Hiscox vs USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance

USI names CNA as underwriter only for its CPA-specific AICPA program; Hiscox names its own underwriter for every policy it sells online.

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 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. ^7,^8,⁹

Read the USI Insurance Services 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. ^13,^14,^15,¹⁶

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Key Differences in Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance

A Universal Insurer Versus a Program-Specific One

Hiscox names Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. as the underwriter of every admitted professional liability policy it sells online. ⁶ USI names CNA as underwriter only for its AICPA Professional Liability Program; its separate Business Services E&O placements for other business types don't name an insurer. ¹⁰

Who Qualifies

USI has offered CPA coverage since 1967 and been the endorsed AICPA Program provider since 1994, so its named-insurer program applies specifically to accounting firms. ¹⁰ Hiscox instead sells its general professional liability product to small businesses broadly online, licensed in 49 states and Washington, D.C., excluding Alaska. ⁴

What Comes With the Policy

USI says AICPA program firms 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. ¹⁰Company-reported. Program page description.

Hiscox instead describes a 24/7 claims phone line for current customers and licensed advisors available by phone during the buying process, rather than pre-built risk-management materials. ⁵

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 placement. ¹⁰ ¹²
Confirm whether Hiscox sells this product directly in your state, since it excludes Alaska. ⁴
Ask USI which risk-management resources apply outside the AICPA program if you're not a CPA firm. ¹²
Ask both firms for the policy limit and retention, since neither publishes figures. ⁵ ¹⁰

Offering Details

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

Criteria	Hiscox Professional Liability Insurance	AICPA Professional Liability Program (USI Affinity)
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.	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. ^10,¹²Company-reported. AICPA program page and Business Services practice page.
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.	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. ¹⁰Company-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	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.	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. ¹⁰Company-reported. Program page description.
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.	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. ¹⁰Company-reported. Program page description; actual insuring agreements, exclusions and conditions are set by the issued CNA policy form.
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.	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. ¹⁰Not publicly disclosed. Page as read on 2026-09-23.
Risk Services	Not described in the reviewed sources.	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. ¹⁰Company-reported. Program page description.
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.	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. ¹⁰Company-reported. Contact instructions on the AICPA program page.
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.	Not described in the reviewed sources.

Full Comparison

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Sources

Hiscox

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.