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

USI names CNA as the underwriter of its CPA-focused AICPA program; Embroker's professional liability page names no insurer for its general product.

What Is Embroker?

Embroker is a business insurance broker and online platform serving startups, technology companies and professional-services firms, with proprietary programs and broker-assisted placements. ^1,^2,³

Read the Embroker profile

What Is USI Insurance Services?

USI Insurance Services is a U.S. insurance brokerage and consulting firm that arranges property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, and retirement programs. Its Technology practice says it works with software, hardware, and related companies from early seed stage through IPO, using a consultative process rather than a published self-serve quote. ^5,^6,⁷

Read the USI Insurance Services profile

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. ^11,^12,^13,¹⁴

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance

Whether an Insurer Is Named

Embroker's professional liability page describes coverage, exclusions and deductible structure without naming a carrier. ⁴ USI's page for its CPA-focused program instead names one directly:

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.

Who Each Targets

Embroker markets broadly to businesses giving professional advice or services for a fee, naming accountants, bookkeepers, consultants, real estate agents, home inspectors, and IT and healthcare professionals. ⁴ USI's named program instead targets sole practitioners and regional CPA firms specifically, a niche it says it has served since 1967; its separate Business Services practice brokers E&O more broadly for other business types. ⁸ ¹⁰

Extra Services Included

USI says CPA firms enrolled in its AICPA program get supportive claims handling and exclusive access to risk-management resources, including engagement-letter templates. ⁸ Embroker's page describes no comparable risk-management service; instead it documents deductible choice, letting a buyer select an aggregate deductible or a first-dollar-defense option. ⁴

What to Confirm in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes

If you're a CPA, confirm whether USI's AICPA program or its general Business Services practice would place your coverage, since only the AICPA program names an insurer. ⁸
Get the limit and retention on your quote from each; neither publishes figures publicly. ⁴ ⁸
Ask USI whether its engagement-letter templates and claims support extend to firms outside the CPA-specific AICPA program. ¹⁰
Ask Embroker whether the aggregate or first-dollar-defense deductible structure is available for accounting firms specifically, or only for other professions it lists. ⁴

Offering Details

Embroker vs USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	Embroker Professional Liability Insurance	AICPA Professional Liability Program (USI Affinity)
Role in This Line	Embroker sells professional liability, also called errors and omissions insurance, as a standalone product for professional-services businesses, separate from its lawyers professional liability program and its bundled technology E&O/cyber product. ⁴Company-reported. Product-page description; not a statement about the issuing insurer.	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.
Issuing Insurer	Not described in the reviewed sources.	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.
Who It’s For	Embroker markets the policy to anyone who provides professional advice or services for a fee, listing accountants, bookkeepers, consultants, real estate agents, home inspectors, and IT and healthcare professionals as example buyers, while noting lawyers and doctors typically use specialized malpractice coverage instead. ⁴Company-reported. Product-page eligibility and industry-example sections; not a guarantee of coverage for a particular business.	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.
Coverage Features	Embroker lists coverage for claims of errors, omissions or negligence, failing to meet expected standards or deadlines, false or misleading statements, breach of contractual obligations, and attorney fees from covered claims. ⁴Company-reported. Product-page What's covered section; the issued policy and declarations control. Embroker says the policy does not cover personal injury or property damage (handled by general liability), cyberattacks and data breaches (some tech E&O policies offer limited cyber coverage, but full protection needs a separate cyber policy), employee injuries, or employee discrimination claims (handled by EPLI). ⁴Company-reported. Product-page What's not included and 'Do I need Professional Liability insurance if I already have General Liability coverage?' sections.	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.
Limits and Retentions	Embroker says the policy carries a deductible, that a higher deductible generally lowers the premium, and that buyers can choose an aggregate (once-annually capped) deductible or a first-dollar-defense option that applies the deductible only to damages, not legal costs. ⁴Company-reported. Product-page 'Does it have a deductible?' section; specific dollar limits and deductible amounts are not published and depend on underwriting.	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.
Risk Services	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.
How to Apply	Embroker offers an online quote for professional liability through its digital platform, describing underwriting factors including business size, industry risk, location and claims history. ⁴Company-reported. Product-page 'Quick quotes' feature and cost-factor list; no quote was requested during this research.	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.

Full Comparison

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Sources

Embroker

Embroker. Embroker; Industry navigation; quote and sign-in links; coverage options; footer availability qualification. Accessed 2026-09-15.
Terms And Conditions. Embroker; Introduction; §§2A–B Insurance services, 13 Applications and quotes, 15 Insurance companies and underwriting guidelines, 16 Certificates, 21 Surplus lines products, 22 Payments. Accessed 2026-09-15.
Embroker Access. Embroker; EMIS announcement; appointed-broker quoting, binding and issuance; product links; footer identifies Embroker Insurance Services, LLC. Accessed 2026-09-15.
Professional Liability Insurance Coverage & Quotes. Embroker; Why it's essential; Who needs this coverage; What is Professional Liability insurance?; What's covered; What's not included; Do I need Professional Liability insurance if I already have General Liability coverage?; Does it have a deductible? Accessed 2026-09-23.

USI Insurance Services

The Power of ONE. USI Insurance Services; History, client-count, nationwide office, and P&C / benefits / personal risk / retirement description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Technology Insurance. USI Insurance Services; Technology practice client types, seed-to-IPO range, and listed insurance placement lines including PrivaSafe. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Commissions and Fees. USI Insurance Services; Licensed-producer authority, insurer-paid commission default, contingent compensation, and client request right. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Accountants Professional Liability — USI Affinity. USI Insurance Services; Quality Professional Liability Insurance Exclusively for CPA Firms; "The AICPA Professional Liability Program, underwritten by CNA, has been offering coverage to CPAs since 1967 and has been the endorsed provider of the AICPA Program since 1994."; supportive claims handling and exclusive access to extensive risk management resources, including engagement letter templates; Email Affinity_APL@usi.com. Accessed 2026-09-23.
USI Specialty Program Solutions. USI Insurance Services; USI Affinity delivers high-quality insurance and financial solutions to members of affinity organizations and targeted industry segments...for professional associations, law firms, alumni and collegiate organizations, travel groups, and insurance administrators. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Business Services. USI Insurance Services; USI advises clients...and provides solutions for...Errors & Omissions/Professional Liability... 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.