Heffernan vs Hiscox: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

Heffernan Insurance Brokers shops E&O with insurers through its small-business division and will research a custom package for industries it doesn't list, whereas Hiscox sells professional liability directly online to small businesses in 49 states and D.C.

Kearny Risk organizes these comparisons for firms whose advice, content or technology creates professional exposures.Research updated 2026-09-25

Hiscox names its insurer, offers online purchase and describes claims-made terms; Heffernan only lists E&O in its small-business package and does not describe its policy structure.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Small Business Insurance

    Heffernan Insurance Brokers · The types of coverage we can provide include... Errors and omissions protects against claims for problems with your product or service that result in a financial loss; industries served list; Specialty Programs; contact for custom-designed packages · accessed 2026-09-23

  2. 02
    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

  3. 03
    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

  4. 04
    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

  5. 05
    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

  6. 06
    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

  7. 07
    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

  8. 08
    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

  9. 09
    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 Heffernan Insurance Brokers and Hiscox Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Online Policy Detail vs General Brokerage Listing

Hiscox identifies its E&O insurer, offers online quoting and purchase, and describes the policy as claims-made. [3] [5] Heffernan lists E&O as one coverage its small-business division places but gives no dedicated E&O terms. [1]

Choose Hiscox if you want online quoting, claims-made terms and a 24/7 claims line; choose Heffernan if you want to discuss E&O inside a package across its small-business industries. [4] [5] [1]

Quote and Claim Support

Hiscox says licensed advisers are available by phone and its claims line is open 24/7 for current customers. [5] Heffernan directs buyers to contact its small-business division for a quote or custom package. [1]

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

  • Ask Heffernan which insurer would issue the policy and whether it is claims-made or occurrence. [1]
  • Confirm Hiscox online availability in your state and ask for limits and retentions. [4]
  • Ask what retroactive date applies to Hiscox's claims-made policy. [5]

Areas of coverage

Heffernan Insurance Brokers

  • role: Heffernan lists errors and omissions among the coverages its small-business division places for clients, shopping the line with insurers rather than underwriting it. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; no dedicated professional-E&O product page was found.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Heffernan describes errors and omissions coverage as protecting against claims for problems with a company's product or service that result in a financial loss to a client. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; the page does not list specific exclusions, claims-made versus occurrence form, or endorsements.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Heffernan's small-business division says it serves sole proprietors through fast-growing companies across industries including construction, food, health care, hospitality, nonprofits, real estate, technology, transportation, and vintners and growers, and will custom-design a package for industries not listed. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; not exclusively E&O-specific, but describes the buyer base for the page listing this coverage.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The reviewed page does not publish limits, retentions, or premium ranges for errors and omissions coverage. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • application: Heffernan directs small-business buyers to contact the firm's small-business division to request a quote and says it will research and build a custom package for industries not already listed. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗

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 ↗

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