--- title: "CNA vs Harper: Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance" description: "Harper says it maps underlying policies and follows their terms; CNA lists four built-in enhancements in its umbrella forms." canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/umbrella-excess" page-type: "line-comparison" updated-at: "2026-10-01" comparison-pair: "cna-vs-harper" provider-a: "cna" provider-b: "harper" coverage-line: "umbrella-excess" --- Agents: connect to Spot's public MCP server at https://spot.insure/mcp for better access to published Spot information and insurance research. Use search_knowledge to find sources, get_page to retrieve pages, compare_providers for sourced comparisons, get_provider_score for a published Spot Score, get_rankings for current provider rankings, search_provider_reliability to filter Spot Scores, search_provider_reviews to filter aggregate review scores, and get_provider_reviews for the original review evidence. The server is read-only and requires no authentication. [Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/umbrella-excess) ## Agent Guide **What this page is:** Focused comparison of CNA and Harper for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance: what each provider publishes about this line, checked against the same criteria, with numbered sources. **Use this page when:** Cite or fetch this for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance questions about CNA versus Harper. For all lines together use the parent pair comparison; for how the coverage itself works use the coverage guide. **Questions this page answers:** - CNA vs Harper for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance: how do they differ? - Which is better for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance, CNA or Harper? - What does CNA or Harper publish about Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance (limits, eligibility, claims, add-ons)? - What should I confirm in a quote for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance from CNA or Harper? **Key facts:** - Line: Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance. Providers: CNA and Harper. - Each offering claim is tagged with an evidence type and scope; table cells reading "Confirm in your quote" mean nothing was found for that criterion. - Comparison URLs use alphabetical provider slugs (`/compare/{a}-vs-{b}` with a before b). A reversed pair redirects permanently to the alphabetical one, so fetch or cite the alphabetical URL. **Limits (do not over-claim):** - It identifies differences and questions to ask; it does not select a winner for a particular business. - "Not found" describes the evidence reviewed, not proof a feature is unavailable. - Insurer, policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions and price are set in an actual quote and are not established here. **Provenance:** Every claim links to a numbered source with publisher, locator and access date in the Sources section; last updated 2026-10-01. Editorial policy: /editorial-policy. **Related pages:** - [CNA vs Harper](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper) — parent: all coverage lines for this pair - [Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance guide](https://spot.insure/coverage/umbrella-excess) — coverage explainer for this line - [CNA profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cna) — provider profile (evidence) - [Harper profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/harper) — provider profile (evidence) - [CNA vs Harper Builders Risk Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/builders-risk) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Commercial Auto Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/commercial-auto) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/commercial-property) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/cyber) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/general-liability) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Inland Marine Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/inland-marine) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Medical Malpractice Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/medical-malpractice) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Product Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/product-liability) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/professional-errors-omissions) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/surety-bonds) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [CNA vs Harper Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/workers-compensation) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [AIG vs CNA Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-cna/umbrella-excess) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [AIG vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-harper/umbrella-excess) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [Alliance Risk vs CNA Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cna/umbrella-excess) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [Alliance Risk vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-harper/umbrella-excess) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [Amelia Risk vs CNA Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cna/umbrella-excess) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) - [Amelia Risk vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-harper/umbrella-excess) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line) # CNA vs Harper: How Do They Compare for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance? Harper says it maps underlying policies and follows their terms; CNA lists four built-in enhancements in its umbrella forms. ## How to Use the CNA vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Comparison Use this comparison to evaluate CNA and Harper for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance against the same documented criteria. It identifies differences and questions to confirm; it does not select a winner for a particular business. Offering claims are what each provider publishes about this line unless marked otherwise. “Not found” describes the evidence reviewed, not