Marsh vs 
USI Insurance Services D&O Insurance
Marsh names ESG-related scrutiny as an emerging D&O pressure; USI instead cites a benchmarking case study that cut one client's D&O premium.
What Is Marsh?
Marsh is a global insurance broker and risk advisor. In the United States it places coverage through core Marsh teams and through Marsh McLennan Agency for many middle-market buyers, including technology, cyber, property, casualty and benefits programs. 1,2,3,4
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
What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?
Directors and officers liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging wrongful acts in managing an organization. 12
Key Differences in D&O Insurance
Advisory Practice Versus a Named Endorsement Program
Marsh's financial and professional liability practice explains coverage sides and risk categories for its clients. 5 USI instead leads with a specific product it built for this line:
USI is a broker for D&O coverage. It says it helps clients identify D&O exposures, review any existing management liability policies for gaps, and place coverage, including through its own named endorsement package, ExecuSafe. 10Company-reported. ExecuSafe article's "How USI Can Help" section.
Who Each Side Says Is at Risk
USI's framing centers on smaller businesses it says often skip D&O or buy too little because their broker never raised the issue. 10 Marsh instead splits eligibility by organization type, saying public companies more often face securities suits while private or nonprofit organizations more often face employment-practices claims. 5
A Reported Outcome on One Side Only
USI cites a specific benchmarking result for a technology client, saving that company more than $100,000 a year in D&O premium. 8 Marsh's D&O page has no comparable case study; it focuses on coverage explanation and risk categories rather than a documented client outcome. 5
What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes
- Ask Marsh which entity issues the policy; the reviewed pages don't name one. 5
- Ask USI which insurer would underwrite an ExecuSafe-endorsed policy; the reviewed pages have the same gap. 10
- Ask USI whether the benchmarking savings example reflects your company's size and risk profile before assuming similar results. 8
- If board diversity or executive-pay scrutiny is a concern for your company, ask Marsh how that factors into the placement. 5
Offering Details
Marsh vs USI Insurance Services D&O Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Marsh Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) Insurance | USI ExecuSafe Directors & Officers Liability Program |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places D&O insurance for public, private and non-profit companies; MMA also places D&O coverage within its executive and professional liability practice for middle-market clients. 5,6Company-reported. Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page. | USI is a broker for D&O coverage. It says it helps clients identify D&O exposures, review any existing management liability policies for gaps, and place coverage, including through its own named endorsement package, ExecuSafe. 10Company-reported. ExecuSafe article's "How USI Can Help" section. |
| Issuing Insurer | The reviewed pages do not name a specific D&O insurer. 5,6Not publicly disclosed. Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page as read on 2026-09-23. | USI does not name the insurer that underwrites ExecuSafe or other D&O placements on the pages reviewed; it describes ExecuSafe as an endorsement package it applies to policies placed with the market. 10Not publicly disclosed. ExecuSafe article and Technology/Business Services practice pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Who It’s For | Marsh says public company directors and officers typically face more securities-lawsuit exposure from shareholders and regulators, while private and non-profit organizations more often face employment-practices claims from customers, vendors or regulators; directors and officers of all organization types can face cyber-related liability exposure. 5Company-reported. Marsh D&O page, common risks FAQ. | USI targets small- and medium-sized businesses for ExecuSafe, saying many either skip D&O coverage or buy insufficient limits because their brokers do not help them identify the exposure. Its Technology practice separately places D&O for software, hardware and communications clients from seed stage through IPO. 10,8Company-reported. ExecuSafe article eligibility framing and Technology practice client description. |
