Beazley vs The Hartford: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

The Hartford shows average minimum monthly premiums, such as $62 for standalone miscellaneous professional liability, for accountants, consultants and tech firms. Beazley bundles E&O into MediaTech with cyber and media.

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

What Are the Key Differences Between Beazley and The Hartford Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Price Benchmark for Architects and Engineers

The Hartford publishes five professional-liability product minimums, from $38 per month for healthcare professionals to $239 for architects and engineers. Beazley does not publish comparable pricing for MediaTech. The Hartford gives an A&E firm a profession-specific starting figure; the quote may differ based on its exposure and requested limits. [7] [1]

Which Profession Fits the Form?

Beazley’s MediaTech definition excludes architects, engineers, accountants, lawyers and other listed professions. The Hartford has a dedicated A&E product. If you are an architect or engineer, check Beazley’s eligibility first and then compare the Hartford form with the actual MediaTech wording. [2] [7]

Extended Reporting Terms

The Hartford says many claims-made policies include 30-to-60-day extended reporting and can be extended for a year or longer at added cost. Beazley offers an Optional Extension Period but does not publish its price or duration. Compare those costs if prior work may lead to a later claim. [7] [2]

What Should You Confirm in Beazley and The Hartford Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask The Hartford which product fits your profession and get its actual premium, limit and retention. [7]
  • Confirm your services are not excluded under Beazley’s MediaTech definition. [2]
  • Ask Beazley for the Optional Extension Period cost and duration. [2]
  • Compare defense terms and limits across the actual forms. [7] [2]

Areas of coverage

Beazley

  • role: Beazley sells professional errors and omissions coverage bundled inside MediaTech, a single small-business form that also includes technology E&O, media liability and cyber coverage. It is not sold as a standalone professional-liability policy for this segment. US small-business MediaTech product page; does not address any larger-account professional liability program Beazley may write separately.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Beazley's posted Digital MediaTech Application names Beazley Insurance Company, Inc. as the insurer on its cover page. The actual issuing entity for a given policy is confirmed on the quote and declarations, not the blank application. Application form F00859, 042022 edition; not a regulator record and not evidence of the entity for every state or route.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: The sample MediaTech form covers a Tech & Professional Services Wrongful Act: a negligent act, error, omission, misstatement or unintentional breach of contract in rendering Professional Services, defined as services performed for others for a fee. Sample policy form F00731, 022019 edition, insuring agreements and definitions; the issued policy's wording and any endorsements control.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: The sample form's definition of Professional Services excludes services performed as an accountant, architect, surveyor, health care provider, lawyer, insurance or real estate agent or broker, or civil or structural engineer, so those licensed professions are not covered by this professional E&O trigger. Sample policy form F00731, 022019 edition, Professional Services definition; a business in one of these excluded professions would need different coverage even if it buys MediaTech.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: Coverage is claims-made and reported: it responds only to claims first made and reported during the policy period (or a purchased Optional Extension Period), and defense costs reduce the available limit. A buyer can purchase an Optional Extension Period (a tail) for additional premium after non-renewal or cancellation. Sample policy form F00731; application form repeats the same notice; specific tail pricing and duration are set in the declarations, not disclosed publicly.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • limits: Unless the declarations list a separate amount, each insuring agreement in the sample form (including the professional-liability trigger) shares the same Policy Aggregate Limit of Liability with the policy's media and cyber coverages rather than carrying its own dedicated limit. Sample policy form F00731, 022019 edition, Limit of Liability and Coverage section; actual sublimits depend on what is purchased and shown on the declarations.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: Beazley's MediaTech application asks applicants to describe the professional and technology services they perform, disclose employee count and multi-year US and non-US revenue, and state whether written client contracts include scope-of-work, damages-cap and consequential-damages-disclaimer provisions. Application form F00859, 042022 edition, General Information, Revenue Information and Contractual Controls sections; a completed application does not establish acceptance.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: Beazley says its cyber and tech claims team, including experienced litigators, has handled thousands of E&O claims, which it describes as including implementation errors alongside software failures and IP disputes. MediaTech product page claims paragraph; outcome and volume figures are Beazley's own description and not independently verified.company-reportedSource ↗

The Hartford

  • role: 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. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: 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. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage and policy-form description; the issued policy controls.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: 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. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: 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. Company-reported pricing as of 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford May 4, 2026); premiums are not coverage limits.company-reportedSource ↗

The Hartford lists a $239 monthly minimum for architects and engineers; Beazley bundles E&O with technology, media and cyber but excludes some licensed professions.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Beazley Digital Media Tech Application

    Beazley · F00859, 042022 edition, Beazley Insurance Company, Inc.; page 1 claims-made-and-reported notice and General Information; page 1-2 Revenue Information · accessed 2026-09-23

  2. 02
    Beazley MediaTech Sample Policy

    Beazley · F00731, 022019 edition; Media, Tech, Data & Network Liability insuring agreement; Definitions: Tech & Professional Services Wrongful Act, Professional Services; Limit of Liability and Coverage; Optional Extension Period · accessed 2026-09-23

  3. 03
    MediaTech for Small Businesses

    Beazley · Opening product description; What we offer: E&O (Tech and Professional), Media, Cyber coverage includes; SME placement paragraph; claims team paragraph · accessed 2026-09-23

  4. 04
    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

  5. 05
    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

  6. 06
    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

  7. 07
    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

  8. 08
    Get business insurance

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

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