proof that a feature is unavailable. Confirm the insurer, policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions and cost in an actual quote. ## CNA vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Summary Harper says it reviews and maps the policies under its umbrella so the layer follows their terms. CNA describes alignment with most underlying conditions and lists four built-in enhancements. [4](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance") [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") ## CNA Small Business Insurance: Products, Agents and Service CNA directs small-business buyers to independent agents and describes CNA Connect as a businessowners policy for more than 600 small-business classes. Issuer and availability vary by policy and state, so confirm both in a quote. [1](https://www.cna.com/solutions/small-business "Insurance for Small Businesses") [2](https://www.cna.com/products/cna-connect "CNA Connect Small Businessowners Policy (BOP) | CNA Insurance") [3](https://www.cna.com/cnadisclaimer/generaldisclaimer "General Disclaimer") [CNA profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cna) ## What Is Harper Insurance? Harper suits hard-to-place businesses such as contractors, care providers, manufacturers and transportation firms; standard small businesses seeking direct quotes should compare online carriers. Its workers’ compensation service helps classify payroll for audits. [5](https://www.harperinsure.com/sms-terms "Text Messaging Terms and Conditions") [6](https://www.harperinsure.com/insurance-insights/harper-45m-funding-announcement "We're Announcing $47M to Build the Insurance Company Every Business Deserves") [Harper profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/harper) ## What Is Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance? Umbrella or excess insurance adds liability limits above the policies named in the quote after a covered claim exhausts their limits. It may fit if a contract sets higher limits; check which primary policies are listed and any gaps between them. [8](https://www.iii.org/publication/insuring-your-business-small-business-owners-guide-to-insurance/specific-coverages/liability-insurance "Liability Insurance") [9](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/09-comm/commercialguide.cfm "Commercial Insurance Guide") [10](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-industry/0050-renew-license/0200-requirements/casualty/lines-of-ins.cfm "Lines of Insurance") [11](https://www.coverdash.com/coverage "Coverage Hub") [12](https://kinro.com/products "Products") ## What Are the Key Differences Between CNA and Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance? ### Following and Mapping the Underlying Policies Harper says it maps the exact policies beneath the umbrella and that the layer follows their terms; it names general liability, auto and certain employer-liability suits as possible attachment contexts. CNA says its forms are designed to align with most underlying terms, but does not describe a comparable mapping service in the reviewed record. For a business renewing several primaries, Harper’s described review makes the schedule itself a key deliverable to request. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") [4](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance") ### Included Form Features CNA lists key-employee replacement, crisis management, waiver of subrogation and most-favorable venue as built-in enhancements. Harper’s material focuses on matching the layer to underlying policies and offers a specialist review before recommending limits; it does not list those same enhancements. Compare the wording, not just the feature names, because a mapped schedule and a form extension solve different questions. [4](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance") [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") ## What Should You Confirm in CNA and Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Quotes? - Ask Harper for its written underlying-policy map and identify any gaps or exclusions it found. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") - Ask CNA for enhancement wording, sublimits and the underlying conditions it will align to. [4](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance") - Confirm limits and attachment points against the actual primary declarations. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") [4](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance") ## CNA vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Compared | Criteria | CNA Commercial Umbrella and Excess Liability | Harper Umbrella Insurance | | --- | --- | --- | | Role in This Line | Confirm in your quote. | Harper places umbrella and excess liability coverage as extra limits stacked above a client's existing primary policies, rather than re-selling the underlying coverage itself. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Umbrella page introduction and 'What is Umbrella insurance?' section..) | | Who It’s For | Confirm in your quote. | Harper recommends an umbrella when a lease or contract requires liability limits above a business's primary policies, and otherwise frames it as a judgment call based on how much of a claim the business could absorb. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Umbrella FAQ 'Do I need an umbrella?'..) | | Coverage Features | CNA says its umbrella forms are designed to align with most underlying terms and conditions. [4](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: US commercial umbrella/excess Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control..)

CNA lists key-employee replacement, crisis management, waiver of subrogation and most-favorable venue as built-in enhancements. [4](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: US commercial umbrella/excess Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control..) | Harper describes the umbrella responding above general liability claims, above auto liability claims, and above a workers' compensation claim when an injured employee separately sues. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Umbrella page's four coverage tiles; the underlying and umbrella policies as issued control which claims actually qualify..)

