Hiscox vs Lockton

How Hiscox’s direct small-business quotes for IT consultants differ from appointing Lockton as a multi-line technology broker.

Introduction

Hiscox is a marketing name for U.S. Hiscox companies; Hiscox Inc. acts as intermediary, and admitted small-business products described in appetite materials are often underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. Hiscox also describes sending workers’ compensation to Hartford Fire Insurance Company and commercial auto to other partner insurers. 4 2 11 Lockton is a separate brokerage, not a Hiscox company. 28

An IT consultant who can complete a Hiscox NOW-style quote in a browser, then hires two employees and needs workers’ compensation, faces a carrier checkout (with partner paper for some lines) versus a broker conversation that may or may not use Hiscox paper. 11 34

Where Each Provider Shines

Where Hiscox Shines

  • Hiscox Inc., a Delaware producer, handles online small-business sales; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. is the affiliated admitted insurer named for Hiscox NOW products. 5,4
  • Eligible applicants can quote Hiscox general liability, professional liability/E&O, cyber and a business owner’s policy online. 16,7,8,9,10,2

Where Lockton Shines

  • Lockton describes itself as a privately held independent broker for risk, employee benefits and retirement, not as the insurer on the policies it places. 28,40,47
  • US pages list brokerage for cyber and privacy, directors and officers, casualty (including general and product liability, auto, cargo, umbrella and workers’ compensation), property, fiduciary liability and employee benefits. 29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37

Coverage Comparison

Coverage TypeHiscoxLockton
Business owner’s policyListed 10Not listed
Cargo and transitNot listedListed 32
Commercial autoListed 12Listed 32
Commercial propertyNot listedListed 33
CrimeNot listedListed 37
Cyber liabilityListed 9,2Listed 30,29
Directors and officersNot listedListed 31,29
Employee health and benefitsNot listedListed 35
Employment practices liabilityNot listedListed 37
Fiduciary liabilityNot listedListed 36
General liabilityListed 7Listed 32
Key personNot listedListed 37
Medical malpracticeListed 13Not listed
Product liabilityNot listedListed 32
Professional liability / E&OListed 8,2Listed 37
Representations and warrantiesNot listedListed 37
Surety bondsNot listedListed 37
Umbrella and excess liabilityNot listedListed 32
Workers’ compensationListed 11Listed 34,32

Listed products and programs, including policies arranged through insurers or partners. Optional endorsements are discussed in the analysis below. “Not listed” means no separate offering appears in the reviewed catalogue; confirm availability and policy terms with the provider.

Key Differences Between Hiscox and Lockton

Affiliated Insurer Versus Open Broker

Hiscox Inc. also describes surplus-lines coverholder authority for certain Lloyd’s syndicates. Lockton may propose surplus lines under its terms. 40 4

What You Can Quote Online

Hiscox says eligible buyers can quote general liability, professional liability, cyber and business owners policy (BOP) online. Lockton’s published U.S. contact is an expert inquiry, not a public quote-and-bind checkout. 1 39

Partner Lines

Workers’ compensation and commercial auto that Hiscox routes to partners are not the same contracts as Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. admitted products. Lockton lists those lines as casualty brokerage that would still need a named issuer on a proposal. 11 32

What to Confirm in Quotes

  • Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. versus partner versus Lloyd’s on each Hiscox-branded line. 4
  • California DBA Hiscox Insurance Agency license 0F09668 versus Lockton’s printed 0F15767—both independently unverified. 49
  • Directors and officers liability on the actual Hiscox quote versus Lockton’s D&O brokerage materials—Hiscox’s published small-business core names general liability, professional liability, cyber and BOP, which is not the same as proving D&O is unavailable. 1 31
  • Monthly payment terms Hiscox advertises on some products. 2

Service Comparison

Hiscox vs Lockton: documented services and availability

CriteriaHiscoxLockton
Business role

Hiscox is the brand name used by its U.S. insurance businesses. Website terms identify Hiscox Inc., a Delaware corporation headquartered in Atlanta, as a licensed insurance intermediary for admitted and surplus-lines business. About Hiscox US names Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. (NAIC 10200) as the affiliated insurer and Hiscox Inc. as its general agent. Broker-only pages are restricted to licensed market professionals; the small-business section is the consumer product path. 5,4

