Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs USI Insurance Services: How Do They Compare for Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

CPA firms get a dedicated program from USI Insurance Services, underwritten by CNA with risk-management resources. Heffernan Insurance Brokers serves sole proprietors through fast-growing companies and will research a custom package for industries not listed.

USI runs a CPA-specific program underwritten by CNA with bundled risk-management resources, while Heffernan's small-business division places E&O for a broader industry list without naming an insurer. ^2,¹

What Are the Key Differences Between Heffernan Insurance Brokers and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

A Named Carrier for One Client Type

USI's page states its AICPA Professional Liability Program is underwritten by CNA, a named carrier, but only for CPA firms enrolled in that program; its separate Business Services practice brokers E&O for other business types without naming an insurer. ² Heffernan's small-business page names no insurer for any of the industries on its list. ¹

Who Qualifies

USI has offered CPA coverage since 1967 and been the endorsed AICPA Program provider since 1994, so the CNA-underwritten program applies specifically to accounting firms. ² Heffernan instead serves sole proprietors through fast-growing companies in construction, food, health care, hospitality, nonprofits, real estate, technology, transportation, and vintners and growers, none of which is tied to a professional-association endorsement. ¹

What's Bundled With the Policy

USI says firms enrolled in the AICPA program get supportive claims handling and exclusive access to risk-management resources, including engagement-letter templates:

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. ²Company-reported. Program page description.

Heffernan's page describes no comparable bundled resource; it says only that it will research and build a custom package for industries not already on its list. ¹

What Should You Confirm in Heffernan Insurance Brokers and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?

If you're a CPA firm, ask USI whether you're placed in the CNA-underwritten AICPA program or its general Business Services E&O line. ² ⁴
Ask Heffernan which carriers it typically places E&O with for your industry. ¹
Ask USI which risk-management resources apply if your business isn't a CPA firm. ⁴
Ask Heffernan for a premium range and limit, since its page publishes neither. ¹

Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Compared

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

Criteria	Heffernan Professional Errors and Omissions Brokerage	AICPA Professional Liability Program (USI Affinity)
Who It’s For	Heffernan's small-business division says it serves sole proprietors through fast-growing companies across industries including construction, food, health care, hospitality, nonprofits, real estate, technology, transportation, and vintners and growers, and will custom-design a package for industries not listed. ¹Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; not exclusively E&O-specific, but describes the buyer base for the page listing this coverage.	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. ²Company-reported. Program page description.
How to Apply	Heffernan directs small-business buyers to contact the firm's small-business division to request a quote and says it will research and build a custom package for industries not already listed. ¹Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23.	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. ²Company-reported. Contact instructions on the AICPA program page.
Coverage Features	Heffernan describes errors and omissions coverage as protecting against claims for problems with a company's product or service that result in a financial loss to a client. ¹Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; the page does not list specific exclusions, claims-made versus occurrence form, or endorsements.	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. ²Company-reported. Program page description; actual insuring agreements, exclusions and conditions are set by the issued CNA policy form.
Role in This Line	Heffernan lists errors and omissions among the coverages its small-business division places for clients, shopping the line with insurers rather than underwriting it. ¹Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; no dedicated professional-E&O product page was found.	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. ^2,⁴Company-reported. AICPA program page and Business Services practice page.