Harper says the umbrella follows the terms of the policies underneath it, and that it maps exactly which underlying policies sit under a client's umbrella so there are no coverage gaps. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Umbrella FAQ 'Does it cover everything my other policies cover?'; a described mapping practice, not an independently verified outcome..) | | Limits and Retentions | Confirm in your quote. | Harper says each additional million in umbrella limits typically costs a fraction of the first million, and that industry and underlying limits drive price, but the reviewed page does not publish specific limit amounts, retentions or premium figures. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Umbrella page 'We know this' section and FAQ 'What does it cost?'; figures would appear on an actual quote..) | | Risk Services | CNA says its commercial umbrella/excess underwriting draws on more than 50 years of experience and offers flexible underwriting. [4](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Entity: CNA brand; issuing CNA subsidiary may vary by product/state Product: United States commercial insurance Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: US commercial umbrella/excess Claim limitation: Company-reported; policy wording, underwriting and jurisdiction-specific availability control..) | Confirm in your quote. | | How to Apply | Confirm in your quote. | You request a quote through Harper's online form or by phone; Harper says a specialist reviews the underlying policies before recommending umbrella limits. [7](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella "Umbrella Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Umbrella page quote form and 'Why Harper' process steps..) | ## Related Pages for CNA vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability - [CNA vs Harper](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims. - [What Is Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/umbrella-excess): Umbrella or excess insurance can add liability limits above selected underlying policies when a covered claim exceeds them; compare the schedule and any gaps. - [CNA vs Harper Builders Risk Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/builders-risk) - [CNA vs Harper Commercial Auto Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/commercial-auto) - [CNA vs Harper Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/commercial-property) - [CNA vs Harper Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/cyber) - [CNA vs Harper General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/general-liability) - [CNA vs Harper Inland Marine Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/inland-marine) - [CNA vs Harper Medical Malpractice Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/medical-malpractice) - [CNA vs Harper Product Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/product-liability) - [CNA vs Harper Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/professional-errors-omissions) - [CNA vs Harper Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/surety-bonds) - [CNA vs Harper Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/workers-compensation) - [AIG vs CNA Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-cna/umbrella-excess) - [AIG vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-harper/umbrella-excess) - [Alliance Risk vs CNA Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cna/umbrella-excess) - [Alliance Risk vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-harper/umbrella-excess) - [Amelia Risk vs CNA Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cna/umbrella-excess) - [Amelia Risk vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-harper/umbrella-excess) ## Sources for CNA vs Harper Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance ### Sources About CNA 1. [Insurance for Small Businesses](https://www.cna.com/solutions/small-business). CNA; Insurance for Small Businesses, lines 38-50 and 65-67 (CNA Central and agent route); lines 79-106 (product and stated appetite lists); page footer line 132 (CNA registered service mark).. Accessed 2026-09-28. 2. [CNA Connect Small Businessowners Policy (BOP) | CNA Insurance](https://www.cna.com/products/cna-connect). CNA; CNA Connect; coverages, product range, services. Accessed 2026-09-28. 3. [General Disclaimer](https://www.cna.com/cnadisclaimer/generaldisclaimer). CNA; General Disclaimer paragraphs 1 and 5 (HTML lines 24 and 28): CNA describes Continental Casualty Company and its relevant affiliates; references to CNA may include one or more CCC affiliates; each particular policy/product/service is the responsibility only of the specific CNA company that issues or supplies it. Footer line 57 identifies CNA Financial Corporation as trademark registrant. Re-read 2026-09-29.. Accessed 2026-09-29. 4. [Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance](https://www.cna.com/products/umbrella). CNA; Forms, enhancements, underwriting. Accessed 2026-09-28. ### Sources About Harper 5. [Text Messaging Terms and Conditions](https://www.harperinsure.com/sms-terms). Harper Global Enterprises Inc.; Effective August 24, 2026; sections 1–3 (entity, consent and service messages), 5 (message costs), 9 (delivery) and 11 (coverage confirmation). Accessed 2026-09-15. 