In California, Hiscox Inc. says it does business as Hiscox Insurance Agency and publishes producer license number 0F09668. Its current producer-license status remains independently unverified; the number is company-reported. 6,23,11,5

Lockton’s US site describes the firm as an independent insurance brokerage that arranges customized risk, employee benefits and retirement solutions. US Terms of Business treat Lockton Companies, LLC and affiliated Lockton companies as intermediaries that market, place and service insurance, not as the risk-bearing insurer on a placed policy. 28,40,47

Public US terms name Lockton Companies, LLC (and Series, subsidiaries and affiliates) as the brokerage group and Lockton, Inc. as the website operator. Certificates produced by Lockton also use the California DBA Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC. Confirm the legal name on any broker-of-record or services agreement; these pages do not by themselves establish which entity would be appointed for a California company. 40,41,48

Lockton-produced certificates print California license number 0F15767 for Lockton Companies, LLC DBA Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC. Current license status, classes and expiration remain independently unverified. Treat California producer authority as unresolved until a regulator record or the proposed engagement papers are checked. 48,49

Application process

Hiscox says eligible buyers can get a small-business quote online by entering a zip code and answering questions, and that general liability, professional liability, cyber and BOP are offered online. Licensed advisors are available by phone at posted Eastern Time hours. The general-liability FAQ says that after the application is completed, the policy is issued by email and a certificate appears in welcome documents. These are company-described steps; eligibility and binding conditions require confirmation on the actual application. 16,7,1

Public US application starts as an inquiry: the US contact form (Ask an Expert) and industry pages invite buyers to connect with a team. The privacy notice refers to soliciting an insurance policy quote. The Cyber & Technology page publishes cyber@lockton.com. Reviewed pages do not describe a self-serve bind flow, published quote turnaround, or an unauthenticated online application that issues a policy without a Lockton representative. 39,28,42,30,41

Coverage lines

Hiscox directly markets and offers online quotes for general liability, professional liability (errors and omissions), cyber security insurance and a business owner’s policy that combines general liability with commercial property. IT pages present those same lines for technology consultants rather than a separately named technology E&O policy. Website examples and coverage lists are illustrative; the issued policy controls. 16,7,8,9,10,2

Hired/non-owned auto and commercial crime are described as upgrades to a Hiscox business owner’s policy, not standalone Hiscox policies. Crime is not sold separately and is not available in all states. HNOA is tied to the BOP occurrence limit and does not replace commercial auto for vehicles the business owns or regularly operates. 20,21,10

Hiscox also markets partner coverage for workers’ compensation (Hartford Fire, generally requiring a Hiscox general-liability policy), commercial auto (GEICO referral and, separately, CyberPolicy), medical malpractice (NOW Insurance), short-term liability (Thimble/Markel), and CyberPolicy quotes for umbrella, directors and officers, and employment practices liability. Those pages are partner access paths, not proof that Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. issues the policy. 11,12,13,14,15,26

For technology clients, Lockton highlights cyber liability and directors and officers liability, plus related services such as contract review and international program design. Dedicated US product pages describe brokerage for casualty lines (auto, cargo, general and product liability, umbrella and excess, workers’ compensation), commercial property, fiduciary liability for employee-benefit-plan fiduciaries, and People Solutions employee benefits. A private-equity capabilities list also names errors and omissions, crime and financial-institution bonds, employment practices liability, surety, key-person insurance, transaction insurance including representations and warranties, and portfolio-company programs. Actual policy wording, limits and whether a given buyer is offered those lines remain quote-dependent. 29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37

Access to insurers

Hiscox NOW appetite and About Hiscox US say admitted small-business products described there are underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc., a Chicago-based insurer licensed in all 50 states and D.C. The California Department of Insurance independently identifies that company as an Illinois-domiciled property-and-casualty insurer, NAIC 10200, California Company ID 1439-9, authorized in California since 14 September 1953 with unlimited-normal status. Hiscox’s California marketing page also cites Illinois license number 8754, which is not the CDI company ID; reconcile names and numbers on the quote. 24,25,4,23,6

