The Hartford vs 
USI Insurance Services: How Do They Compare for Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?
USI Insurance Services is the route for CPA firms through the CNA-underwritten AICPA program; The Hartford lists accountants, consultants, designers and technology professionals and publishes average minimum monthly premiums.
The Hartford publishes average minimum monthly premiums for five named professional liability products, while USI's most detailed E&O offering is the AICPA Professional Liability Program, a CPA-specific plan underwritten by CNA that USI has run since 1994. 1,2
What Are the Key Differences Between The Hartford and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?
Five Priced Products vs. a Named CPA Program
The Hartford breaks the line into five named products, each with its own published average minimum monthly premium, covering accountants, healthcare, technology, architects and engineers, and other professions. 1 USI's most detailed E&O offering, by contrast, is the AICPA Professional Liability Program, run through its USI Affinity division specifically for CPA firms. 2
When comparing The Hartford and USI Insurance Services, use published pricing as a budget screen; the actual quote still decides the cost comparison.
Who Underwrites the Policy
The Hartford's page describes the professional liability products as its own, without a separate named issuing entity distinct from The Hartford brand. 1 USI's page names an insurer directly for its CPA program instead:
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. 2Company-reported. Direct quote from the AICPA program page; CNA underwrites only this named program, not USI's other professional-liability placements.
Pricing Disclosure
The Hartford publishes specific average minimum monthly premiums for each of its five products. 1 USI's AICPA program page does not publish limit, retention or premium figures, saying instead that coverage plans allow a firm to tailor coverage to its risk profile. 2
What Should You Confirm in The Hartford and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?
- Ask The Hartford which of its five priced products applies to your business, since the average minimums vary widely by profession. 1
- If you're a CPA firm, ask USI whether the AICPA program or its general Business Services E&O placement applies, since the two have different named insurers. 2
- Ask USI for actual quoted premiums, since the AICPA program page publishes none. 2
- Ask whether an extended reporting period is available from The Hartford if you switch professions or policies later. 1
The Hartford vs USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Compared
The Hartford vs USI Insurance Services: Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | The Hartford Professional Liability Insurance (Errors & Omissions) | AICPA Professional Liability Program (USI Affinity) |
|---|---|---|
| Who It’s For | The Hartford targets professional liability at businesses that sign contracts requiring coverage, offer professional services directly to customers, or regularly give advice to clients, and lists industries it covers: accountants, consultants, interior designers, advertising agencies, graphic designers, technology professionals and healthcare professionals. 1Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23. | 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. 2Company-reported. Program page description. |
| Coverage Features | The Hartford says the policy can cover claims of negligence, misrepresentation, inaccurate advice, personal injury (libel/slander) and copyright infringement, plus defense costs. Many of its professional liability policies are written on a claims-made basis with a retroactive date and an extended reporting period (typically 30-60 days, extendable to a year or more for an added cost), though some are written on an occurrence basis. 1Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage and policy-form description; the issued policy controls. | 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. 2Company-reported. Program page description; actual insuring agreements, exclusions and conditions are set by the issued CNA policy form. |
| Role in This Line | The Hartford's professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, protects businesses when they make mistakes in the professional services provided to clients, including claims that turn out to be baseless. 1Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23. | 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. 2,4Company-reported. AICPA program page and Business Services practice page. |
