Counterpart vs Hiscox: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

Hiscox says eligible buyers can quote and buy professional liability online, and it is licensed for sale in 49 states and Washington, D.C., excluding Alaska. Counterpart distributes through wholesale brokers, with separate programs by profession.

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

What Are the Key Differences Between Counterpart and Hiscox Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Program Structure and Professional Fit

Hiscox's product page reviewed September 23, 2026 described online purchase for eligible Hiscox NOW professional-liability buyers; its About page and appetite guide name Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. as underwriter for that admitted catalogue. Counterpart lists programs by profession and a wholesale-broker route. Check current Hiscox eligibility on the quote, then match Counterpart's program to the actual professional services. [9] [7] [8] [1] [6] [3] [2] [5]

Policy Form and Continuity

Hiscox describes its professional policy as claims-made, so the policy-period reporting rule matters. Counterpart lists distinct programs, but its reviewed pages do not establish one claims trigger across all of them. Compare the specific forms, including Hiscox's retroactive date and reporting requirements. [10] [6] [5]

What Should You Confirm in Counterpart and Hiscox Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?

  • Hiscox: confirm current state eligibility, issuing entity and retroactive date from the quote. Counterpart: identify the program and proposed carrier, then request prior-acts and tail terms. [9] [7] [8] [1] [6] [5]

Areas of coverage

Counterpart

  • role: Counterpart describes its product distribution through Counterpart Insurance Services, Inc. and wholesale brokers. The cited marketing pages do not identify the insurer for a particular professional-liability risk or state.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • eligibility: Counterpart lists distinct professional-liability programs for miscellaneous professionals, architects/engineers/contractors, allied healthcare and lawyers. Each page has its own occupation scope; no single eligibility rule applies across all four products.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗Source ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: The Lawyers Professional Liability page describes claims arising from lawyers’ professional services; the MPL page gives service-related negligence and financial-loss examples. These are distinct program summaries and do not establish identical policy triggers or coverages.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • limits: Counterpart says its professional pages support modular limits and presents sample limits and retentions for selected professions. Published examples are illustrative, not terms available to a particular applicant.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗

Hiscox

  • role: Hiscox Inc., a licensed insurance intermediary, sells professional liability (errors and omissions) coverage directly online to small businesses as part of its Hiscox NOW admitted small-business catalogue. Company-stated online small-business channel.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • insurer: Hiscox's appetite guide and About Hiscox US page name Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. (NAIC 10200) as the underwriter of admitted Hiscox NOW professional-liability policies. Admitted small-business professional liability as described in company materials; the exact contracting entity for a particular state or channel should be confirmed on the quote.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • eligibility: Hiscox says professional liability is licensed for sale in 49 states and Washington, D.C., excluding Alaska, and that if it does not sell the product online in a buyer's state, a specialist broker may be able to help instead. Company-stated jurisdiction for the online small-business catalogue; the appetite guide's technology classes (IT consultants, software development) illustrate typical buyers but do not guarantee acceptance for any one applicant.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: Hiscox describes professional liability as a claims-made policy, meaning a claim is covered only if it is made (and typically reported) while the policy is active, rather than an occurrence policy covering incidents regardless of when the claim surfaces. Product FAQ description; exact triggers, retroactive dates, exclusions and wording are set by the issued policy.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The professional-liability pages reviewed do not publish standard limit, retention or deductible amounts; specific figures are shown only on a quote. Public product and FAQ pages as previously reviewed.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • application: Hiscox says eligible buyers can quote and buy professional liability online, with licensed advisors available by phone during posted hours for questions during the process. Company-described online application; eligibility and binding conditions require confirmation on the actual application.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: A professional-liability FAQ tells current customers that the claims phone line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, separate from the general claims-center hours listed elsewhere on the Hiscox site. Company-described claims-reporting availability for this product's FAQ; does not establish claim outcomes or turnaround time.company-reportedSource ↗

Hiscox's September 23, 2026 product page described online Hiscox NOW professional liability; Counterpart lists profession-specific programs distributed through wholesale brokers.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    How can I get insurance through Counterpart?

    Counterpart Knowledge Center · Retained source: article describes wholesale-broker referral route; prior access 2026-09-28. · accessed 2026-09-28

  2. 02
    Allied Medical & Healthcare Liability

    Counterpart, Inc. · Retained provider source: names allied healthcare classes, combined coverage/enhancements and illustrative limits/examples; does not establish conventional malpractice for every medical profession or standalone general liability. Prior access 2026-09-28; direct reopen failed in this session. · accessed 2026-09-28

  3. 03
    Architects, Engineers, & Contractors Liability

    Counterpart, Inc. · Retained provider source: A&E/contractor class examples, services, enhancements and illustrative limits; prior access 2026-09-28. · accessed 2026-09-28

  4. 04
    Counterpart | Agentic Insurance™

    Counterpart, Inc. · Retained provider source: footer states insurance products are offered by Counterpart Insurance Services, Inc., described as a licensed producer and surplus-lines broker; product/state availability varies, issuer not mapped by product/state. Prior access 2026-09-29. · accessed 2026-09-29

  5. 05
    Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance

    Counterpart, Inc. · Reopened 2026-09-30: page lines 4–8 names lawyer-focused product; lines 236–272 company-stated geographic reach, modular liability limit examples, professional services, technology/media extensions and GL alongside professional cover. Product terms remain policy-specific. · accessed 2026-09-30

  6. 06
    Professional & General Liability

    Counterpart, Inc. · Reopened 2026-09-30: page lines 4–8 says MPL may be purchased alone or packaged with GL; lines 208–245 describe industries and coverage examples; lines 251–283 describe risk assessment, quoting channels and underwriter access. Marketing page, not binding terms. · accessed 2026-09-30

  7. 07
    About Hiscox US Insurance

    Hiscox · Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent · accessed 2026-09-16

  8. 08
    Hiscox US Agent Appetite Guide

    Hiscox · Hiscox NOW admitted GL, PL, cyber and BOP underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc.; technology classes including IT consultants and software development · accessed 2026-09-16

  9. 09
    Professional Liability Insurance for Small Businesses

    Hiscox · Professional liability/E&O product; licensed in 49 states and Washington, D.C. (Alaska excluded); specialist-broker assistance if not licensed in a state; licensed-advisor hours · accessed 2026-09-16

  10. 10
    What is Professional Liability Insurance?

    Hiscox · Claims-made description; current-customer claim number described as open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week · accessed 2026-09-16

  11. 11
    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

  12. 12
    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

  13. 13
    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

  14. 14
    Get business insurance

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

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