Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs 
USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Insurance
USI brokers EPL for janitorial and staffing clients; Heffernan lists EPL for home-care agencies and family offices.
What Is Heffernan Insurance Brokers?
Heffernan Insurance Brokers is an independent, Walnut Creek–headquartered retail brokerage that arranges business insurance, employee benefits, and related services. Its technology practice markets to mid- and late-stage companies, including venture-funded and pre-IPO firms. 1,2,3
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. 8,9,10
What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Employment practices liability insurance addresses claims alleging workplace wrongdoing, such as discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. 13
Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Different Service Trades
Heffernan and USI both broker EPL. USI's Business Services practice that lists EPL targets building and maintenance, repair, janitorial, staffing and printing companies; ExecuSafe is for small- and medium-sized businesses generally. Heffernan lists EPL on general business, home-care agency, and family-office pages. Neither names the issuing insurer or publishes current EPL limits. 11 12 3 4 5
Gap Review Versus Endorsement Commentary
USI describes classification and exposure reviews, claim advocacy and contract review across Business Services lines including EPL, and ExecuSafe looks for gaps in existing EPL as part of a management-liability check. Heffernan's 2016 article recommends asking for wage-and-hour coverage, a 100% hammer clause and an immigration endorsement, with wage-and-hour sublimits then commonly $100,000. USI's reviewed pages do not publish that endorsement list. 11 12 7
Contact Paths
USI directs business-services and ExecuSafe questions to published email inboxes or a local office. Heffernan uses its general business-insurance contact route and describes no EPL-specific online quote. Heffernan's claims-advocacy page does not list employment-related claims. 11 12 3 6
What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes
- Ask USI whether you need a new Business Services placement or an ExecuSafe review. 11 12
- Ask Heffernan for current wage-and-hour, hammer-clause and immigration availability. 7
- Match your industry to janitorial/staffing (USI) versus home-care/family office (Heffernan) before assuming either desk will treat it as a core class. 11 4
- Get named markets and retentions from both. 11 3
Offering Details
Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Heffernan Employment Practices Liability Insurance | USI Employment Practices Liability Brokerage |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Heffernan places employment practices liability (EPL) coverage as part of its corporate and executive-protection lineup within its general business-insurance brokerage. It shops and places the policy with insurers rather than underwriting it. 3Company-reported. Business Insurance Brokerage page listing; no policy form or dedicated EPL product page was found. | USI brokers employment practices liability (EPL) coverage, which responds to claims like wrongful termination, discrimination or harassment; it places EPL individually or reviews it as part of a management liability program under ExecuSafe. 11,12Company-reported. Business Services catalogue and ExecuSafe article. |
| Issuing Insurer | The reviewed pages do not name the insurer or insurers that issue EPL policies Heffernan places. 3Not publicly disclosed. Business Insurance Brokerage page as read on 2026-09-23. | Neither page names the insurer USI uses for EPL placements. 11Not publicly disclosed. Pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Who It’s For | EPL appears in three separate parts of Heffernan's site: the general business-insurance page, the home-care agency practice, and the family-office/financial-firm practice, indicating it is offered to a range of business types rather than one narrow niche. 3,4,5Company-reported. Direct practice-page listings; the pages do not publish a minimum size or industry restriction for EPL specifically. | USI's Business Services practice, which lists EPL, targets building and maintenance, repair service, janitorial, staffing and printing companies; its ExecuSafe review targets small- and medium-sized businesses generally. 11,12Company-reported. Company description of client segments for each source. |
| Coverage Features | In a 2016 article, Heffernan advisor Tanner Fornesi says EPL policies are modular and recommends buyers specifically request wage-and-hour coverage, a 100% hammer clause (so the insurer, not the policyholder, bears settlement costs above an offer the policyholder declines), and an immigration claim endorsement. 7Company-reported. 2016 educational article about EPL coverage generally, not a current Heffernan product specification; endorsement availability depends on the carrier and current market terms. | USI lists employment practices liability among the coverages it places for business-services clients, and its ExecuSafe review looks for gaps in a client's existing EPL coverage as part of a broader management liability check. 11,12Company-reported. Catalogue listing plus the ExecuSafe review description; actual insuring agreements and exclusions are set by the issued policy. |
| Limits and Retentions | The same 2016 article says wage-and-hour EPL sublimits were then commonly $100,000, with some carriers offering $150,000 to $250,000 for additional premium. 7Company-reported. Market commentary in a 2016 article, not a current quote or a limit Heffernan guarantees today. | Neither page publishes EPL limit or retention figures. 11Not publicly disclosed. Pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | USI's Business Services practice says it offers classification and exposure reviews, claim advocacy and contract review across its coverage lines including EPL, and its ExecuSafe process specifically checks existing EPL coverage for gaps. 11,12Company-reported. Combines the general Business Services service list with the ExecuSafe-specific review step. |
| How to Apply | The reviewed pages describe no EPL-specific application or online quote process; buyers reach the coverage through Heffernan's general business-insurance brokerage contact route. 3Not found in reviewed sources. Business Insurance Brokerage page as read on 2026-09-23. | USI directs business-services inquiries to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local office, and ExecuSafe/management-liability inquiries to Select.Business@usi.com. 11,12Company-reported. Contact instructions on each page. |
| Claims Support | Heffernan's published claims-advocacy services cover workers' compensation, general liability, auto, and property claims; the page does not list employment-related claims handling as part of that service. 6Not found in reviewed sources. Claims Advocacy page as read on 2026-09-23; does not establish that EPL claims receive no support, only that this page does not describe it. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
Full Comparison
More Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs USI Insurance Services Comparisons
Other Employment Practices Liability Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Heffernan Insurance Brokers
- Our Story. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Company Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Pre-IPO and venture-funded heading; mid to late stage specialization; global expansion copy; self-insurance strategies; Key Markets list; Why Heffernan broker history; Joseph Talmadge practice leader; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Corporate and executive protection, such as employment practices liability, directors and officers liability, fiduciary responsibility, cyber liability, and kidnap and ransom are also available through our comprehensive business insurance programs. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Home Care Business Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; We offer comprehensive coverage for: Workers' Compensation Insurance, General and Professional Liability, Employment Practice Liability, Business/Owned Auto, Non-owned and Hired Auto, and more. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Family Office. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Coverage for Family Offices, Trustees & Financial Firms: Family office liability, D&O, Professional liability, Employment practices liability insurance, Workers' compensation, Employee benefits, Trustee liability, Property and auto, Fiduciary liability, Fidelity/financial institution bond, Cyber, Crime, General liability, Excess liability. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Claims Advocacy. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Services We Offer: Workers' Compensation Claims Expertise; Medical Triage Services; General Liability, Auto & Property Claims Support; Online Risk Management & HR Support; Streamlined Vendor Compliance. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Employment Practices Liability 101: What You Need to Know. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; May 18, 2016 article by Tanner Fornesi, Assistant Vice President, Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Wage and Hour coverage, 100% Hammer Clause, Immigration Claim Endorsement. 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.
- Business Services. USI Insurance Services; USI advises clients...and provides solutions for...Employment Practices Liability... Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks. USI Insurance Services; Review existing management liability policies (if any) to uncover gaps in coverage...(including employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, and crime). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening; What EPLI covers; Steps to limit employment liability risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
