The Hartford vs 
USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance
The Hartford prices five named E&O products directly; USI's flagship E&O offering is a CPA program underwritten by CNA.
What Is The Hartford?
The Hartford is the brand of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., whose subsidiaries underwrite property-and-casualty insurance and employee benefits. Small-business buyers can start online or by phone or work through independent agents, while the issuing company and state eligibility still have to be confirmed on a quote. 1,2,3
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. 5,6,7
What Is Professional Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance?
Professional errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, also called professional liability insurance, addresses claims that professional services or advice caused a client financial loss. What's covered depends on the services actually scheduled in the policy, not the product label alone. 11,12,13,14
Key Differences in 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. 4 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. 8
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. 4 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. 8Company-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. 4 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. 8
What to Confirm in 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. 4
- 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. 8
- Ask USI for actual quoted premiums, since the AICPA program page publishes none. 8
- Ask whether an extended reporting period is available from The Hartford if you switch professions or policies later. 4
Offering Details
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) |
|---|---|---|
| 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. 4Company-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. 8,10Company-reported. AICPA program page and Business Services practice page. |
| Issuing Insurer | Not described in the reviewed sources. | 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. 8Company-reported. Direct quote from the AICPA program page; CNA underwrites only this named program, not USI's other professional-liability placements. |
| 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. 4Company-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. 8Company-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. 4Company-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. 8Company-reported. Program page description; actual insuring agreements, exclusions and conditions are set by the issued CNA policy form. |
| Limits and Retentions | The Hartford publishes average minimum monthly premiums by product: Misc. Professional Liability Standalone $62, Misc. Professional Liability Endorsement $41, Architects and Engineers Professional Liability $239, Healthcare Professionals Professional Liability $38, and Errors & Omissions Insurance for Technology Companies $146. The page does not publish standard coverage limits or retentions; cost and limits are set at quote. 4Company-reported. Company-reported pricing as of 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford May 4, 2026); premiums are not coverage limits. | The AICPA program page does not publish limit, retention or premium figures; it says coverage plans allow a firm to tailor coverage to its risk profile. 8Not publicly disclosed. Page as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | USI says firms enrolled in the program get supportive claims handling and exclusive access to risk-management resources, including engagement-letter templates, in addition to the coverage itself. 8Company-reported. Program page description. |
| How to Apply | Not described in the reviewed sources. | USI directs CPA firms seeking a quote or renewal to contact USI Affinity, with a dedicated Affinity_APL@usi.com address for the AICPA program specifically. 8Company-reported. Contact instructions on the AICPA program page. |
Full Comparison
More The Hartford vs USI Insurance Services Comparisons
Other Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Comparisons
Sources
The Hartford
- Legal Notice. The Hartford; The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. holding-company description; no representation that all products are available in all locations; P&C writing-company table as of December 31, 2025 including Hartford Fire (NAIC 19682) and Hartford Underwriters (NAIC 30104); life writing companies including Hartford Life and Accident (NAIC 70815). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- SaaS Insurance for Your Business. The Hartford; Audience list (software startups, SaaS, IT consulting); Get a Business Owner’s Policy; What Is Business Owner’s Policy Insurance?; general liability introduction and Get a Quote; Get Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Property Insurance for Your Business; Benefits of The Hartford’s WC Insurance for Employers and Employees; cyber insurance and data breach descriptions; Get a quote for cyber insurance; EPLI introduction and Private Choice Premier; add-ons (workers’ compensation, data breach, commercial auto); technology professional liability mention; small-business availability banner; industry-average premium footnote; footnote 2 state restrictions; footer product-availability disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Find a Local Insurance Agent. The Hartford; Small-business and midsize agent locators; FAQ that buyers can purchase without an agent by calling or quoting online; statement that agents may charge fees. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Professional Liability Insurance Coverage. The Hartford; What Is Professional Liability Insurance Coverage?; What Does Professional Liability Insurance Cover?; Who Needs Professional Liability Insurance Coverage?; How Much Does Professional Liability Insurance Cost?; How Does Professional Liability Insurance Work? (claims-made vs. occurrence). 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; Technology practice client types, seed-to-IPO range, and listed insurance placement lines including PrivaSafe. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commissions and Fees. USI Insurance Services; Licensed-producer authority, insurer-paid commission default, contingent compensation, and client request right. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Accountants Professional Liability — USI Affinity. USI Insurance Services; Quality Professional Liability Insurance Exclusively for CPA Firms; "The AICPA Professional Liability Program, underwritten by CNA, has been offering coverage to CPAs since 1967 and has been the endorsed provider of the AICPA Program since 1994."; supportive claims handling and exclusive access to extensive risk management resources, including engagement letter templates; Email Affinity_APL@usi.com. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- USI Specialty Program Solutions. USI Insurance Services; USI Affinity delivers high-quality insurance and financial solutions to members of affinity organizations and targeted industry segments...for professional associations, law firms, alumni and collegiate organizations, travel groups, and insurance administrators. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Business Services. USI Insurance Services; USI advises clients...and provides solutions for...Errors & Omissions/Professional Liability... Accessed 2026-09-23.
Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Guide
- FAQ: Professional liability insurance. Texas Department of Insurance; What’s professional liability coverage?; What types of damages…; What’s general liability insurance?; Do I need professional liability… if I have general liability…?; Is professional liability insurance required?; Can a client require…?; What’s the difference between occurrence policies and claims-made policies. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Professional liability insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening paragraphs (professional services/advice and E&O name); Claims not covered by general liability; What types of businesses need professional liability insurance?; What’s covered… and what’s not (claims-made versus occurrence, defense and judgments, non-financial/intentional limits, BOP/in-home exclusion). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Get business insurance. U.S. Small Business Administration; Six common types of business insurance table. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Professional Liability – US Direct Errors and Omissions Insurance. Hiscox Inc. specimen; About this Policy / Coverage for Claims Made Against You; I.A Insuring Agreement; I.B Defense; I.C Settlement; II.A Notice of Claims; II.C Optional Extended Reporting Period; III.A, III.K, III.M, III.R, III.S Exclusions; IV.A–B Limits and Deductible; VI.O Professional Services; VI.U Wrongful Act. Accessed 2026-09-16.
