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CNA vs Markel Insurance

CNA describes broker-arranged options for the requested product for cyber liability buyers. Markel’s U.S. small-business description names child care and enrichment, commercial and residential services, sports and fitness, and manufacturing. Both catalogues list Cyber liability, Technology errors and omissions (E&O), Workers’ compensation; compare the actual product, issuer and service route for your business before treating those labels as equivalent. 3,4,13,43,36,51

Introduction

CNA describes broker-arranged options for the requested product for cyber liability buyers. For a business considering cyber liability, the practical difference is the entry point: CNA describes broker-arranged options for the requested product, while Markel distributes through wholesale and retail channels. Compare what fits your buying team and operations, then verify the actual product and terms. 3 36 13 51

Coverage Comparison

CoverageCNAMarkel Insurance
Builders riskListed 31Inland Marine appetite category; separately, Ocean Marine lists Hull Builders RiskListed 56Markel builders risk
Business owner’s policyListed 9Not listed
Cargo and transitListed 10Listed 55Markel cargo and transit coverage
Commercial autoListed 11Not listed
Commercial propertyListed 12Listed 54Markel commercial property
CrimeListed 30named Management Liability coverage and configurable Epack 3 componentListed 51Markel Cyber 360 eCrime component (standalone product not established)
Cyber liabilityListed 13Listed 51Markel Cyber 360
Directors and officersListed 14Listed 53Markel private and nonprofit D&O
Employment practices liabilityListed 15Listed 53Markel employment practices liability
Equipment breakdownListed 16Listed 49Equipment-breakdown option within property coverage; standalone product not established
Fidelity bondsListed 17Not listed
Fiduciary liabilityListed 18Listed 53Markel fiduciary liability
General liabilityListed 19Listed 49Markel small-business casualty and property
Hired and non-owned autoListed 29coverage within Commercial AutoListed 49Hired/non-owned auto option in small-business casualty; not commercial auto
Kidnap and ransomListed 30named Management Liability coverage and configurable Epack 3 componentNot listed
Liquor liabilityNot listedListed 49Markel liquor liability
Management liabilityListed 21Listed 53Markel management liability
Media liabilityListed 28component of Epack 3 packageListed 51Markel Cyber 360 media liability component (standalone product not established)
Medical malpracticeListed 22Not listed
Product liabilityListed 23,25,24Listed 49Markel products liability
Professional errors and omissions (E&O)Listed 28currently marketed Miscellaneous Professional Liability and Epack 3 professional-liability componentListed 52Markel ProBiz miscellaneous E&O
Surety bondsListed 17Listed 58Markel Surety bonds
Technology errors and omissions (E&O)Listed 13Listed 51Markel Cyber 360 technology professional liability component (standalone product not established)
Tools, equipment and inland marineListed 20Listed 55Markel commercial inland marine
Umbrella and excess liabilityListed 26Listed 57Markel excess casualty and umbrella
Workers’ compensationListed 27Listed 50Markel 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.

Markel Insurance

Carrier

Carrier & MGA

7.1/ 10

Assessed entity: Markel Insurance Company. Scope: Markel Insurance Company (NAIC 38970, Illinois-domiciled) as an admitted U.S. commercial insurer, including its workers' compensation and liability lines. Other Markel insurers, Markel Group and the Lloyd's syndicates are context only, and it does not say which insurer will issue a given quote.

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.

CNA

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

Markel Insurance

7.5/ 10

Review Score

2 rated sources

There is little public customer feedback on Markel. Trustpilot shows 2.5 out of 5 from just 5 reviews, and BBB lists 12 complaints closed in the last three years.[4][3]

Read Markel Insurance reviews

Key Differences Between CNA and Markel Insurance

Know Which Party Arranges the Policy

Loews Corporation owned approximately 92% of CNA Financial Corporation’s outstanding common stock as of December 31, 2025. CNA directs small-business buyers to work with an agent. CNA also says its U.S. offices work with independent agents and brokers to provide policyholder service and insurance solutions. Markel describes Markel Insurance as the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc., a Virginia holding company. Markel’s U.S. Wholesale and Specialty division distributes through wholesale and retail channels, with limited small-account binding authority; some direct marketing applies to certain admitted products and programs. 1 3 36

That difference matters if you want to work through an existing adviser, compare several insurers, or start from a self-service application. Ask whether your chosen producer can access the CNA product and the relevant Markel division for your state, and who is responsible for presenting the final terms. A brand name or online intake does not identify the insurer that will issue the policy. 3 36

Use Shared Lines to Frame the Quote

Both companies list Cyber liability, Technology errors and omissions (E&O), Workers’ compensation. The cyber liability description for CNA says “Cyber liability is listed”; Markel’s listing describes “Markel Cyber 360.” The difference can matter: one description may place a line inside a broader product or limit it to a component, while the other describes a separate offer. Confirm the exact policy structure and wording on each quote. 13 51 27 50

Ask each respondent to name the exact product and form for cyber liability, then show how the proposal treats your revenue, services, locations, contracts and any physical operations. If the proposal places other lines separately, request a schedule that makes the separate policies and any intended coordination visible. Product names and catalogue entries alone cannot establish matched limits, exclusions or conditions.

