Three vs Usi: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

CPA firms use USI Insurance Services for the AICPA program, which CNA underwrites; small businesses wanting a package turn to THREE by Berkshire Hathaway, which lists E&O in its Business Owners Policy with an online quote.

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

What Are the Key Differences Between THREE by Berkshire Hathaway and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

CPA Program and Broader BOP Category

USI Affinity operates the AICPA Professional Liability Program for sole practitioners and regional CPA firms; USI says CNA underwrites that specific program. THREE instead lists E&O as a category within its combined Business Owners Policy, without publishing profession-specific E&O eligibility on its product page. For a CPA firm, USI provides a defined association program to evaluate; another kind of business should confirm whether USI's general brokerage or THREE's package is the relevant path. [8] [1]

Services Alongside Coverage

USI says AICPA program participants receive supportive claims handling and risk-management resources such as engagement-letter templates. THREE's cited BOP materials list E&O as part of the package and describe online or advisor-assisted quoting, but the offering record does not identify comparable professional-risk tools. The practical comparison for a CPA is whether those templates and claims resources fit the firm's engagement process, alongside the actual policy wording and limits. [8] [2] [3]

What Should You Confirm in THREE by Berkshire Hathaway and USI Insurance Services Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?

  • Confirm eligibility for USI's AICPA program, the CNA-issued policy's limit and retention, and which claims resources are included. [8]
  • Ask THREE whether its BOP E&O applies to CPA services, and obtain the issuer, form, limit and deductible from the quote. [1] [3]
  • Compare engagement-letter and regulatory exposure wording against the CPA firm's client work and state requirements. [8] [3]

Areas of coverage

THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

  • role: THREE presents Errors and Omissions as a component of its combined Business Owners Policy rather than identifying it as a separate standalone policy on the reviewed product page. Company-described U.S. package structure. The page does not establish underwriting terms or that every listed category will be included for every applicant.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: THREE's Business Owners Policy page lists Errors & Omissions among its marketed coverage categories in the combined policy. This describes the product page, not whether the category appears in a particular quote or responds to a loss. Official THREE package marketing for Errors and Omissions. The sample policy is state-selectable and does not establish that this item is included in every quote or issued policy.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • insurer: The linked sample policy's declarations identify Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company as issuer. This is the issuer named on the public sample only; the sample does not establish the issuing entity for every state-specific quote or buyer's issued policy.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: THREE directs small-business prospects to an online quote and says licensed Small Business Advisors can help with the process. This is the route for the overall THREE product. It does not show whether Errors and Omissions will be offered for a particular business or whether a customer can bind that line without an issued policy.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The reviewed public product page does not state a separate limit or deductible for Errors and Omissions; THREE says the quote-specific insurance summary lists limits and deductibles. No number is inferred from the sample policy. The quote and issued declarations control the buyer-specific limit and deductible.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • eligibility: The reviewed product page does not state separate eligibility rules for Errors and Omissions; the general quote and advisor route is not proof that a particular business qualifies for it. Eligibility and state availability remain unestablished for an individual risk until THREE returns its quote and applicable forms.not-disclosedSource ↗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 ↗

THREE lists E&O among the categories in its Business Owners Policy. USI Affinity's AICPA Professional Liability Program serves sole practitioners and regional CPA firms, is underwritten by CNA, and includes access to risk-management resources.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Business Owners Policy - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

    Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE · Product page: “No need for multiple policies” and one comprehensive policy; Business Liability, Property and Business Auto categories and the listed line names. Product page footer identifies Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE. · accessed 2026-09-30

  2. 02
    Jargon-free small business insurance - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

    Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE · Lines 23, 39, 70–81 and 406–410: business location quote entry, single-policy description, issuer, business focus, online quote and licensed Small Business Advisor route. Quote entry inspected without submitting a form. · accessed 2026-09-30

  3. 03
    The Policy: 3 Jargon-free pages - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

    Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE · State-selectable sample policy: Summary (Declarations) identifies Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company as issuer and says the insurance summary lists limits and deductibles; sample policy text and state selection do not establish terms for a particular quote or issued policy. · accessed 2026-09-30

  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
    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

  7. 07
    Get business insurance

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

  8. 08
    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

  9. 09
    Business Services

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

  10. 10
    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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