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Insurance Buying Guide for Marketing Businesses
Which Insurance Should You Consider?
Consider professional errors and omissions (E&O), cyber liability, general liability, media liability, and crime. Start with the coverages tied to your day-to-day operations, then use the situations and buying questions below to compare your options.
Professional errors and omissions (E&O)
A client relies on your campaign strategy, analytics, creative production, media placement, or marketing advice.
Professional liability is described broadly for services and advice errors. Ask how the policy defines the specific client work and alleged financial loss.[2][4]
Ask Before Buying
Which services, client deliverables, media-buying duties, and subcontractors are within the form, and what exclusions or limits apply?
Cyber liability
You access customer lists, campaign accounts, ad-platform credentials, or audience data.
FTC identifies first-party costs and third-party claims as cyber insurance topics. Ask how the form treats compromised credentials, vendor data, response costs, and customer claims.[3][5]
Ask Before Buying
Which accounts, data, vendor events, interruption, restoration, and third-party claims are described in the proposed form?
General liability
You host a launch event, film on location, or meet customers at a studio.
Commercial general liability is broadly described for bodily injury and damage to others’ property. Describe the actual locations and event activities and check exclusions.[6][2]
Ask Before Buying
Are events, filming locations, equipment setup, and visitor activities listed, and which limits or exclusions apply?
Media liability
You publish ads, client claims, branded content, or social posts for customers.
List the content formats and platforms you produce, then ask which allegations and services a proposed form addresses.[1][2]
Ask Before Buying
Which content, platforms, services, alleged harms, and client work are within the proposed wording? Which are excluded?
Crime
Your staff can move client media budgets or change vendor payment instructions.
Ask whether a proposed form addresses employee theft. Client budget diversion, impersonation, and payment redirection are separate quote questions; no coverage is presumed.[2]
Ask Before Buying
Which persons and funds are insured, and how does the form treat employee theft, outside impersonation, and redirected payments?
Before Signing a Client Agreement
List the deliverables, approvals, media spend, account access, subcontractors, and campaign claims your team controls. Ask the broker which professional-services terms match those commitments.[4][2]
For each campaign claim, keep the supporting evidence and identify who approves the final version. FTC guidance covers truthful, substantiated advertising; your client agreement should assign who supplies proof and who can pause publication.[1]
Before Campaign or Content Launch
Confirm who owns creative, approves claims, supplies proof, and can pause publication. Share those roles and sample work with the broker and ask about content-specific exclusions.[1][4]
If a campaign uses customer data or account credentials, map access, vendors, and response responsibilities. Ask how the cyber form addresses those systems and data.[3]
When You Control a Budget or Host an Event
Document who can approve media spend, change payees, and access client platforms. Ask the insurer about employee theft and payment redirection as distinct events.[2]
For a launch or shoot, list locations, visitors, equipment, and site activity. Compare the operations description with the quote and any exclusions.[6][2]
Providers to Compare by Coverage
Professional errors and omissions (E&O)
Alliance Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
Not enough ratings
Amelia Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
2.0/ 10
Cyber liability
Alliance Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
Not enough ratings
Amelia Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
2.0/ 10General liability
Alliance Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
Not enough ratings
Amelia Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
2.0/ 10
Media liability
Alliance Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
Not enough ratings
CFC
Spot Score
Review Score
Not enough ratings
Crime
Alliance Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
Not enough ratings
Amelia Risk
Spot Score
Review Score
2.0/ 10Common Questions
Does advertising guidance mean a media-liability policy covers my campaign?
No. FTC advertising guidance addresses business conduct; it does not establish that a policy covers an allegation about an ad or post. Ask for the exact wording and exclusions.[1][2]
Read the Full AnswerWhat should I ask about a redirected client media budget?
Ask whether the quote addresses employee theft, impersonation, compromised credentials, and changed payment instructions separately. Do not assume a crime or cyber label includes every event.[2][3]
Read the Full AnswerSources and Further Reading
- Advertising and Marketing Basics — Federal Trade Commission. Verified FTC replacement page: advertising claims and endorsements.
FTC advertising guidance; does not establish policy response.
- Small Business Insurance — National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Small-business coverage categories, exclusions, property interests.
General coverage purposes and exclusions, not policy wording.
- Cyber Insurance — Federal Trade Commission (content developed with NAIC and federal partners). First-party and third-party cyber examples; not policy wording.
First/third-party examples to turn into quote questions, not promises.
- Launch your business — Get business insurance — U.S. Small Business Administration. Business insurance overview, common types and buying steps; broad federal mandate statement not relied on.
- Cybersecurity for Small Business — Federal Trade Commission. Supplier risk assessment and vendor-breach response.
- Commercial Insurance Guide — California Department of Insurance. Revised June 14, 2024: buying cover; property/time-element; inland marine; equipment breakdown; GL; workers compensation; rating.
Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this guide and works in the commercial insurance market. This is general buyer education. Policy wording and applicable state rules determine terms for a particular business.
Updated 2026-09-28. Editorial Policy
Get Help With Insurance Buying and Renewals.
Get help buying coverage and managing renewals, with less paperwork for your team. Start with a free consultation.