Chubb vs 
Heffernan Insurance Brokers Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance
Chubb underwrites a combined professional liability, media and cyber policy; Heffernan places E&O as one line in a custom small-business package.
What Is Chubb?
Chubb is the marketing name for a global insurance group whose U.S. companies underwrite commercial property, casualty, cyber and financial-lines coverage, including technology-focused DigiTech ERM and small-business packages. Founders and finance teams typically work through an appointed agent, then receive a policy issued by a named Chubb-group insurer rather than by the Swiss holding company. 1,2,3
What Is Heffernan Insurance Brokers?
Heffernan Insurance Brokers is an independent, Walnut Creek–headquartered retail brokerage that arranges business insurance, employee benefits, and related services. Its technology practice markets to mid- and late-stage companies, including venture-funded and pre-IPO firms. 5,6,7
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. 9,10,11,12
Key Differences in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance
Who Carries the Risk
Chubb underwrites Pro ERM itself, combining professional liability, media and cyber exposures in one policy built for non-licensed professional-services firms. Heffernan's small-business division shops errors and omissions coverage to outside insurers as part of a broader package, rather than issuing the policy. 3 8
What the Product Covers
Chubb names specific Pro ERM features beyond a base E&O form: personal-injury claims from professional services, a broadened definition of professional services that reaches technology work, coverage for independent contractors, automatic additional-insured status for clients when a contract requires it, and coverage for professional disciplinary proceedings. Heffernan's reviewed page describes only the general purpose of the coverage, protecting against claims tied to problems with a company's product or service that cause a client financial loss, without listing comparable features. 3 8
Who Each One Serves
Chubb names a specific set of non-licensed professional-services buyers for Pro ERM: associations, consultants, business process administrators, event planners, interior and graphic design firms, marketing and PR firms, printers, staffing firms, travel agents and trustees. Heffernan's small-business division describes its buyer base more broadly, spanning sole proprietors through fast-growing companies in construction, food, health care, hospitality, nonprofits, real estate, technology, transportation, and vintners and growers, and offers to custom-design a package for industries not already listed. 3 8
What to Confirm in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes
- Ask Chubb for the Pro ERM liability limit and retention; the reviewed page states 100% defense-cost coverage worldwide but does not publish a separate limit figure. 3
- Ask Heffernan which insurer it would place the policy with and what limits that insurer offers, since the small-business page names neither. 8
- Confirm whether your business qualifies as "non-licensed" under Chubb's Pro ERM eligibility criteria, since licensed professionals may need a different Chubb product. 3
- Ask Heffernan whether your industry is already on its coverage list or would require a custom-designed package, and how that affects turnaround time. 8
Offering Details
Chubb vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Chubb Pro ERM (Professional Enterprise Risk Management) | Heffernan Professional Errors and Omissions Brokerage |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Chubb underwrites professional errors and omissions coverage through Pro ERM, a single policy combining professional liability, media and cyber exposures for non-licensed professional-services firms. 3Company-reported. Cyber Insurance Coverage & Products page, Professional Enterprise Risk Management section. | Heffernan lists errors and omissions among the coverages its small-business division places for clients, shopping the line with insurers rather than underwriting it. 8Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; no dedicated professional-E&O product page was found. |
| Who It’s For | Chubb says Pro ERM is available to non-licensed professional-services firms of all sizes, naming examples including associations, consultants, business process administrators, event planners, interior and graphic design firms, marketing and PR firms, printers, staffing firms, travel agents and trustees. 3Company-reported. Pro ERM Target Clients list. | Heffernan's small-business division says it serves sole proprietors through fast-growing companies across industries including construction, food, health care, hospitality, nonprofits, real estate, technology, transportation, and vintners and growers, and will custom-design a package for industries not listed. 8Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; not exclusively E&O-specific, but describes the buyer base for the page listing this coverage. |
| Coverage Features | Beyond the Cyber ERM base, Chubb says Pro ERM adds E&O coverage including personal injury from professional services, a broadened definition of professional services that expressly includes professional technology services, coverage for independent contractors performing duties on the insured's behalf, automatic additional-insured status for clients when required by contract, and coverage for professional disciplinary proceedings. 3Company-reported. Pro ERM Product Features list; subject to the policy as issued. | Heffernan describes errors and omissions coverage as protecting against claims for problems with a company's product or service that result in a financial loss to a client. 8Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; the page does not list specific exclusions, claims-made versus occurrence form, or endorsements. |
| Limits and Retentions | Chubb says Pro ERM includes coverage for 100% of defense costs for covered claims worldwide, but the reviewed page does not publish a separate liability limit or retention. 3Company-reported. Pro ERM Product Features list. | The reviewed page does not publish limits, retentions, or premium ranges for errors and omissions coverage. 8Not publicly disclosed. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Chubb says Pro ERM policyholders get access to legal counsel with extensive professional-liability experience, in addition to the general cyber-incident-response services shared with Cyber ERM. 3Company-reported. Pro ERM Product Features list. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | Agents and brokers can quote Pro ERM through Chubb's Cyber Central or Marketplace quoting platforms. 3Company-reported. Cyber Insurance Coverage & Products page quoting section. | Heffernan directs small-business buyers to contact the firm's small-business division to request a quote and says it will research and build a custom package for industries not already listed. 8Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23. |
Full Comparison
More Chubb vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Comparisons
Other Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Chubb
- Insurance For Technology Companies. Chubb; Industry overview; Who we serve; Products and services: commercial package insurance (BOP, Benchmarq, Customarq), E&O/Cyber, Financial Lines, workers’ compensation, auto and umbrella; dedicated underwriting, claims and risk engineering. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Terms Of Use. Chubb; Acceptance of Terms identifying Chubb Group Holdings Inc.; surplus-lines producer restriction; products not available to all users or jurisdictions; Chubb Limited safe-harbor language; Internet Portals for Chubb Business. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Cyber Insurance Coverage & Products. Chubb; Professional Enterprise Risk Management section: target clients and product features beyond Cyber ERM. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Insurance for Software Product & System Developers. Chubb; Financial-lines coverage solutions list for software and systems developers. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Heffernan Insurance Brokers
- Our Story. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Company Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Pre-IPO and venture-funded heading; mid to late stage specialization; global expansion copy; self-insurance strategies; Key Markets list; Why Heffernan broker history; Joseph Talmadge practice leader; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Forward-Thinking Business Insurance: basic coverages (general liability, commercial property and auto, workers’ compensation); corporate and executive protection (EPL, D&O, fiduciary responsibility, cyber, kidnap and ransom); alternative risk capabilities; claims, loss control and risk-management services; industry practice links including Technology and Claims Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Small Business Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; The types of coverage we can provide include... Errors and omissions protects against claims for problems with your product or service that result in a financial loss; industries served list; Specialty Programs; contact for custom-designed packages. 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.
