Hiscox vs HUB International Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance

Hiscox names its own underwriting entity and sells E&O online; HUB places the line as a broker without naming an insurer.

What Is Hiscox?

Hiscox is a U.S. small-business insurance brand whose website is operated by Hiscox Inc., a Delaware producer that does business in California as Hiscox Insurance Agency. Eligible firms can quote general liability, professional liability, cyber and a business owner’s policy online; other advertised lines are often placed with partner insurers, so the issuing company on each quote still has to be checked. 1,2,3

Read the Hiscox profile

What Is HUB International?

HUB International is a North American insurance brokerage that arranges business insurance, employee benefits and related risk services through local offices and specialist practices. Smaller commercial accounts may be sent to Insureon for an online quote; other programs are handled by HUB advisors, with policy terms set by the insurers they use. 7,8,9

Read the HUB International 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. 12,13,14,15

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance

Who Carries the Risk

Hiscox names Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. (NAIC 10200) as the underwriter of its admitted professional liability policies:

Hiscox's appetite guide and About Hiscox US page name Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. (NAIC 10200) as the underwriter of admitted Hiscox NOW professional-liability policies. 6,3Company-reported. Admitted small-business professional liability as described in company materials; the exact contracting entity for a particular state or channel should be confirmed on the quote.

HUB, by contrast, does not name an insurer on either of its professional liability or E&O product pages; it places the line with insurers that vary by client and placement. 10 11

How You Buy It

Hiscox says eligible buyers can quote and buy professional liability online, with licensed advisors available by phone during posted hours. 4 HUB's pages describe no online quote flow; they direct prospects to connect with a broker and describe policies as customized to business size, industry, location, risk base and desired limits. 10

How Much Policy Structure Is Documented

HUB describes its placements as typically claims-made with per-claim and aggregate limits, structurable with prior-acts coverage and available with tail coverage for an extended reporting period, and says coverage can extend to independent contractors and temporary staff. 11 Hiscox's reviewed pages confirm the policy is claims-made but do not describe prior-acts terms, tail options, or coverage for contractors and temporary staff. 5

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

  • Confirm whether Hiscox sells this product directly in your state, since it excludes Alaska from its online offering. 4
  • Ask HUB which insurer it plans to place your policy with, since neither page names one in advance. 10 11
  • Ask Hiscox whether prior-acts coverage or tail coverage is available, since its reviewed pages don't address either. 5
  • Ask HUB whether independent contractors or temporary staff on your team are covered under the policy it places. 11

Offering Details

Hiscox vs HUB International Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaHiscox Professional Liability InsuranceHUB International Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Brokerage
Role in This Line

Hiscox Inc., a licensed insurance intermediary, sells professional liability (errors and omissions) coverage directly online to small businesses as part of its Hiscox NOW admitted small-business catalogue. 3,4Company-reported. Company-stated online small-business channel.

HUB brokers professional liability, which it also calls errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, rather than underwriting the coverage itself. 10,11Company-reported. Professional liability and E&O product pages as read 2026-09-23; neither names an issuing insurer.

Issuing Insurer

Hiscox's appetite guide and About Hiscox US page name Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. (NAIC 10200) as the underwriter of admitted Hiscox NOW professional-liability policies. 6,3Company-reported. Admitted small-business professional liability as described in company materials; the exact contracting entity for a particular state or channel should be confirmed on the quote.

Neither the professional liability nor the E&O product page names an issuing insurer; HUB places this coverage with insurers that vary by client and placement. 10,11Not found in reviewed sources. Checked both pages on 2026-09-23; no carrier is disclosed on either.

Who It’s For

Hiscox says professional liability is licensed for sale in 49 states and Washington, D.C., excluding Alaska, and that if it does not sell the product online in a buyer's state, a specialist broker may be able to help instead. 4,6Company-reported. Company-stated jurisdiction for the online small-business catalogue; the appetite guide's technology classes (IT consultants, software development) illustrate typical buyers but do not guarantee acceptance for any one applicant.

HUB names accounting, law, medical, financial-advisory, real estate, architecture and engineering, consulting, and contracting businesses as typical E&O buyers, and separately lists technology among nine industries its E&O practice serves. 10,11Company-reported. Combined professional-liability and E&O industry lists; not a published underwriting appetite by state.