| Coverage Features | Marsh says D&O insurance typically has three coverage sides: Side A protects directors' and officers' personal assets when the organization cannot or will not indemnify them; Side B reimburses the organization for indemnifying directors and officers; Side C offers balance-sheet protection when the entity itself is named, generally limited to securities claims for public companies. 5Company-reported. Marsh D&O page FAQ; illustrative policy structure, not a specific policy form. Marsh says ESG-related stakeholder scrutiny, covering areas such as carbon emissions, renewable-energy use, labor practices, board diversity and executive compensation, can add regulatory, legislative or litigation pressure on directors and officers beyond traditional D&O exposures. 5Company-reported. Marsh D&O page, What other risks do directors and officers face? section. | USI says D&O insurance is meant to protect a company's leadership from personal loss in a lawsuit, since the corporate veil does not shield directors and officers from personal liability for the business's actions and debts. It lists breach of contract, breach of duty, misrepresentation, unfair competition, misappropriation of trade secrets, securities lawsuits and creditor lawsuits as common claim types the coverage responds to. 10Company-reported. ExecuSafe article's description of D&O purpose and claim types; actual insuring agreements and exclusions are set by the issued policy. |
| Limits and Retentions | Not described in the reviewed sources. | USI cites a 2016 Chubb survey that found 43% of private companies carry no D&O coverage, with an average private-company D&O claim cost of $450,000, but the article does not publish USI's own placed limits, retentions or premium ranges for ExecuSafe. 10Not publicly disclosed. Third-party statistic cited by USI to illustrate exposure, not USI's own placement data. |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | USI's Technology practice cites a case study where its benchmarking analysis showed a software company was buying more D&O limit than peers with similar risk profiles, and says the resulting change saved the client more than $100,000 per year in D&O premium. 8Company-reported. Single case study on the Technology practice page; company-reported outcome, not independently verified. |
| How to Apply | Not described in the reviewed sources. | USI directs small- and medium-sized businesses interested in ExecuSafe to email Select.Business@usi.com; its Technology and Business Services practices separately route inquiries to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local USI office. 10,8,11Company-reported. Contact instructions on the ExecuSafe article and the Technology and Business Services pages. |
Full Comparison
More Marsh vs USI Insurance Services Comparisons
Other D&O Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Marsh
- Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments. Marsh; Hero and capability tiles; FAQ: What does Marsh do?; industries served; Is Marsh the same as Marsh McLennan? January 2026 brand change. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Compensation guide for US clients. Marsh; US broking segments; broker role; retail commissions, client fees, wholesale, insurer consulting, contingent and supplemental commissions; Marsh LLC and Marsh USA LLC; page 3: broker role and Marsh & McLennan Agency segment; page 7: copyright © 2024 Marsh LLC. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA). Marsh; Middle-market US organizations; wholly-owned subsidiary; business insurance, employee health and benefits, retirement, private client. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management. Marsh; Opening Technology Practice description; practice links including data center insurance, fintech and Stratus; Talk to us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Directors and Officers Liability (D&O). Marsh; Opening positioning for public, private and non-profit companies; FAQs: What are the most common risks for directors and officers?; What does D&O insurance cover? (Side A, B, C); What other risks do directors and officers face?; Ruth Kochenderfer, D&O Product Leader. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance. Marsh McLennan Agency; Directors and Officers subsection: covers costs from claims for alleged wrongful acts, including defense costs for civil, criminal and regulatory investigations. Accessed 2026-09-23.
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; USI's Technology Practice provides risk management advisory and insurance placement for: ...Directors & Officers Liability...; CASE STUDY: USI Benchmarking Saves Software Company $100,000 in D&O Premiums. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Commissions and Fees. USI Insurance Services; Licensed-producer authority, insurer-paid commission default, contingent compensation, and client request right. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks. USI Insurance Services; JULY 5, 2023 article; common D&O claim types (Breach of Contract, Breach of Duty, Misrepresentation, Unfair Competition, Misappropriation of Trade Secrets, Securities Lawsuits, Creditor Lawsuits); Creditor Suit and Competitor Disputes scenarios; How USI Can Help; ExecuSafe endorsement packs. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Business Services. USI Insurance Services; USI advises clients...and provides solutions for...Directors & Officers Liability... Accessed 2026-09-23.
D&O Insurance Guide
- Glossary of Business Insurance Terms. The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
