicants and Insureds; U.S.-domiciled property and casualty insurer subsidiaries and affiliates; table of company names and market status (page states current as of 2024-04-01). Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. Small Business Casualty and Property Insurance. Markel; What we offer; product/liability, property, general casualty, inland marine, excess umbrella, liquor liability, hired/non-owned auto, employee benefits liability, E&O and equipment breakdown references. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  15. Workers Compensation Insurance. Markel; Product overview and quote route; workers compensation/employers liability, eligible industries, claim and loss-control descriptions. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  16. Cyber Insurance Coverage. Markel; Markel Cyber 360; coverages available, cyber incident response, business interruption, privacy/security liability, media liability and technology professional liability. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  17. ProBiz | Professional Liability Coverage. Markel; What is Markel ProBiz; separate management liability and miscellaneous E&O; listed limits and qualifying business size. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  18. Private and Nonprofit Management Liability Insurance. Markel; What we offer; private/nonprofit segment; D&O, EPL, fiduciary and optional coverage sections. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  19. Commercial Property Insurance. Markel; Commercial property product summary and eligible risks. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  20. Commercial Inland Marine Insurance. Markel; What we offer; inland marine classes, cargo, contractors equipment, transportation and coverage structure. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  21. Builders Risk Insurance. Markel; Coverage features; construction projects and builders-risk scope. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  22. Excess Casualty Insurance. Markel; Excess and umbrella liability and admitted/non-admitted capabilities. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  23. Markel Surety. Markel; Products; contract bonds, commercial bonds, court and probate bonds. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  24. Markel Insurance Company Complaints. Better Business Bureau; Company complaints summary: 12 in last three years, 3 closed in last 12 months; complaint-category counts and displayed case examples; headquarters and corporate-owned locations. Accessed 2026-09-29.

Updated . Tools for Enlightenment publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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