Compare the Work After the Quote

The service arrangements also differ after submission:

CNA says CNA Central gives small-business agents access to policy documents, loss runs, and claims information. Markel describes commercial-agent portals for authorized users, including functions for listed lines; its U.S. account page separately lists documents, proof of insurance and payments for covered business products. 3 45 46

Confirm who handles certificates, midterm changes, billing, renewal information and claim notification for the policy you are considering. If CNA’s service is tied to an adviser or portal, ask whether your account and the proposed line qualify for it; do the same for the Markel product. Neither a group-wide service description nor a portal feature establishes a turnaround time or claim outcome. 3 45

What to Confirm in Quotes

  • Which exact product and policy form is proposed for cyber liability, and what limits, retentions, exclusions and endorsements apply to our operations?
  • Who is the licensed producer and which legal insurer would issue each policy in our state? Is the placement admitted or surplus lines?
  • What information and documents should we prepare, who will submit them, and what still needs underwriting approval before binding?
  • Who will service the policy after binding, and what account, renewal, certificate and claim-notification functions are available for this product?

Start with CNA if its stated customer focus or buying route matches how your team wants to arrange this line. Ask Markel for a proposal when one of its listed small-business or specialty classes fits the exposure. Compare the named insurer, policy structure, state route and account-service responsibilities before choosing between them. 3 43

Compare Services

What each provider documents about the services you may need

CriteriaCNAMarkel Insurance
Business role

Loews Corporation owned approximately 92% of CNA Financial Corporation’s outstanding common stock as of December 31, 2025. 1Verified. CNA Financial Corporation common-stock ownership as reported for December 31, 2025 in its 2025 Form 10-K. This is not ownership of each subsidiary or policy and is not a percentage asserted beyond that date.

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. 36,37Company-reported. U.S. commercial-insurance identity and parent/business relationship; not a product-specific issuer assignment.

Coverage lines
Application process

CNA directs small-business buyers to work with an agent. CNA also says its U.S. offices work with independent agents and brokers to provide policyholder service and insurance solutions. 3,4Company-reported. CNA’s stated U.S. small-business route and U.S. agency relationships. These sources do not establish that every CNA product requires an agent or that buyers can complete a purchase directly online.

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. 36Company-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. 44Company-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. 47Company-reported. Commercial agency appointment information; not retail purchase process.

Servicing and renewals

CNA says CNA Central gives small-business agents access to policy documents, loss runs, and claims information. CNA’s 2022 agent guide says agents can access policy, billing, and claims information and download new-business, renewal, and endorsement documents. This describes agent access, not automatic renewal or a guaranteed renewal offer. 3,5Company-reported. Small-business agent servicing through CNA Central, based on the current U.S. small-business page and a guide copyrighted 2022. The guide’s detailed portal functions are historical interface descriptions; renewal-document access does not establish that every policy renews or will receive an offer.

A CNA Small Business Service Center handout copyrighted 2021 says the center handles participating agency customers’ inquiries about certificates, policy changes, coverage, billing, and additional coverage or endorsement quotes. It states weekday hours of 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Central Time and says the agency/customer relationship remains in place. This describes a particular service-center program, not every CNA account. 6Company-reported. Company-reported service-center functions from a 2021 CNA handout. The handout describes enrollment and account selection for this small-business agency program; it does not establish availability for every CNA policy or account.

Markel describes agent portals for authorized commercial users to quote and bind listed lines and access account history, billing, claims details and policy documents. The page does not establish that every product supports every function. 45Company-reported. Commercial-agent portals; available functions vary by portal and product.

Markel's U.S. account page lists policy documents, proof-of-insurance downloads, payments and automatic payments for covered business products and directs customers with unlisted products to the agent on the policy. Renewal handling and renewal terms were not established in this review. 46Company-reported. Public portal description; not all products necessarily use the portal.

