CNA vs Liberty Mutual: How Do They Compare for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance?

CNA lists four built-in umbrella features. Liberty Mutual lists umbrella and excess liability in its commercial catalogue and wholesale coverage list. 4,6,7

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. 1,2,3

Read the CNA profile

Read the CNA Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance page

What Is Liberty Mutual Business Insurance?

Liberty Mutual spans small-commercial, commercial, specialty, surety, and reinsurance businesses. The insurer and distribution route depend on the product, so check the offer and policy before you compare terms. 5,6

Read the Liberty Mutual profile

Read the Liberty Mutual Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance page

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. 8,9,10,11,12

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance

Published Form Features Versus Catalogue Listing

CNA describes its umbrella forms as aligned with most underlying terms and names four enhancements: key-employee replacement, crisis management, waiver of subrogation and most-favorable venue. Liberty Mutual’s reviewed materials establish that umbrella/excess is listed in its commercial and wholesale catalogues and distributed through agents or brokers, but do not establish limits or attachment terms. That leaves a buyer with feature wording to investigate at CNA and product availability and structure to clarify with Liberty Mutual. 4 6 7

Information to Obtain Before Comparing

CNA’s list gives specific topics for reviewing the form; Liberty Mutual’s catalogue references do not tell a buyer which underlying policies, limits or eligibility rules apply to a particular account. Do not treat the catalogue entry as a quote. Ask its broker or agent for a proposal and specimen wording, then compare both carriers’ attachment and exclusion language on the same primary schedule. 6 4

What to Confirm in Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Quotes

  • Ask Liberty Mutual which commercial or wholesale channel handles your class, and request limits and attachment terms. 7
  • Request CNA’s four feature clauses and the offered limit. 4
  • Align exclusions and underlying requirements before comparing pricing. 6 4

CNA and Liberty Mutual Review Scores for 2026

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.

CNA Review Score

9.0/ 10

Review Score

1 rated source

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.[1][5]

Read CNA reviews

Liberty Mutual Review Score

7.2/ 10

Review Score

2 rated sources

Customers give Liberty Mutual 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 3,836 reviews, but that page mixes auto, home and life customers with business ones. For business insurance specifically, NerdWallet gives 3.0 out of 5 and reports more complaints than expected.[4][1]

Read Liberty Mutual reviews

CNA vs Liberty Mutual Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Compared

CNA vs Liberty Mutual: Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaCNA Commercial Umbrella and Excess LiabilityUmbrella and Excess Liability
Role in This Line

Confirm in your quote.

Liberty Mutual lists umbrella and excess liability in its commercial catalogue and in a wholesale-industry coverage list. 6,7Company-reported. Official Liberty Mutual commercial/product page; company-reported description scoped to Umbrella and Excess Liability. Not policy wording, underwriting approval, state eligibility or a coverage guarantee.

Who It’s For

Confirm in your quote.

The commercial business pages distribute products through brokers and agents. 6,7Company-reported. Official Liberty Mutual commercial/product page; company-reported description scoped to Umbrella and Excess Liability. Not policy wording, underwriting approval, state eligibility or a coverage guarantee.

Coverage Features

CNA says its umbrella forms are designed to align with most underlying terms and conditions. 4Company-reported. 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. 4Company-reported. 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.

Its wholesale page names umbrella/excess cover as an option for that industry; limits and attachment terms are not established here. 6,7Company-reported. Official Liberty Mutual commercial/product page; company-reported description scoped to Umbrella and Excess Liability. Not policy wording, underwriting approval, state eligibility or a coverage guarantee.

Risk Services

CNA says its commercial umbrella/excess underwriting draws on more than 50 years of experience and offers flexible underwriting. 4Company-reported. 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.

The cited product page does not establish an online application or policy-binding path; ask the listed team or your broker/agent how this product is placed. 6,7Not found in reviewed sources. Reviewed product-page scope only. This not-found disposition is not a claim that no digital route exists.

Related Pages for CNA vs Liberty Mutual Umbrella and Excess Liability

Umbrella and Excess Liability Pages for CNA and Liberty Mutual

Other Coverage Lines Compared for CNA vs Liberty Mutual

Other Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Provider Comparisons

Sources for CNA vs Liberty Mutual

Sources About CNA

  1. Insurance for Small Businesses. 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. CNA; CNA Connect; coverages, product range, services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. General Disclaimer. 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. CNA; Forms, enhancements, underwriting. Accessed 2026-09-28.

Sources About Liberty Mutual

  1. Company Profile. Liberty Mutual Group; Strategic business units paragraph: US Retail Markets (individuals/small businesses; small commercial; countrywide) and Global Risk Solutions (mid-size/large businesses; commercial, specialty, reinsurance, surety; worldwide). Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. Commercial Insurance Solutions. Liberty Mutual Business Insurance; Commercial solutions index names commercial auto and fleet, cyber, environmental liability, equipment breakdown, excess and surplus, general liability, healthcare liability, inland marine, management liability, multinational, ocean marine, professional liability, property, reinsurance, surety, umbrella/excess and workers compensation. Disclosure says policy insurer is named when offered, may be an affiliate/subsidiary or surplus-lines insurer; states/jurisdictions and actual policy terms vary. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. Wholesale Distribution. Liberty Mutual Business Insurance; Wholesale coverage options list includes cargo stock throughput, commercial auto, cyber, D&O, environmental, general liability, inland marine, management liability, property (including equipment breakdown), trade credit, umbrella/excess and workers compensation. Industry-specific examples, not universal eligibility. Accessed 2026-09-29.

Sources for the Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Guide

  1. 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.
  2. Commercial Insurance Guide. 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.
  3. Lines of Insurance. 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.
  4. Coverage Hub. Coverdash; Excess & Specialty: Umbrella; Excess Liability. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. Products. Kinro; 09 Umbrella/Excess: additional limits above scheduled underlying policies; when to review; reviewed with. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated . 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. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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