Counterpart vs Usi: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

For a CPA firm, USI Insurance Services runs the AICPA program as endorsed producer with CNA as underwriter, plus risk-management resources. Counterpart distributes through wholesale brokers, with other profession programs.

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

USI names CNA only for the AICPA Professional Liability Program, while Counterpart describes distribution through its producer and wholesale brokers without mapping an insurer to a specific professional-liability placement.

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

What the Published Records Say About the Insurer

USI’s page names CNA as underwriter for the AICPA Professional Liability Program, which is marketed to sole practitioners and regional CPA firms. Counterpart’s distribution disclosure identifies Counterpart Insurance Services and wholesale brokers, while its cited marketing pages do not map an insurer to a particular professional-liability risk or state. These statements describe different placements and do not identify the same carrier arrangement. A CPA firm should check that the offered policy is the named AICPA program; for Counterpart, request the insurer on the specific proposal. [11] [4] [1]

Which Professional Group Is Named

USI’s named AICPA program is for CPA firms. Counterpart lists programs for miscellaneous professionals, A&E/contractors, allied healthcare and lawyers, each with its own occupation scope. This is a comparison of the audiences the records name, not a conclusion that a CPA firm fits Counterpart’s miscellaneous class. A firm should present its actual professional services and ask which program, if any, addresses them. [11] [6] [3] [2] [5]

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

  • USI: verify whether the proposal is for the AICPA program and whether CNA is named for that policy. Counterpart: obtain the insurer for the particular risk and identify which occupation program is being quoted. [11] [4] [6]

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 ↗

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 ↗

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
    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

  8. 08
    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

  9. 09
    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

  10. 10
    Get business insurance

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

  11. 11
    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

  12. 12
    Business Services

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

  13. 13
    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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