Markel Insurance vs Risklytics: How Do They Compare for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance?

Risklytics says its typical excess ask is $1 million to $10 million and starts with an online application, while Markel directs customers or brokers to its underwriting team without a universal limit. <OfferingCite provider="markel" id="markel-official-product" /> <OfferingCite provider="risklytics" id="coverage" /> 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 Risklytics Insurance?

Risklytics suits robotics, autonomy and AI businesses that want help preparing an application and checking Tech E&O wording for AI exclusions; standard small businesses should compare generalist agencies. California eligibility is not established in its public materials. 4,5,6

Read the Risklytics profile

Read the Risklytics 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. 9,10,11,12,13

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Key Differences in Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance

Typical Layer Size

Risklytics lists a typical request of $1 million to $10 million over other policies, often prompted by a contract demanding higher limits. Markel’s overview describes added limits but does not publish a range. Treat the Risklytics figures as typical, not a quote, and ask Markel what it can offer above the same schedule. 3 7

Underlying Policies

Risklytics says its layer commonly sits above general liability, commercial auto, or employer’s liability and rarely above Tech E&O. Markel describes excess above primary policies but leaves qualifying lines to review. Buyers should list every underlying policy and ask each provider whether the same layer can attach. 3 7

Application and Charges

Risklytics describes an online application, no broker fee on top of premium, and a licensed producer who stays on the file through binding. Markel’s overview invites direct or broker contact but does not describe an online flow or fee terms. Compare service and compensation details in writing. 3 8 4

What to Confirm in Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Quotes

  • Ask Risklytics whether your contract-driven limit and underlying lines fit its typical $1 million to $10 million range, and request premium and commission details. 7 8
  • Ask Markel for the limit, eligible underlying lines, named insurer, retention, and form offered for your submission. 3

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

7.5/ 10

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 reviews

Risklytics

-/ 10

Review Score

No reviews found

Risklytics has no public customer reviews or ratings that we found, so there is no Review Score. That isn't a bad sign, just not enough to judge.[10][1][6]

Read Risklytics reviews

Offering Details

Markel Insurance vs Risklytics: Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaMarkel umbrella excess (official overview)Risklytics Extra Limits (Umbrella) Insurance
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.

Risklytics Insurance Services is a licensed insurance producer (NPN 22311838) that places Risklytics Extra Limits (Umbrella) Insurance with outside carriers; it says it does not underwrite policies itself. 4Company-reported. About page; describes Risklytics' brokerage model generally, restated for this line.

Issuing Insurer

Confirm in your quote.

Risklytics does not name the carrier that underwrites Risklytics Extra Limits (Umbrella) Insurance on its site. It says it places business with specialist insurers willing to write robotics, autonomy and AI risk; the issuing carrier appears on the bound policy. 7,4Company-reported. Lines page and about page; no specific insurer is published for this line.

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.

Risklytics says the usual trigger is the first contract demanding more liability coverage than the primary policy carries, often an enterprise master service agreement or a site owner asking for $5 million or more. 7Company-reported. Lines page.

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.

Risklytics describes this line as stacking extra liability limits, commonly over general liability, commercial auto and employer's liability, on top of a primary policy when a contract demands higher limits than the primary carries, and says it rarely sits over Tech E&O. 7Company-reported. Lines page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.

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.

Risklytics lists a typical ask of $1 million to $10 million stacked on top of a client's other policies for this line. 7Company-reported. Lines page; actual limits are set on the bound policy.

Risk Services

Confirm in your quote.

Risklytics says this line “needs the right insurers” because umbrella capacity follows the strength of the underlying policies it sits above. 7Company-reported. Lines page.

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.

You start Risklytics Extra Limits (Umbrella) Insurance through Risklytics' online application. Risklytics says there is no broker fee on top of the premium and a licensed producer stays on the file until the program binds; its commission is paid by the carrier out of the premium either way. 8,4Company-reported. Pricing page describes the general application and fee process, not a line-specific form.

Full Comparison

More Markel Insurance vs Risklytics Comparisons

Other Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Comparisons

Sources

Markel Insurance

  1. About us. Markel; Markel at a glance; description of Markel Insurance within Markel Group Inc. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. 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.
  3. Small Business Casualty and Property Insurance. Markel; Excess umbrella section; added liability limits beyond primary policies. Accessed 2026-09-30.

Risklytics

  1. About Risklytics: who we are. Risklytics; “What we do”; Licensing: Risklytics Insurance Services, National Producer Number 22311838, resident license Massachusetts. Accessed 2026-09-23.
  2. Insurance for Frontier Tech. Risklytics; You describe your company; One application. Written for you; footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Terms of Service. Risklytics; Effective August 7, 2026; sections 1–5, 7, 9 and 12. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Extra Limits (Umbrella) Insurance. Risklytics; Coverage line: Extra Limits (Umbrella); Built for moments like these; When to buy; Who requires it; How hard to get; Common questions. Accessed 2026-09-23.
  5. How pricing and broker fees work. Risklytics; Buying direct / Generic broker / Risklytics comparison table: no broker fee, commission paid by the carrier out of premium. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Guide

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Coverage Hub. Coverdash; Excess & Specialty: Umbrella; Excess Liability. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. Products. Kinro; 09 Umbrella/Excess: additional limits above scheduled underlying policies; when to review; reviewed with. 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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