Coverage Features

Hiscox describes professional liability as a claims-made policy, meaning a claim is covered only if it is made (and typically reported) while the policy is active, rather than an occurrence policy covering incidents regardless of when the claim surfaces. 5Company-reported. Product FAQ description; exact triggers, retroactive dates, exclusions and wording are set by the issued policy.

HUB says professional liability/E&O policies it arranges can cover defense costs, judgments, settlements and fines from allegations of misrepresentation, breach of professional services, wrongful business practices, misleading advice and conflict of interest, plus libel, slander or lost-profit claims; intentional acts and employment claims are typically excluded. 10Company-reported. Product-page coverage description; the issued policy and its exclusions control an actual claim.

HUB says E&O policies are typically claims-made with per-claim and aggregate limits, can be structured with prior-acts coverage back to a retroactive date, and can offer tail coverage for an extended reporting period; coverage can extend to independent contractors and temporary staff performing work for the business. 11Company-reported. E&O product-page structure description; specific limits and retroactive dates are set on the quote and declarations.

Limits and Retentions

The professional-liability pages reviewed do not publish standard limit, retention or deductible amounts; specific figures are shown only on a quote. 4,5Not publicly disclosed. Public product and FAQ pages as previously reviewed.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

How to Apply

Hiscox says eligible buyers can quote and buy professional liability online, with licensed advisors available by phone during posted hours for questions during the process. 4Company-reported. Company-described online application; eligibility and binding conditions require confirmation on the actual application.

HUB directs prospects to connect with a broker; the pages describe professional liability/E&O policies as customized to business size, industry, location, risk base and desired limits, without an online quote flow. 10,11Company-reported. Product-page call to action and customization description as read 2026-09-23.

Claims Support

A professional-liability FAQ tells current customers that the claims phone line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, separate from the general claims-center hours listed elsewhere on the Hiscox site. 5Company-reported. Company-described claims-reporting availability for this product's FAQ; does not establish claim outcomes or turnaround time.

HUB's E&O page tells policyholders to notify their broker and carrier as soon as possible after an incident and submit documentation including a narrative of the events leading up to the claim. 11Company-reported. E&O product-page claims-notification guidance; a general process description, not an outcome measurement.

Full Comparison

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Sources

Hiscox

  1. Website Terms & Conditions of Use. Hiscox; Last modified May 28, 2024; Hiscox Inc. as Delaware corporation headquartered in Atlanta, d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency in CA, licensed intermediary for admitted and surplus-lines business with Hiscox Insurance Company Inc., other domestic insurers, and Lloyd’s syndicates; small-business online path distinguished from broker-only site sections. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Get A Small Business Insurance Quote. Hiscox; States that Hiscox offers general liability, professional liability, cyber security and business owner’s policies online; zip-code quote field; licensed-agent hours Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–10 p.m. ET and Saturday–Sunday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Professional Liability Insurance for Small Businesses. Hiscox; Professional liability/E&O product; licensed in 49 states and Washington, D.C. (Alaska excluded); specialist-broker assistance if not licensed in a state; licensed-advisor hours. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. What is Professional Liability Insurance? Hiscox; Claims-made description; current-customer claim number described as open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  6. Hiscox US Agent Appetite Guide. Hiscox; Hiscox NOW admitted GL, PL, cyber and BOP underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc.; technology classes including IT consultants and software development. Accessed 2026-09-16.

HUB International

  1. About Us. HUB International; Opening description; 1998 formation of HUB International Limited; 2022 Insureon acquisition; headquarters and employee/office counts. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Contact Us. HUB International; Business Solutions paths for Commercial Insurance Solutions versus Small Commercial Insurance Solutions via Insureon; office search. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Insurance for Technology Companies. HUB International; Technology Company Insurance & Risk Management: startup, software, hardware and digital-media introduction; Business Coverage and People Protection lists; technology-client count. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Professional Liability Insurance Brokers. HUB International; What is professional liability?; Who Needs Professional Liability Insurance Coverage?; How Can You Limit Your Exposure to Professional Liability?; exclusions; Connect With a Broker. Accessed 2026-09-23.
  5. Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance Coverage. HUB International; Industries served list including accounting, architecture, creative, dental, engineering, financial, medical, media and technology; prior-acts coverage; claims-made structure with per-claim and aggregate limits and tail coverage; claims-notification steps. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Guide

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Get business insurance. U.S. Small Business Administration; Six common types of business insurance table. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. 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.

Updated . Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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