Coalition vs Usi: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

USI Insurance Services markets its AICPA program, underwritten by CNA, to sole practitioners and regional CPA firms. Coalition markets add-on professional liability to businesses that perform professional services, sold with an Active Cyber Insurance quote.

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 Coalition and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Claims and Risk Resources

USI says AICPA members receive claims support and risk-management resources, including engagement-letter templates. [7] Coalition says its in-house claims team handles MPL and cyber claims together. [1] Compare which service fits your needs after a claim or before client work.

Other USI Businesses

USI brokers E&O through Business Services for businesses outside the CPA-specific AICPA program, but the reviewed page does not name an insurer for that route. [8] Coalition's reviewed disclaimer also does not name the MPL insurer. [2]

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

  • Confirm whether your CPA firm qualifies for USI's CNA-underwritten program or will go through Business Services. [7] [8]
  • Ask Coalition whether Active Cyber is required and who issues MPL. [1] [2]
  • Ask USI for AICPA limits, exclusions and premium; its reviewed page does not list figures. [7]
  • Compare the actual policy wording against your client contracts. [7] [1]

USI’s AICPA E&O program serves sole-practitioner and regional CPA firms; Coalition sells MPL only with Active Cyber.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Miscellaneous Professional Liability

    Coalition · Why Miscellaneous Professional Liability?; MPL Advantage; What does MPL cover?; What types of claims does MPL protect against?; What types of businesses could benefit from MPL?; Why does 'Duty to Defend' coverage matter? · accessed 2026-09-23

  2. 02
    U.S. Disclaimers

    Coalition · Non-Admitted Cyber; Admitted Cyber; Admitted Executive Risk (names Zurich American Insurance Company, NAIC 16535); no 'Admitted MPL' or 'Admitted Tech E&O' section appears on the page · accessed 2026-09-23

  3. 03
    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

  4. 04
    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

  5. 05
    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

  6. 06
    Get business insurance

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

  7. 07
    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

  8. 08
    Business Services

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

  9. 09
    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

Areas of coverage

Coalition

  • role: Coalition designs and distributes MPL as an add-on coverage that combines with certain Active Cyber Insurance policies, sold through appointed brokers. Miscellaneous Professional Liability product page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Coalition markets MPL to any business that performs professional services, naming examples such as consultants, marketing and PR firms, staffing firms, printers, interior decorators, photographers and videographers, and property managers. Miscellaneous Professional Liability product page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Coalition says MPL covers defense costs, settlements, judgments, and other expenses from claims of errors and omissions in professional services, including negligence, failure to provide service, and misstatements about the service performed, on a duty-to-defend basis even when the business is not ultimately at fault. Miscellaneous Professional Liability product page as read on 2026-09-23; the issued policy controls actual terms.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Coalition's disclaimer page has named sections for admitted cyber, non-admitted cyber, and admitted executive risk, but no equivalent 'Admitted MPL' section, indicating MPL is placed on a non-admitted (surplus lines) basis with unaffiliated insurers the disclaimer does not name. U.S. Disclaimers page as read on 2026-09-23; the buyer's declarations page names the actual issuing insurer.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • application: Coalition sells MPL only as an addition to an Active Cyber Insurance quote, saying it takes just a few extra questions to add, rather than as a stand-alone policy. Miscellaneous Professional Liability product page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: Coalition says its in-house claims team manages both MPL and cyber claims in one place, which it describes as a smoother, more coordinated process for the policyholder. Miscellaneous Professional Liability product page as read on 2026-09-23; speed and efficiency descriptions are company-reported and not independently verified.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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