Harper vs Markel: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

Markel Insurance describes miscellaneous E&O for businesses up to $5 million in revenue, with coverage up to $2 million. Harper is a broker that writes the policy around your actual services and, when a contract requires E&O, says it issues the certificate the same day.

Kearny Risk organizes these comparisons for firms whose advice, content or technology creates professional exposures.Research updated 2026-09-30

Harper says it matches E&O limits to client contracts and can issue a same-day certificate; Markel targets small businesses in selected industries and states a $2 million maximum.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Errors and Omissions Insurance

    Harper · Page states the product is 'Same policy as professional liability, just what your industry calls it'; describes financial-loss claims from professional services and late-arriving claims · accessed 2026-09-23

  2. 02
    Professional Liability Insurance

    Harper · Know your coverage: What is Professional Liability insurance?; Errors & omissions, Negligence allegations, Legal defense, Contract-driven limits; Why Harper; FAQs on general liability vs. E&O, client E&O requirements, and pricing drivers · accessed 2026-09-23

  3. 03
    What We Cover

    Harper · Coverage directory list including Errors and Omissions and Professional Liability as separate catalogue entries · 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
    ProBiz | Professional Liability Coverage

    Markel · Miscellaneous E&O; types of covered professional-service errors; ProBiz target classes and process. · accessed 2026-09-30

  7. 07
    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

  8. 08
    Get business insurance

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

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

Contract matching and stated limit

Harper says it writes E&O around the applicant's actual services and matches limits to client contracts, with same-day certificate issuance after placement. Markel describes miscellaneous E&O for targeted small-business industries, gives a revenue scope up to $5 million and states a $2 million maximum. If a customer agreement sets required limits or wording, Harper's described contract review gives a specific check to request; compare it against Markel's actual quote. [2] [6]

Exclusions and service review

Harper says it reads exclusions line by line because equal limits can respond differently to the same claim. Markel's reviewed product claim describes professional-services protection but does not detail a similar exclusions review. Ask both to map your scope of work and contract language to the exclusions before binding. [2] [6]

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

  • Ask Harper to show the required contract limits and endorsements and confirm whether a certificate can be issued on your deadline.
  • Ask Markel whether your services qualify and request the form's exclusions, limits and certificate timing.

Areas of coverage

Harper

  • role: Harper places professional liability coverage as a broker, writing the policy around the applicant's actual services rather than underwriting it, and describes a specialist handling the placement. Professional liability page introduction and 'Why Harper' section.company-reportedSource ↗
  • role: Harper markets the identical policy under two catalogue entries, "Professional Liability" and "Errors and Omissions"; the E&O page states it is the same policy, just named what a given industry calls it. Coverage directory listing plus the E&O page's own description; a naming convention Harper states about itself, not a distinction between two products.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • eligibility: Harper targets consultants, agencies, tech firms and licensed professionals whose work product is advice, design or a decision, since general liability doesn't cover a client claiming that work caused a financial loss. Professional liability page introduction and FAQ distinguishing it from general liability.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Harper describes coverage for errors and omissions in the work itself, negligence allegations about professional judgment, and legal defense costs, with limits it says are matched to the client contracts that require the policy. Professional liability page's four coverage tiles; the E&O page adds that claims often surface a year or more after the work was delivered. The issued policy and its exclusions control actual scope.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • services: Harper says it reads a policy's exclusions line by line before a client buys, because two E&O policies with the same limit can respond very differently to the same claim. Professional liability page 'We know this' section; a described review practice, not an independently verified outcome.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: You request a quote online or by phone; if a client contract requires E&O, Harper says it places coverage matching that requirement and issues the certificate the same day. Professional liability page quote form and FAQ 'My client contract requires E&O. What now?'.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: The reviewed pages name pricing drivers (services performed, revenue, contract size) but do not name the issuing insurer or publish specific limit, retention or premium figures for this line. Checked both the professional-liability and errors-and-omissions pages on 2026-09-23; neither names a carrier or a limit figure.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗

Markel Insurance

  • role: Markel describes offering professional errors omissions for the audience stated on the cited product page. professional errors omissions marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Small businesses in ProBiz's targeted industries; source describes businesses up to $5 million revenue for the miscellaneous E&O product. professional errors omissions marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: The cited product page describes miscellaneous E&O for covered claims arising from professional services, with the page describing separate E&O and management-liability products. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. professional errors omissions marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: The page invites prospective customers or brokers to contact Markel or the named underwriting team. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. professional errors omissions marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: For its miscellaneous E&O product, Markel states coverage up to $2 million; this is a product-page maximum, not a promise that every applicant or quote receives that amount. Markel ProBiz miscellaneous E&O marketing page; class, underwriting, policy terms, and actual quoted limit control.company-reportedSource ↗

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