Hiscox refers small-business buyers to other insurers or marketplaces for several products: workers’ compensation is underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance; the commercial-auto page refers customers to GEICO and affiliates; medical malpractice is accessed through NOW Insurance, which Hiscox says is not affiliated with the Hiscox group; short-term liability is underwritten by Markel Insurance Company through Thimble. A separate other-insurance page instead partners with CyberPolicy for commercial auto, umbrella, directors and officers, and employment practices liability. The issuing company on a partner quote is therefore not assumed to be Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. 11,12,13,14,15

Hiscox Inc. says it is an approved Lloyd’s coverholder and underwrites surplus-lines business on behalf of Lloyd’s Syndicates 33 and 3624, with U.S. surplus-lines placements made by licensed surplus-lines brokers. Terms also say Hiscox Inc. may place admitted and surplus-lines business with Hiscox Insurance Company Inc., other domestic insurers, and Lloyd’s syndicates. That surplus-lines route is described as distinct from the online small-business catalogue. 4,5

Lockton says it is not obligated to use any particular insurer, is generally not authorized to bind insurers except in circumstances it says it will try to disclose, and does not guarantee placement on acceptable terms. Cyber pages refer to insurer partners without naming them. The workers’ compensation page claims access to more than 100 regional, global and program markets without listing those markets. Surplus-lines insurers may appear in a proposal when admitted markets cannot meet requested terms. Named issuing companies for a buyer’s policies were not disclosed on the reviewed pages. 40,30,34

Servicing and renewals

Hiscox describes an online policyholder account for downloading policy documents, generating ACORD certificates, adding an authorized person, changing a same-state address or business name, requesting a loss run or waiver of subrogation, updating a certificate holder and submitting documents. Payment-method, new-state address, limit, additional-location, coverage-adjustment and cancellation requests are listed as phone-assisted. A certificate summarizes coverage and does not itself change the policy. 18,19

Casualty pages say the same dedicated service team stays with the client through the process. Technology pages describe a round-the-clock service model. Terms of Business cover day-to-day servicing, risk control, insurance renewal services, policy administration and the use of intermediaries (including Lockton affiliates) in servicing and placement. Property pages say the team that meets the client also negotiates with markets rather than a remote broking center. A public client-portal feature list was not established beyond a Lockton Portal login link on the US site. 32,29,40,33,28

