At Bay vs Marsh: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

A business wanting a team with attorneys, economists and actuaries sizing up exposure may look to Marsh, a broker serving banks, tech and healthcare among others. At-Bay markets its own miscellaneous professional liability up to $5 million.

Kearny Risk organizes these comparisons for firms whose advice, content or technology creates professional exposures.Research updated 2026-09-25

Areas of coverage

At-Bay

  • role: At-Bay markets MPL as one of its own named insurance products, sold through its disclosed producer, At-Bay Insurance Services LLC, with the product page directed at "properly licensed insurance professionals" submitting business rather than at direct retail buyers. Current MPL product page and license disclosures; this describes the distribution channel, not who bears the underwriting risk.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • insurer: The current MPL product page does not name the insurer that issues the policy. A September 2023 press release named United Specialty Company in connection with MPL, but that historical reference does not establish the current issuing insurer for a new MPL quote. Reviewed MPL page as of 2026-09-23 and the September 2023 press release; restates the existing provider fact that MPL's current issuer is unresolved, distinct from the August 2023 Cyber/Tech E&O transition to At-Bay Specialty Insurance Company paper.not-foundSource ↗Source ↗
  • eligibility: At-Bay says it provides primary MPL for businesses of all revenue sizes with limits up to $5 million, subject to state restrictions and eligibility requirements detailed in a separate MPL appetite guide. Current MPL appetite paragraph; the linked appetite guide's specific eligibility requirements were not independently opened for this record.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: At-Bay lists MPL coverage highlights including automatic coverage for acquired subsidiaries, claims-made-and-reported coverage, coverage for independent contractors, disciplinary-proceedings defense, a duty-to-defend contract, personal-injury coverage (including emotional distress), punitive damages where insurable, a professional-services definition written for each insured, and an 80/20 hammer clause. Product-page coverage-highlights list; an 80/20 hammer clause is a settlement provision where the insurer pays 80% and the insured pays 20% of costs after the insured declines a recommended settlement. The issued policy and declarations control actual wording, limits and exclusions.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: At-Bay publishes an MPL limit ceiling of up to $5 million, with state restrictions that are not detailed on the product page itself. Current appetite paragraph; this is an advertised ceiling, not a guaranteed available limit for any specific applicant.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: At-Bay directs MPL submissions to underwriting by email or through automatic quotes on its Broker Platform, which At-Bay describes as a workflow of creating a quote, customizing limits and retentions, and binding the policy. Current submission instructions and the general broker-platform workflow description; MPL-specific automation details were not separately confirmed.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗

Marsh

  • role: Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance; MMA also places E&O coverage within its executive and professional liability practice for middle-market clients. Marsh professional liability page and MMA executive and professional liability page.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: Marsh says professional liability coverage can protect a company against liability and defense costs from a claim alleging an error, omission or negligence in performing professional services, and that many policies also cover privacy violations and computer security breaches. Marsh professional liability page opening description; illustrative policy description, not a specific policy form.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Marsh names specialized industries its professional liability experts serve, including banking and broker/dealers, insurance companies and asset managers, merchant banking and venture capital, accountants, attorneys, architects and engineers, media and entertainment, technology, and healthcare and biotechnology. Marsh professional liability page, What We Offer section.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: The reviewed pages do not name a specific professional liability insurer. Marsh professional liability page and MMA executive and professional liability page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • services: Marsh says it employs attorneys, economists and actuaries alongside coverage specialists to assess a client's professional liability exposure from multiple angles, given the complexity of these risks. Marsh professional liability page.company-reportedSource ↗

What Are the Key Differences Between At-Bay and Marsh Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Industry-Specific Expertise or a Published Limit

Marsh lists professional-liability practices for finance, insurance, venture capital, law, architecture and engineering, media, technology, healthcare and biotechnology. At-Bay publishes a $5 million MPL ceiling for businesses it accepts. Marsh gives more explicit direction for specialized sectors; At-Bay gives a limit figure to compare against your need. [7] [4]

Who Will Assess Your Risk?

Marsh says its professional-liability teams include attorneys, economists, actuaries and coverage specialists. At-Bay’s MPL page instead details policy features such as a duty to defend and a hammer clause, without describing a comparable in-house specialist team. Ask Marsh who would assess your exposure and At-Bay which terms apply to your work. [7] [4]

Identify the Insurer

Neither reviewed page names the insurer for your specific placement. You need that information to check the issued policy and compare carriers. [7] [4]

What Should You Confirm in At-Bay and Marsh Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask Marsh which industry team applies to your business and what underwriting access it provides. [7]
  • Ask At-Bay which state restrictions and limit terms apply to its $5 million ceiling. [4]
  • Ask both to identify the insurer that will issue your policy. [7] [4]
  • Request the actual limits, retentions, exclusions and premium from each. [7] [4]

Marsh has specialized E&O practices for finance, healthcare, media and technology; At-Bay publishes a $5 million MPL ceiling for businesses across revenue sizes.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    At-Bay Doubles Miscellaneous Professional Liability Appetite

    At-Bay · September 28, 2023 release: final paragraph before Media Contacts · accessed 2026-09-16

  2. 02
    Broker Platform

    At-Bay · How it works: Create a quote, Customize your quote, Bind your policy, Manage renewals; FAQs · accessed 2026-09-16

  3. 03
    Licenses

    At-Bay · Producer introduction; agency and surplus-lines footer naming At-Bay Insurance Services LLC · accessed 2026-09-16

  4. 04
    MPL Insurance: Coverage Highlights & Appetite

    At-Bay · MPL Coverage Highlights list; MPL Appetite paragraph; Send us your submissions; "material on this page is intended for use solely by properly licensed insurance professionals" · accessed 2026-09-23

  5. 05
    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

  6. 06
    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

  7. 07
    Professional liability

    Marsh · Opening description; What We Offer: specialized industries served (banking, insurance/asset managers, merchant banking/venture capital, accountants/attorneys/architects/engineers, media/communications/entertainment, technology, healthcare/biotechnology) · accessed 2026-09-23

  8. 08
    Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance

    Marsh McLennan Agency · Our policies include D&O, E&O, EPL, commercial crime/fidelity, network security privacy risk/cyber, fiduciary, media liability, IP, architects and engineers, lawyers professional, and kidnap and ransom · accessed 2026-09-23

  9. 09
    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

  10. 10
    Get business insurance

    U.S. Small Business Administration · Six common types of business insurance table · accessed 2026-09-16

Ask Kearny Risk to help relate this comparison to your services and contracts.

Contact Kearny Risk