CFC vs Usi: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

CPA firms, from sole practitioners to regional practices, can join the AICPA program USI Insurance Services administers, underwritten by CNA. CFC favors other consultant types and publishes E&O limits up to $10 million.

Kearny Risk organizes these comparisons for firms whose advice, content or technology creates professional exposures.Research updated 2026-09-29

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

Risk-Management Resources and Claims

USI says AICPA program members receive claims support and risk-management resources, including engagement-letter templates. [8] CFC routes claims to a named Claims Manager on a dedicated professions unit. [1] If you value prevention tools, ask USI what is included; if you prioritize a named claims contact, ask CFC how that manager works with the insurer.

Published Limits and Client Fit

CFC publishes a $10 million maximum E&O limit, no revenue threshold and a list of favored and declined professions. [2] USI's AICPA program serves sole practitioners and regional CPA firms but does not publish limits or pricing. [8] Choose USI if you qualify for the CPA program; choose CFC if its appetite fits and you need to evaluate a published limit ceiling.

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

  • Ask USI whether your CPA firm qualifies for the CNA-underwritten AICPA program or would be placed through another USI practice. [8] [9]
  • Check CFC's declined list and confirm the issuing insurer. [2] [3]
  • Request USI's actual limits and compare against CFC's published maximum E&O limit of $10 million. [8] [2]
  • Ask what engagement-letter and risk-management resources include. [8]

Areas of coverage

CFC

  • role: CFC sells professional errors & omissions as a modular package policy it calls "Professional services" (branded on the brochure as "Miscellaneous professional liability"), which pairs E&O with optional general liability, property and cyber add-ons rather than selling E&O alone. Professional liability product page's "Professional services" tile and the miscellaneous professional liability brochure.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • insurer: The reviewed professional liability page and brochure describe CFC as the policy designer and point of contact but do not name the insurer that carries the risk for this product. Professional liability product page and professions brochure as read on 2026-09-23. CFC's own materials describe it as an underwriting manager rather than a risk-bearing insurer, so a specific carrier for this product would need to come from the quote or declarations.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: CFC says the E&O cover includes breach of contract, bodily injury, property damage, vicarious liability of subcontractors, IP infringement, pollution liability, libel, slander, defamation, document loss and withheld fees, with worldwide legal cover. Brochure's "Comprehensive errors & omissions cover" and "Comprehensive legal cover" sections; exact wording and exclusions are set by the policy as issued.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Businesses can add a separate commercial general liability limit, property, and cyber and privacy liability to the E&O policy, plus optional umbrella liability that sits over the E&O and CGL layers. Brochure's "Modular package policy" and "Umbrella liability" sections; availability depends on underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: CFC's brochure lists maximum limits of $10,000,000 for E&O, $6,000,000 for CGL and $5,000,000 for umbrella, with a $0 minimum deductible, minimum premiums starting at $475-$500 depending on the coverage part, and no revenue threshold for eligibility. Brochure's "Limits, deductibles, premiums, revenue threshold" section; the terms actually issued depend on underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: CFC says it favors business, educational, environmental, food, HR, market-research, quality-assurance, security and traffic consultants, event organisers, freight brokers, loss adjusters, private investigators and trade associations, and ordinarily declines debt collectors, financial advisors, health and safety consultants, insurance agents, lawyers, mortgage brokers, pre-purchase home inspectors, stockbrokers, tour operators and valuers. Brochure's "What we love" and "What we ordinarily decline" lists; actual acceptance depends on individual underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: CFC publishes a dedicated application form for this policy and also says its professional liability class can be traded directly through its Connect platform or through named API partners, in addition to the standard broker-submitted application. Professional liability product page's downloads and "Digitally traded" sections; not confirmed specifically for the professions/miscellaneous professional liability product versus the class as a whole.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: CFC lists a named Claims Manager for Professions on its claims team, indicating professional-liability claims are routed to a dedicated professions unit rather than a generalist adjuster. CFC's claims page team listing; the page does not publish claim volumes or turnaround times specific to this product.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 ↗

CPA firms reach USI’s AICPA program by dedicated email; CFC accepts Connect, API-partner and broker submissions for its E&O policy.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Claims

    CFC · Our claims team: Professions team, led by Laura Bennett, Claims Manager, Professions Claims & Kidnap, War & Piracy (KWP) · accessed 2026-09-23

  2. 02
    Miscellaneous professional liability | Product brochure | United States

    CFC · Comprehensive errors & omissions cover; Modular package policy; Umbrella liability; At a glance: What we love / What we ordinarily decline; Optional extras; Limits, deductibles, premiums, revenue threshold · accessed 2026-09-23

  3. 03
    Professional liability

    CFC · Professional services tile description; Digitally traded Connect section; downloads (brochure, application form) · 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
    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

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