Markel Insurance vs 
Nationwide: How Do They Compare for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance?
Nationwide names general liability and business auto as possible underlying policies and directs buyers to an agent; Markel says placement depends on underlying coverage and risk review. <OfferingCite provider="markel" id="markel-official-product" /> <OfferingCite provider="nationwide" id="nationwide-official-product" /> 3,7
Markel Insurance: Specialty Business and Products
Markel Insurance is Markel Group's specialty and small-business insurance business, with offerings across packages, workers' compensation, cyber, professional and management liability, property, marine, and surety. Products use different insurers and distribution routes, so compare the issuer and terms shown on the specific quote. 1,2
Read the Markel Insurance profile
Read the Markel Insurance Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance page
What Is Nationwide?
Nationwide’s commercial catalogue includes common small-business policies and separate specialty products. A catalogue listing does not establish eligibility or policy terms; confirm the issuing company and coverage for your state and business. 4,5,6
Read the Nationwide Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance page
What Is Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance?
Umbrella or excess insurance adds liability limits above the policies named in the quote after a covered claim exhausts their limits. It may fit if a contract sets higher limits; check which primary policies are listed and any gaps between them. 8,9,10,11,12
Key Differences in Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance
Underlying Coverage
Nationwide describes an added layer above underlying policies such as general liability or business auto, with terms tied to the business and its coverage. Markel describes additional limits beyond primary policies but leaves the schedule to underwriting review. Ask both whether the same underlying policies and limits qualify. 3 7
Quote Information
Nationwide says it requests business, policy, loss, and payroll information for a quote. Markel’s overview invites contact with the company or underwriting team without listing the submission details. Buyers can prepare the same exposure and loss information for each submission, then compare what else is required. 3 7
Agent and Underwriting Route
Nationwide directs prospective customers to an agent or quote request, while Markel invites customers or brokers to contact its underwriting team. Neither public overview establishes a binding timeline or standard limit, so confirm who handles the submission and when the quote can be issued. 3 7
What to Confirm in Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Quotes
Review Scores
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
Markel Insurance
Review Score
2 rated sources
There is little public customer feedback on Markel. Trustpilot shows 2.5 out of 5 from just 5 reviews, and BBB lists 12 complaints closed in the last three years.[4][3]
Read Markel Insurance reviewsNationwide
Review Score
4 rated sources
Experts like Nationwide more than customers do. NerdWallet gives it 4.5 out of 5 for business insurance, while small-business customers on ConsumerAffairs give it 2.5 out of 5 from 19 reviews.[1][10]
Read Nationwide reviewsOffering Details
Markel Insurance vs Nationwide: Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Markel umbrella excess (official overview) | Nationwide umbrella excess (official overview) |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Markel describes offering umbrella excess for the audience stated on the cited product page. 3Company-reported. umbrella excess marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. | Nationwide describes offering umbrella excess for the audience stated on the cited product page. 7Company-reported. umbrella excess marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Who It’s For | Small-business risks within the page's casualty appetite; an umbrella placement depends on underlying coverage and risk review. 3Company-reported. umbrella excess marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. | Businesses with underlying liability coverage; Nationwide requests business, policy, loss, and payroll information for a quote. 7Company-reported. umbrella excess marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Coverage Features | The cited product page describes excess umbrella liability providing additional limits beyond primary policies, subject to the underlying coverage and policy terms. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 3Company-reported. umbrella excess marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. | The cited product page describes an added liability layer above underlying policies such as general liability or business auto; the page says terms and quote depend on the insured's business and underlying coverage. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 7Company-reported. umbrella excess marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Limits and Retentions | The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. 3Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred. | The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. 7Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred. |
| How to Apply | The page invites prospective customers or brokers to contact Markel or the named underwriting team. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. 3Company-reported. umbrella excess marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. | The page directs prospective customers to contact an agent or request a quote. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. 7Company-reported. umbrella excess marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
Full Comparison
More Markel Insurance vs Nationwide Comparisons
Other Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Markel Insurance
- About us. Markel; Markel at a glance; description of Markel Insurance within Markel Group Inc. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Markel Group Inc. 2025 Form 10-K. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; filed by Markel Group Inc.; Cover page; Part I, Item 1 Business—Markel Insurance, U.S. Wholesale and Specialty, Programs and Solutions; Part II, Item 7/8 for group and segment risks. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Small Business Casualty and Property Insurance. Markel; Excess umbrella section; added liability limits beyond primary policies. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Nationwide
- Small Business Insurance. Nationwide; Small business products and solutions, lines 185–214: BOP, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, umbrella, EPLI, cyber and surety; purchase guidance lines 235–247. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents. Nationwide; Specialized small commercial solutions: BOP, auto, workers’ compensation, cyber, EPLI, umbrella, inland marine and professional liability; page states appetite varies by state, lines 129–163, 191–193. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Terms and Conditions for Nationwide.com. Nationwide; P&C products not offered by all companies/states; policy/declarations control; NMI and affiliates may underwrite; each underwriter responsible for own products, lines 358–368 and 391–394. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Commercial Umbrella Liability Insurance from Nationwide. Nationwide; How commercial umbrella works; underlying policies and additional-liability layer. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Guide
- Liability Insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Heading Umbrella Liability Insurance; sentence Umbrella Liability—also known as Excess Liability Insurance; underlying policies listed with limits; typically GL, auto and employers’ liability; starts when a covered loss exhausts the primary per occurrence limit; Most umbrella policies exclude EPL, professional liability, product recall, workers compensation, asbestos, pollution, war and terrorism. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Commercial Umbrella; excess over a basic liability policy; auto/CGL/WC or any liability policy can be covered; may respond if basic policy not in force or for gaps; SIR when no underlying. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lines of Insurance. California Department of Insurance; Umbrella or Excess Liability Policy: excess limits over existing liability; may provide additional coverages not provided by underlying policies. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Coverage Hub. Coverdash; Excess & Specialty: Umbrella; Excess Liability. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Products. Kinro; 09 Umbrella/Excess: additional limits above scheduled underlying policies; when to review; reviewed with. Accessed 2026-09-16.
