Nationwide vs 
Zurich U.S.: How Do They Compare for Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance?
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. 1,2,3
Read the Nationwide Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance page
Zurich U.S. Business Insurance: Products, Access, and Claims
Zurich U.S. serves Middle Market businesses and large or national accounts with commercial property-casualty and specialty insurance. Buyers can explore product lines and work through an agent or broker; the insurer named on a quote or policy identifies which Zurich company underwrites that coverage. 5,6
Read the Zurich U.S. 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
Coverage and Eligibility
Zurich Commercial Umbrella combines Coverage A follow-form excess with Coverage B lead umbrella liability. Nationwide describes an additional layer above liability policies but does not specify whether its form is follow-form or lead umbrella. Ask Nationwide to identify its form and compare it with Zurich’s A/B structure against the policies you want scheduled. 4 7
Services and Claims
Zurich’s umbrella includes Coverage C, reimbursing emergency casualty business-crisis expenses up to $250,000. Nationwide’s overview does not describe a comparable expense benefit. Ask Zurich what event triggers reimbursement and which expenses qualify; ask Nationwide whether any crisis-expense feature appears in its quote or endorsements. 4 7
Application and Terms
Zurich also describes a joint facility with Chubb and National Indemnity offering up to $100 million of claims-made excess casualty coverage with possible customized wording. Nationwide’s overview gives no comparable facility limit. Ask whether your exposure qualifies for Zurich’s claims-made facility and confirm Nationwide’s available limit, trigger and wording. 4 7
What to Confirm in Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Quotes
Nationwide and Zurich U.S. Review Scores for 2026
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.
Nationwide Review Score
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 reviewsZurich U.S. Review Score
Review Score
No reviews found
The available Zurich review evidence is mixed and comes from distinct populations: a car-rental-business editorial rating, broad global and U.S. review-platform snapshots, and a BBB business-profile grade. These are not a representative measure of every Zurich commercial policy or claim.[1][4][5][6][7]
Read Zurich U.S. reviewsNationwide vs Zurich U.S. Umbrella and Excess Liability Compared
Nationwide vs Zurich U.S.: Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Nationwide umbrella excess (official overview) | Zurich Commercial Umbrella and Excess Liability |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Nationwide describes offering umbrella excess for the audience stated on the cited product page. 4Company-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. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Who It’s For | Businesses with underlying liability coverage; Nationwide requests business, policy, loss, and payroll information for a quote. 4Company-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. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Coverage Features | 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. 4Company-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. | Zurich Commercial Umbrella combines Coverage A follow-form excess liability and Coverage B lead umbrella liability. 7Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; commercial umbrella and excess liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. Zurich’s Excess Claims Made Facility offers up to $100 million in claims-made excess casualty coverage and may consider customized wording; it is a joint Zurich, Chubb and National Indemnity facility. 7Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; commercial umbrella and excess liability; United States. Facility capacity and terms are shared among Zurich, Chubb and Berkshire Hathaway National Indemnity; do not attribute the whole facility solely to Zurich. |
| 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. 4Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred. | Coverage C Casualty Business Crisis Expense reimburses emergency expenses up to $250,000. 7Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; commercial umbrella and excess liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. |
| How to Apply | 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. 4Company-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. | Confirm in your quote. |
Related Pages for Nationwide vs Zurich U.S.
Umbrella and Excess Liability Pages for Nationwide and Zurich U.S.
Other Coverage Lines Compared for Nationwide vs Zurich U.S.
Other Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance Provider Comparisons
Sources for Nationwide vs Zurich U.S.
Sources About 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.
Sources About Zurich U.S.
- About Us | Zurich U.S. | Commercial Insurance. Zurich U.S.; About Zurich U.S.; customer and industry description; FAQ on U.S. product focus. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Agents and Brokers | Zurich U.S. Zurich U.S.; Agent/broker route and locator. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Commercial Umbrella Insurance Coverage | Zurich Insurance. Zurich U.S.; Umbrella and excess coverage forms, crisis expense limit, excess claims-made facility. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Sources for the 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.