Sources

Hiscox Official Website

  1. Hiscox Small Business Insurance. Hiscox; Product selector (GL, professional liability/E&O, cyber, workers compensation, commercial auto, medical malpractice, short-term liability); FAQ that Hiscox is licensed in 49 states and D.C. and unavailable in Alaska; partnership language for workers’ compensation; online quote statements. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. IT Professional & General Liability Insurance. Hiscox; IT/technology professional audience; general liability, BOP, professional liability/E&O and cyber security descriptions for IT businesses; illustrative cyber breach-response example. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Insurance for IT Consultants. Hiscox; IT consultant professional-liability and general-liability descriptions, including the phrase technology professional liability insurance as a label for E&O for IT work. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. California Business Insurance. Hiscox; California product list (GL, professional liability, BOP, workers compensation, cyber); IT/technology profession link; payment-option and worldwide-claim-filing statements; footer that products are approved by the California Department of Insurance and underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc.; Hiscox Inc. as Delaware licensed producer; California d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency license no. 0F09668; coverage subject to underwriting and may not be available in all states; company-stated Illinois license number 8754. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  7. General Liability Insurance. Hiscox; Online quote; 49-state and D.C. availability with Alaska excluded; broker-referral if not sold online; payment annually or monthly with no additional fees; online 24/7 claim reporting; policy issued via email and certificate in welcome documents; illustrative California consultant pricing table labeled as illustrative; electronic data liability for IT professions; coverage subject to underwriting. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  8. 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.
  9. Cyber Insurance for Small Businesses. Hiscox; Standalone cyber security/cyber liability product with online quote; data-breach, cyberattack and related-loss descriptions; licensed-agent phone number 1-833-816-2811. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  10. Business Owner's Policy Insurance (BOP) Coverage. Hiscox; BOP as combined general liability and commercial property; optional packages including cyber, non-owned commercial auto, commercial crime and professional liability; illustrative California IT/technology consultant pricing table labeled with asterisks; worldwide-coverage qualifications. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  11. Workers Compensation Insurance for Small Businesses. Hiscox; Partnership with The Hartford; general liability required to purchase workers comp; not available for all classes; footer that coverage is made available through Hiscox Inc. d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency in CA and underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Commercial Auto Insurance for Small Businesses. Hiscox; Commercial auto product page; quote redirect to a site not owned by Hiscox; customers referred to GEICO by Hiscox Inc. d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency in CA; products underwritten by Government Employees Insurance Company and affiliates. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  13. Medical Malpractice Insurance. Hiscox; Partnership with NOW Insurance for medical malpractice quotes; footer that NOW Insurance is not affiliated with the Hiscox group and that Hiscox Inc. d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency in CA provides access to coverage available through NOW Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Short-Term Liability Insurance for Small Businesses. Hiscox; Partnership with Thimble for short-term general and professional liability; not available in all jurisdictions or classes; underwritten by Markel Insurance Company, Ten Parkway North, Deerfield, IL 60015. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. Specific Business Insurance Coverages. Hiscox; Partnership with CyberPolicy for additional coverages including commercial auto, umbrella, directors and officers, and employment practices liability, with quote links to sme.cyberpolicy.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  16. 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.
  17. Start a Business Insurance Claim Online, by Phone or Mail. Hiscox; Online claim filing; phone 1-866-424-8508 with posted hours; specialized claims professional assignment; coverage validation; liability claims attorney-appointment description; broker-reported claims option; company marketing phrase award-winning claims service. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  18. Manage your policy. Hiscox; Online account functions: download policy documents, certificates, authorized person, same-state address and business-name changes, loss runs, waiver of subrogation, certificate holder, document submission; phone-only changes including payment method, limits, new-state address, coverage adjustments and cancellation. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  19. Get a Certificate of Insurance (COI). Hiscox; Online ACORD/certificate generation using policy number and policy email address. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  20. Non-Owned Car Liability Insurance. Hiscox; Hired/non-owned auto described as an upgrade to a business owner’s policy and part of that policy’s occurrence limit, not coverage for vehicles owned or regularly operated by the business. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  21. Commercial crime insurance for small businesses. Hiscox; Commercial crime as a BOP upgrade not sold separately; not available in all states. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  22. Contact Us. Hiscox; U.S. locations including Atlanta headquarters and a Los Angeles office; statement that Hiscox operates in 49 U.S. states and D.C. and offers specialty products through U.S. brokers. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  23. Hiscox US Agent Appetite Guide. Hiscox; Document 23295 07/26; Hiscox NOW admitted GL, PL, cyber and BOP; state exceptions including BOP unavailable in Alaska, Florida, Kansas, Ohio, Rhode Island, Washington and West Virginia; technology classes including IT consultants and software development; footer that products are made available through Hiscox Inc. d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency in CA and underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc.; commission and premium may vary. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  24. Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. Company Profile. California Department of Insurance; HISCOX INSURANCE COMPANY INC.; NAIC 10200; California Company ID 1439-9; authorized in California 09/14/1953; license status UNLIMITED-NORMAL; company type Property & Casualty; domicile Illinois; NAIC Group 4666 Hiscox Ins Grp; authorized lines including liability, fire, workers’ compensation, surety and others. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  25. Hiscox Insurance Company Inc.. Illinois Department of Insurance; Legal name HISCOX INSURANCE COMPANY INC.; P&C Domestic Stock; domicile County of Cook, Illinois; parent Hiscox Ltd.; status Active; NAIC 4666 10200; incorporated 11/26/1952; 125 South Wacker Drive Suite 2080 Chicago, IL 60606. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  26. Management Liability Insurance Executive Risks. Hiscox; Broker-facing Hiscox C-Suite management liability and crime solution; statement we are no longer entertaining risks in the metro areas of California; add-on references to media, cyber, crime and technology; not the consumer small-business online catalogue. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  27. What is Professional Liability Insurance?. Hiscox; Claims-made description; current-customer claim number 866-424-8508 described as open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Lockton Official Website