Sources

CNA Official Website

  1. CNA Financial Corporation 2025 Form 10-K. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; CNA Financial Corporation filer; 2025 Form 10-K, Part I, Item 1 “Business,” opening paragraph (company status, CNA group definition, operating-company list); Note A “Basis of Presentation”; Item 1 ownership statement; exact filing text from SEC indexing and the alternate SEC-hosted annual-report PDF, accessed 2026-09-28. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. United States. CNA; United States page, introductory paragraph, line 35. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Small Business | CNA Central Agent Guide. CNA; CNA Central Agent Guide, pages 1-2; access credential note and agent portal context, page 1 lines 3-8; Get a Quote, lines 12-22; Service My Accounts, lines 39-66; copyright/trademark footer, page 2 lines 68-71 (Copyright © 2022). Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Small Business Service Center. CNA; One-page Small Business Service Center handout, lines 0-27 (service functions, weekday hours, continuing agency relationship, enrollment/account selection); lines 40-43 (legal/distribution limitations, trademark, copyright © 2021). Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Report an Insurance Claim. CNA; Report a Claim and Need more Help, lines 21-33. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. United States | CNA Insurance. CNA; Official U.S. Locations page title, observed on page open; page body begins at lines 21-35. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. CNA Connect Small Businessowners Policy (BOP) | CNA Insurance. CNA; CNA Connect; coverages, product range, services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  10. Ocean Cargo | CNA. CNA; pp. 1–2: transit scope, extensions, agent/insured portal and cargo claims specialists. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. Commercial Auto Insurance for Businesses | CNA Insurance. CNA; Coverages, endorsements, risk control, claims. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  12. Commercial Property Insurance | CNA Insurance. CNA; Product by customer size; placements and capacity. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. Cyber Insurance - Cyber Risk Solutions | CNA Insurance. CNA; Cyber, Media, Technology & Professional Liability; product sections. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. Private Company Directors & Officers Liability | CNA. CNA; pp. 1–2: covered claims, Side A/B/C, limits, eligibility and claims. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  15. Employment Practices Liability | CNA. CNA; pp. 1–3: wrongful practices, third-party acts, insured classes, risk services and claims. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  16. Equipment Breakdown Insurance | CNA Insurance. CNA; Coverage, inspection, monoline and package placement. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  17. CNA Surety - Surety and Fidelity Bonds | CNA Insurance. CNA; Surety/fidelity product sections, geography, agents/brokers, bONdLINE and claims services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  18. Fiduciary Liability | CNA. CNA; pp. 1–2: benefit-plan administration, covered costs, eligible organizations and claims. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  19. Commercial General Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance. CNA; Commercial General Liability; customer sizes, coverage, teams. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  20. Inland & Ocean Marine Insurance | CNA Insurance. CNA; Inland Marine and Ocean Marine coverage sections. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  21. Management Liability Insurance and Professional Liability | CNA Insurance. CNA; Management liability overview, coverages, Epack 3. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  22. Tailored Coverages for Aging Services, Allied Healthcare Facilities and More | CNA. CNA; pp. 4–5, 7–8: healthcare classes, PL/GL options, claims and risk-control capabilities. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  23. Life Sciences Insurance | CNA. CNA; Life Sciences: products, target classes, claims and risk control. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  24. Small Business Life Sciences Insurance | CNA. CNA; Coverage and appetite: products liability, limits, optional features and target classes. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  25. Life Sciences Coverage Highlights FAQ | CNA. CNA; pp. 1–3: work-hazard products liability, separate/combined form, recall benefit, reporting, availability and exclusions. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  26. Umbrella Insurance and Excess Liability Insurance | CNA Insurance. CNA; Forms, enhancements, underwriting. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  27. Workers’ Compensation Insurance | CNA Insurance. CNA; Benefits, prevention, claims. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  28. Cyber Insurance - Cyber Risk Solutions | CNA Insurance. CNA; U.S. page, opened 2026-09-29: lines 48-52 Epack 3 modular policy combines cyber, media, technology and professional liability; lines 64-84 MPL and media; line 128 CNA brand disclosure and ©2026. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  29. Commercial Auto Insurance for Businesses | CNA Insurance. CNA; U.S. page, opened 2026-09-29: lines 28-30 and coverages lines 31-34; commercial auto covers business-use owned, hired and non-owned vehicles; ©2026 at line 61. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  30. Management Liability Insurance and Professional Liability | CNA Insurance. CNA; U.S. page, opened 2026-09-29: lines 33-44 name crime and kidnap/ransom/extortion; lines 49-54 describe modular Epack 3 and flexible coverage mix; ©2026 at line 80. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  31. Inland & Ocean Marine Insurance | CNA Insurance. CNA; U.S. page, opened 2026-09-29: lines 29-35 describe Inland Marine and Builders Risk appetite; lines 46-54 separately list Ocean Marine and Hull Builders Risk; ©2026 at line 84. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  32. Small Business Insurance Solutions for Life Sciences | CNA Insurance. CNA; U.S. page, opened 2026-09-29: page issue marker 06.17.2025 at line 75; line 63-65 describes monoline product liability with E&O and automatic Class 1 recall mitigation-expense benefit; line 74 says issuer, availability and policy-terms qualifications; ©2026 line 101. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  33. Life Sciences Coverage FAQs. CNA; PDF opened 2026-09-29: p.1 lines 10-18 Class 1 recall supplementary benefit and sublimit; p.1 lines 31-34 circumstance-reporting exception; p.2 lines 104-109 says illustrative, policy controls, availability varies and copyright ©2023 / 20230314. Historical detailed qualification, not a current form. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  34. Manufacturer Insurance: Best Companies, Costs and Coverages. NerdWallet; Published 2026-03-26; CNA section, lines 348-359: manufacturer-specific editorial assessment says relatively low property/liability complaints and workers-comp complaints slightly higher than expected for company size; no full CNA review. Re-read 2026-09-29. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  35. CNA Insurance Reviews. Trustpilot; CNA.com profile, lines 40-72 and current review entries including business billing complaint (lines 59-63) and long-term-care reports (lines 66-70); profile says reviews are individual opinions at line 177. Self-selected mixed review population, not a representative commercial-insurance outcome. Re-read 2026-09-29. Accessed 2026-09-29.

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 . 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.

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