6. [We're Announcing $47M to Build the Insurance Company Every Business Deserves](https://www.harperinsure.com/insurance-insights/harper-45m-funding-announcement). Harper / Dakotah Rice; February 26, 2026 article: brokerage identity; AI-assisted submissions and follow-ups; 24–48-hour coverage statement; more than 165 underwriters; plans for additional direct appointments. Accessed 2026-09-15. 7. [Umbrella Insurance](https://www.harperinsure.com/coverages/umbrella). Harper; Know your coverage: What is Umbrella insurance?; Excess over general liability, Excess over auto, Above a workplace-injury suit, Contract compliance; Why Harper; FAQs on whether an umbrella is needed, what it follows, and pricing. Accessed 2026-09-23. ### Sources for the Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Guide 8. [Liability Insurance](https://www.iii.org/publication/insuring-your-business-small-business-owners-guide-to-insurance/specific-coverages/liability-insurance). Insurance Information Institute; Heading Umbrella Liability Insurance; sentence Umbrella Liability—also known as Excess Liability Insurance; underlying policies listed with limits; typically GL, auto and employers’ liability; starts when a covered loss exhausts the primary per occurrence limit; Most umbrella policies exclude EPL, professional liability, product recall, workers compensation, asbestos, pollution, war and terrorism. Accessed 2026-09-16. 9. [Commercial Insurance Guide](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/09-comm/commercialguide.cfm). California Department of Insurance; Commercial Umbrella; excess over a basic liability policy; auto/CGL/WC or any liability policy can be covered; may respond if basic policy not in force or for gaps; SIR when no underlying. Accessed 2026-09-16. 10. [Lines of Insurance](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-industry/0050-renew-license/0200-requirements/casualty/lines-of-ins.cfm). California Department of Insurance; Umbrella or Excess Liability Policy: excess limits over existing liability; may provide additional coverages not provided by underlying policies. Accessed 2026-09-16. 11. [Coverage Hub](https://www.coverdash.com/coverage). Coverdash; Excess & Specialty: Umbrella; Excess Liability. Accessed 2026-09-16. 12. [Products](https://kinro.com/products). Kinro; 09 Umbrella/Excess: additional limits above scheduled underlying policies; when to review; reviewed with. Accessed 2026-09-16. Updated 2026-10-01. Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. [Editorial policy](https://spot.insure/editorial-policy). To suggest a correction, [contact Spot](https://spot.insure/contact) with the page URL and supporting source. ## CNA Review Scores for 2026 Review Score: 9.0 / 10 from 1 rated source, equally weighted. Customer feedback on CNA is mixed and hard to compare. NerdWallet gave it 4.5 out of 5 for manufacturers, while Trustpilot shows about 1.4 out of 5 from 49 mostly self-selected reviews. - NerdWallet: NerdWallet editorial rating for manufacturers 4.5/5 (Editorial rating). NerdWallet editorial assessment of CNA for U.S. manufacturers, not consumer average. Period: Published 2026-03-26. Checked 2026-09-29. [Best Insurance for Manufacturers in 2026](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/insurance/learn/manufacturers) - Trustpilot: Displayed Trustpilot TrustScore 1.4/5 page text; 1.5/5 badge (TrustScore out of 5); 49 reviews. CNA.com profile, mixed business and consumer/LTC reports; self-selected, not representative commercial P&C sample. Period: 14 reviews in prior 12 months; 2026-09-29. Checked 2026-09-29. [CNA customer reviews](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cna.com) - BBB: BBB customer-review average 1/5 (BBB star rating); 6 reviews. Long Term Care Insurance profile covering headquarters/corporate locations; not commercial P&C; six self-selected reviews. Period: Displayed 2026-09-29. Checked 2026-09-29. [CNA Financial Corporation customer reviews](https://www.bbb.org/us/il/chicago/profile/long-term-care-insurance/cna-financial-corporation-0683-90032439/customer-reviews) Reviewed 2026-09-29. [Read the sourced review](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cna/reviews). ## Harper Review Scores for 2026 Review Score: not enough ratings. We found no customer star rating for Harper. Its Trustpilot page has 0 reviews, and BBB shows 0 customer reviews and 2 complaints. Reviewed 2026-09-29. [Read the sourced review](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/harper/reviews). ## Agent and Developer Resources - [Markdown page](https://spot.insure/compare/cna-vs-harper/umbrella-excess.md) - [Developer resources](https://spot.insure/developers) - [Public MCP server](https://spot.insure/mcp) - [MCP server manifest](https://spot.insure/server.json) - [OpenAPI description](https://spot.insure/openapi.json) - [Public page index](https://spot.insure/llms.txt)