Coterie Insurance vs USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance

Coterie writes Miscellaneous Professional Liability (MPL) as a claims-made policy sold through agents and brokers to protect a small-business client against third-party claims for errors or omissions in their professional services. ⁴Company-reported. MPL brochure policy-overview paragraph.

For CPA firms, USI runs the AICPA Professional Liability Program through its USI Affinity division as the endorsed producer, rather than underwriting the policy itself. USI's general Business Services practice separately brokers errors and omissions/professional liability coverage for other business types. ^8,10Company-reported. AICPA program page and Business Services practice page.

The MPL brochure names the policy form 'Coterie Professional Liability Errors and Omissions Insurance Declarations' (form code CTPL CWW PL) but does not name the issuing insurer; that appears only on the policy declarations. ⁴Company-reported. MPL brochure 'Mandatory Countrywide PL Policy Forms' table.

USI's own page states that the AICPA Professional Liability Program is "underwritten by CNA," naming the carrier for that specific program. USI's general Business Services E&O placements do not name an insurer. ⁸Company-reported. Direct quote from the AICPA program page; CNA underwrites only this named program, not USI's other professional-liability placements.

Coterie lists dozens of eligible professions for MPL, including accounting services, architects and engineers, bookkeeping, human resources consulting, interior design, property management, real estate agents/brokers, and technology services/IT consulting, each with profession-specific exclusions in some cases (for example, barbers/beauticians exclude services like electrolysis and tattoo services). ⁴Company-reported. MPL brochure 'Eligible Professions' and 'Eligible Professions (Continued)' lists.

Coterie says MPL is available in most states but is currently unavailable in DC, IL, MA, MT, ND, and VA. ⁴Company-reported. MPL brochure 'MPL unavailable' note.

USI markets the AICPA program to sole practitioners and regional CPA firms. It has offered CPA coverage since 1967 and has been the endorsed AICPA Program provider since 1994. ⁸Company-reported. Program page description.

Coterie's MPL policy covers economic or financial (non-physical) damages arising from wrongful acts in professional services, such as faulty reports or verbal advice that cause a client financial loss; it is written on a claims-made basis covering incidents reported during the policy period or an extended reporting period, occurring after the policy's retroactive date. ⁴Company-reported. MPL brochure policy overview and 'Professional Liability Limits of Insurance' definitions.

Coterie's MPL base form excludes bodily injury or property damage claims, fraud or intentional wrongful acts, wrongful termination or discrimination claims, and claims based on contractual liability assumed beyond what would exist without the contract, among other listed exclusions. ⁴Company-reported. MPL brochure 'Professional Liability Policy Base Form Exclusions' list.

USI describes the policy as insuring a CPA and their practice against third-party claims that professional services caused financial harm, providing a defense and paying damages for covered claims arising from high-risk situations tied to new clients, changing business plans, or new laws and regulations. ⁸Company-reported. Program page description; actual insuring agreements, exclusions and conditions are set by the issued CNA policy form.

Coterie offers MPL each-claim limits of $25,000, $50,000, $250,000, $500,000, or $1,000,000, with the aggregate set at two times the each-claim limit (three times for the $1,000,000 option); the basic policy includes a 60-day extended reporting period, with optional purchased extensions of 1 to 6 years, and up to 6 years of prior-acts (retroactive) coverage. ⁴Company-reported. MPL brochure 'Available Limits' table and 'Extended Reporting Period'/'Retroactive Date' definitions.

The AICPA program page does not publish limit, retention or premium figures; it says coverage plans allow a firm to tailor coverage to its risk profile. ⁸Not publicly disclosed. Page as read on 2026-09-23.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

USI says firms enrolled in the program get supportive claims handling and exclusive access to risk-management resources, including engagement-letter templates, in addition to the coverage itself. ⁸Company-reported. Program page description.

MPL is distributed only through agents and brokers using Coterie's quoting platform; the reviewed brochure does not describe a direct-to-business application path. ⁴Company-reported. MPL brochure framing as 'for Agents and Brokers'.

USI directs CPA firms seeking a quote or renewal to contact USI Affinity, with a dedicated Affinity_APL@usi.com address for the AICPA program specifically. ⁸Company-reported. Contact instructions on the AICPA program page.