Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Usi: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

CPA firms, from sole practitioners to regional practices, get a dedicated program through USI Insurance Services, underwritten by CNA. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance names staffing, consulting and marketing firms as targeted customers.

Kearny Risk organizes these comparisons for firms whose advice, content or technology creates professional exposures.Research updated 2026-10-01

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance describes several Professional First segments, while USI identifies its AICPA Professional Liability Program for sole practitioners and regional CPA firms.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Professional First Architects, Engineers and Consultants Professional Liability

    Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance · Product Highlights: professional/pollution liability; media, technology and cyber/network security/privacy liability; direct breach/extortion expenses; risk services; primary/excess and project-specific product availability; target professions, lines 6–29. Its combined-form technology feature is not itself a standalone Tech E&O statement. · accessed 2026-09-28

  2. 02
    Professional First Professional Liability

    Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance · U.S. Professional Liability landing page links Professional Liability / Network Security & Privacy, stand-alone Network Security & Privacy, and Architects, Engineers and Consultants PL, lines 6–15; footer copyright © 2026. · accessed 2026-09-28

  3. 03
    Professional First Professional Liability Overview

    Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance · PDF pp.1–2: claims group and reporting; primary blended E&O/Cyber and stand-alone Cyber forms; line capacity statement; named Lawyers PL, Technology E&O, Miscellaneous PL, Media Liability, Network Security & Privacy; named technology-services target types and selection categories; dated 2026-06-03-A. Group capacity not a line policy limit. Source version: 2026-06-03-A. · accessed 2026-09-28

  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
    Get business insurance

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

  8. 08
    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

  9. 09
    Business Services

    USI Insurance Services · USI advises clients...and provides solutions for...Errors & Omissions/Professional Liability... · accessed 2026-09-23

  10. 10
    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

What Are the Key Differences Between Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Professional class and program audience

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance names staffing, management consulting, marketing and real-estate firms for Miscellaneous Professional Liability and separately lists law-firm size bands. USI’s AICPA Professional Liability Program specifically targets sole practitioners and regional CPA firms; USI brokers the program rather than underwriting it. A CPA evaluating these options should distinguish that endorsed CPA placement from BHSI’s named lawyers or miscellaneous professional products, then verify whether BHSI has a form for the firm’s services. [3] [8]

Service tied to the CPA placement

USI says AICPA program members receive claims support and risk-management resources such as engagement-letter templates. BHSI describes a Professional First claims group integrated with underwriting. These are service descriptions, not evidence of different claims outcomes. Ask both providers how notice is given and what support you receive after a client allegation. [8] [3]

What Should You Confirm in Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask USI whether your firm qualifies for the AICPA program and confirm its named insurer, CNA, on the quote. [8]
  • Ask BHSI for the policy form, limit and eligibility criteria for your CPA services. [3]
  • Compare claims reporting instructions and risk resources in writing. [8]

Areas of coverage

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

  • coverage: BHSI’s U.S. Professional First overview identifies Lawyers Professional Liability and Miscellaneous Professional Liability alongside Technology E&O and Media Liability. Portfolio catalogue statement; the specific legal/professional class and form must be selected rather than treating the offerings as one policy.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • eligibility: The overview names staffing firms, management consultants, marketing firms and real-estate firms as targeted customers for Miscellaneous Professional Liability; it separately lists law-firm size bands for Lawyers Professional Liability. U.S. Professional First target statements; class-specific eligibility only.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: For architects, engineers and consultants, BHSI describes a professional-liability form that also addresses pollution, media, technology and cyber/network-security exposures. This is a specialized design-industry combined form, not generic E&O wording or proof that all risks receive each component.company-reportedSource ↗
  • services: The Professional First overview describes its in-house claims handling group as experienced in complex, high-value claims and integrated with underwriting. Company-reported portfolio-level claim-service description, not independently measured claims performance.company-reportedSource ↗

USI Insurance Services

  • role: 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. AICPA program page and Business Services practice page.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • insurer: 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. Direct quote from the AICPA program page; CNA underwrites only this named program, not USI's other professional-liability placements.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: 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. Program page description.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: 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. Program page description; actual insuring agreements, exclusions and conditions are set by the issued CNA policy form.company-reportedSource ↗
  • 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. Page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • services: 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. Program page description.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: 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. Contact instructions on the AICPA program page.company-reportedSource ↗

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