  1. Lockton United States. Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Technology. Lockton; Industry introduction; cyber liability heading; dedicated technology team; listed services including claims advocacy, contract review, directors and officers liability, and international program design; 24/7 service model. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Cyber & Technology. Lockton; A complete solution to inform, improve, and insure cyber and privacy risk; insurer partnerships; Insure step including claim life cycle; contact cyber@lockton.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. D&O Insurance. Lockton; Program description; Side A/B/C overview; who can be covered; Claims management and Professional & Executive Risk Claims team. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. Casualty Insurance. Lockton; Introduction on designing and placing liability, auto and workers compensation; Casualty Insurance Solutions list: Auto, Cargo, General & Product Liability, Umbrella & Excess Liability, Workers' Compensation; dedicated service team. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  6. Property Insurance. Lockton; Matching property risks to the global marketplace; manuscript property policy; assistance with complex claim recovery; no centralized broking centers claim. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  7. Workers' Compensation. Lockton; Program design with claims experts; access to more than 100 regional, global and program markets; claims service advocates. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  8. Lockton People Solutions. Lockton; Introducing Lockton People Solutions; FAQ on products (employee experiences, total rewards and benefits, management and measurement) and private ownership. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  9. Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Lockton; What is fiduciary liability insurance; typical coverage list; claims management; distinction from ERISA bonds. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  10. Risk & People Solutions for Private Equity Firms. Lockton; Lockton capabilities list including D&O/GPL, transaction insurance (reps, tax, litigation), E&O, crime and FI bonds, cyber, EPL, surety, portfolio company programs, key person, and benefits design. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  11. Loss Prevention and Claims. Lockton; Claims consulting description: investigations, policy mapping, discussions with insurer lawyers and loss adjusters; documenting and presenting claims. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Contact Us. Lockton; Inquiry form requiring Terms of Use and Privacy Notice acknowledgment; general enquiries mailbox disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  13. US Terms of Business. Lockton; Opening entity definition; Surplus Lines; Use of a Particular Insurer; Compensation Disclosure; servicing, claims handling and renewal language in Confidentiality section; Intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Lockton US Terms of Use. Lockton; Who we are: Lockton, Inc., Missouri corporation, charter number 00498854; Kansas City principal office; last updated October 15, 2021; Site content is general information, not broking or insurance advice. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. Lockton Companies Website Privacy Notice. Lockton; Last updated January 2025; collection when visitors solicit an insurance policy quote; disclosure to insurance companies and intermediaries for quotes. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  16. Offices - Lockton US. Lockton; Global headquarters Kansas City, 444 W 47th St. Suite 900; US inquiry email KC-Inquiries@lockton.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  17. Lockton Insurance Brokers - San Francisco. Lockton; Office heading Lockton Insurance Brokers - San Francisco; Suite 600, Three Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  18. Lockton Insurance Brokers - Los Angeles. Lockton; Office heading and 777 S. Figueroa St. Suite 5200, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  19. Lockton Insurance Brokers - Irvine. Lockton; Office heading and 19800 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine, CA 92612. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  20. Our Story. Lockton; Independence changes everything; family organization and private ownership statements; insurance, employee benefits consulting and retirement services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  21. Lockton-produced certificate of insurance producer header. Lockton; Producer block: Lockton Companies, LLC DBA Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC in CA; CA license #0F15767. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  22. California Department of Insurance — Check a License. California Department of Insurance; Public license-status inquiry landing page; interactive lookup not completed with a returned license detail record in this research pass. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated . Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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