Harper vs 
USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance
USI names CNA as underwriter for its AICPA-endorsed CPA program; Harper's generalized E&O policy names no insurer.
What Is Harper Insurance?
Harper is a commercial insurance brokerage for businesses with complex risks. Its specialists use AI tools to gather information, seek quotes from insurers and help customers manage coverage. 1,2
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. 6,7,8
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. 12,13,14,15
Key Differences in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance
A Named Insurer, but Only for One Client Type
USI's own page states its AICPA Professional Liability Program is "underwritten by CNA," naming a carrier, but only for the CPA firms that qualify for the AICPA-endorsed program; USI's separate Business Services practice brokers E&O for other business types without naming an insurer there:
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. 9Company-reported. Direct quote from the AICPA program page; CNA underwrites only this named program, not USI's other professional-liability placements.
Harper's reviewed pages name pricing drivers such as services performed and revenue but do not disclose an issuing insurer or a limit figure for the generalized policy it places. 3
Who Each Policy Is Built For
USI's AICPA program has been the endorsed provider for CPAs and their firms since 1994 and has offered accountant coverage since 1967, so its named-insurer advantage is specific to that one profession. 9 Harper instead writes its policy around the applicant's actual services for consultants, agencies, tech firms and other licensed professionals generally, rather than through a professional-association endorsement. 3
What Comes With the Policy
USI says AICPA program firms get supportive claims handling plus exclusive risk-management resources, including engagement-letter templates, alongside the coverage itself. 9 Harper's differentiator is a described pre-purchase review: it says it reads a policy's exclusions line by line before a client buys, since two E&O policies with the same limit can respond differently to the same claim. 3
What to Confirm in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes
- If you're a CPA firm, confirm you qualify for USI's AICPA-endorsed, CNA-underwritten program rather than its general Business Services E&O placement. 9
- Ask Harper for the issuing insurer and policy limit, since neither appears on its reviewed pages. 3
- Ask USI which risk-management resources apply outside the AICPA program if you're not a CPA firm. 11
- Ask Harper which exclusions its review flagged for your specific services. 3
Offering Details
Harper vs USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Harper Professional Liability Insurance | AICPA Professional Liability Program (USI Affinity) |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Harper places professional liability coverage as a broker, writing the policy around the applicant's actual services rather than underwriting it, and describes a specialist handling the placement. 3Company-reported. Professional liability page introduction and 'Why Harper' section. Harper markets the identical policy under two catalogue entries, "Professional Liability" and "Errors and Omissions"; the E&O page states it is the same policy, just named what a given industry calls it. 4,5Company-reported. Coverage directory listing plus the E&O page's own description; a naming convention Harper states about itself, not a distinction between two products. | 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. 9,11Company-reported. AICPA program page and Business Services practice page. |
| Issuing Insurer | The reviewed pages name pricing drivers (services performed, revenue, contract size) but do not name the issuing insurer or publish specific limit, retention or premium figures for this line. 3,4Not publicly disclosed. Checked both the professional-liability and errors-and-omissions pages on 2026-09-23; neither names a carrier or a limit figure. | 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. 9Company-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 | Harper targets consultants, agencies, tech firms and licensed professionals whose work product is advice, design or a decision, since general liability doesn't cover a client claiming that work caused a financial loss. 3Company-reported. Professional liability page introduction and FAQ distinguishing it from general liability. | 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. 9Company-reported. Program page description. |
| Coverage Features | Harper describes coverage for errors and omissions in the work itself, negligence allegations about professional judgment, and legal defense costs, with limits it says are matched to the client contracts that require the policy. 3,4Company-reported. Professional liability page's four coverage tiles; the E&O page adds that claims often surface a year or more after the work was delivered. The issued policy and its exclusions control actual scope. | 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. 9Company-reported. Program page description; actual insuring agreements, exclusions and conditions are set by the issued CNA policy form. |
| Limits and Retentions | Not described in the reviewed sources. | 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. 9Not publicly disclosed. Page as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Harper says it reads a policy's exclusions line by line before a client buys, because two E&O policies with the same limit can respond very differently to the same claim. 3Company-reported. Professional liability page 'We know this' section; a described review practice, not an independently verified outcome. | 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. 9Company-reported. Program page description. |
| How to Apply | You request a quote online or by phone; if a client contract requires E&O, Harper says it places coverage matching that requirement and issues the certificate the same day. 3Company-reported. Professional liability page quote form and FAQ 'My client contract requires E&O. What now?'. | 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. 9Company-reported. Contact instructions on the AICPA program page. |
Full Comparison
More Harper vs USI Insurance Services Comparisons
Other Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Harper
- Text Messaging Terms and Conditions. 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.
- We're Announcing $47M to Build the Insurance Company Every Business Deserves. 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.
- Professional Liability Insurance. Harper; Know your coverage: What is Professional Liability insurance?; Errors & omissions, Negligence allegations, Legal defense, Contract-driven limits; Why Harper; FAQs on general liability vs. E&O, client E&O requirements, and pricing drivers. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Errors and Omissions Insurance. Harper; Page states the product is 'Same policy as professional liability, just what your industry calls it'; describes financial-loss claims from professional services and late-arriving claims. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- What We Cover. Harper; Coverage directory list including Errors and Omissions and Professional Liability as separate catalogue entries. 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.
