At Bay vs Simply Business: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

At-Bay lists coverage features including contractor coverage and disciplinary defense and lets brokers customize limits and retentions. Simply Business lists common professions but leaves exact terms to the selected carrier.

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

MPL terms and stated limit ceiling

At-Bay publishes miscellaneous professional liability with limits up to $5 million, subject to state restrictions and eligibility, and lists coverage for independent contractors, disciplinary-defense costs, personal injury and a duty to defend. Simply Business describes E&O costs that may be covered but does not publish limits in its reviewed record. Ask the broker for At-Bay’s appetite guide and compare the actual limit and retention with the selected panel quote. [4] [7]

Broker submission and online comparison

At-Bay directs licensed professionals to submit business by email or use its Broker Platform to customize limits and retentions and bind. Simply Business offers an online application and comparison flow, with panel-member approval required before binding. Confirm who can submit the At-Bay risk and how long the Simply Business quote remains conditional. [2] [8]

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

Ask At-Bay’s broker about state restrictions, your eligibility, selected limit, retention and professional-services definition. [4]
Ask Simply Business which carrier is proposed and whether the quote has panel approval and can bind. [8]

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 A September 2023 press release named United Specialty Company in connection with MPL, but that historical reference does not establish the current issuing insurer for a new MPL quote.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 ↗

Simply Business

coverage: The page describes protection for claims tied to professional work and lists attorney fees, court costs, settlements and judgments as costs that may be covered; policy wording controls. Company-published professional-errors-omissions information for U.S. small businesses; availability and actual policy terms depend on the insurer, state and buyer.company-reportedSource ↗
eligibility: Simply Business lists consultants, IT professionals, real-estate agents and bookkeepers among the business examples for which it can help find E&O coverage. The examples do not guarantee eligibility. Company-published professional-errors-omissions information for U.S. small businesses; availability and actual policy terms depend on the insurer, state and buyer.company-reportedSource ↗
application: The company describes an online flow to answer business questions, compare quotes and select a policy. Its Terms say an online quote is not guaranteed and binding requires panel-member approval. Company-published professional-errors-omissions information for U.S. small businesses; availability and actual policy terms depend on the insurer, state and buyer.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗

Sources reviewed

01
At-Bay Doubles Miscellaneous Professional Liability Appetite
At-Bay · September 28, 2023 release: final paragraph before Media Contacts · accessed 2026-09-16
02
Broker Platform
At-Bay · How it works: Create a quote, Customize your quote, Bind your policy, Manage renewals; FAQs · accessed 2026-09-16
03
Licenses
At-Bay · Producer introduction; agency and surplus-lines footer naming At-Bay Insurance Services LLC · accessed 2026-09-16
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
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
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
07
Professional Liability Insurance Coverage
Simply Business · Coverage lines 45–100; buyer examples lines 101–158; online quote steps lines 237–260. · accessed 2026-09-29
08
Terms of Service
Simply Business · Dated June 30, 2026; §1 lines 22–28; §8 lines 87–113; §10 lines 143–149; §19 line 211. · accessed 2026-09-29
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
Get business insurance
U.S. Small Business Administration · Six common types of business insurance table · accessed 2026-09-16