Hiscox vs Marsh: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

Marsh serves banks, asset managers, architects and venture firms, with attorneys, economists and actuaries alongside coverage specialists. Hiscox sells professional liability directly online to small businesses.

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

Marsh serves specialized sectors such as banking, asset management and biotech and says many E&O policies cover privacy breaches; Hiscox offers direct online coverage to small businesses outside Alaska.

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

Specialized Sectors and Cyber Exposure

Marsh lists banking, asset management, venture capital, technology, healthcare and biotechnology among its E&O sectors. It says many policies also cover privacy violations and computer-security breaches. [7] Hiscox targets small businesses seeking an online policy. [3]

Choose Marsh if your firm is in a named specialty sector or needs E&O that may include privacy and computer-security coverage; choose Hiscox if you are a small business outside Alaska seeking a direct online quote. [7] [3]

Quote and Carrier

Hiscox names its insurer and sells the policy directly online. [2] Marsh places coverage through insurers that vary by client and placement. [7]

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

  • Ask Marsh whether privacy and computer-security coverage is included in your quote. [7]
  • Confirm Hiscox sells in your state and compare policy form, limits and retentions. [3]
  • Ask Marsh which carrier would issue your policy. [7]

Areas of coverage

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 ↗

Marsh

  • role: Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance; MMA also places E&O coverage within its executive and professional liability practice for middle-market clients. Marsh professional liability page and MMA executive and professional liability page.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: Marsh says professional liability coverage can protect a company against liability and defense costs from a claim alleging an error, omission or negligence in performing professional services, and that many policies also cover privacy violations and computer security breaches. Marsh professional liability page opening description; illustrative policy description, not a specific policy form.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Marsh names specialized industries its professional liability experts serve, including banking and broker/dealers, insurance companies and asset managers, merchant banking and venture capital, accountants, attorneys, architects and engineers, media and entertainment, technology, and healthcare and biotechnology. Marsh professional liability page, What We Offer section.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: The reviewed pages do not name a specific professional liability insurer. Marsh professional liability page and MMA executive and professional liability page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • services: Marsh says it employs attorneys, economists and actuaries alongside coverage specialists to assess a client's professional liability exposure from multiple angles, given the complexity of these risks. Marsh professional liability page.company-reportedSource ↗

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    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

  2. 02
    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

  3. 03
    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

  4. 04
    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

  5. 05
    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

  6. 06
    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

  7. 07
    Professional liability

    Marsh · Opening description; What We Offer: specialized industries served (banking, insurance/asset managers, merchant banking/venture capital, accountants/attorneys/architects/engineers, media/communications/entertainment, technology, healthcare/biotechnology) · accessed 2026-09-23

  8. 08
    Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance

    Marsh McLennan Agency · Our policies include D&O, E&O, EPL, commercial crime/fidelity, network security privacy risk/cyber, fiduciary, media liability, IP, architects and engineers, lawyers professional, and kidnap and ransom · accessed 2026-09-23

  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

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