Travelers vs Usi: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

Accounting practices choose USI Insurance Services for the CNA-underwritten AICPA program; Travelers offers separate profession-based E&O products, including accountants, lawyers and design professionals, through independent agents.

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

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

Agent-Sold Products Versus CPA Program

Travelers lists separate policies for accountants, lawyers, real estate professionals and other occupations, with placement through independent agents. [4] USI's AICPA program serves CPA firms and includes claims support and engagement-letter templates. [7]

Who Underwrites the Policy

Travelers' E&O page footer names Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America and its property-casualty affiliates, though it also states the material does not amend any issued policy, so the exact issuing entity depends on the product placed. [4] USI's page names CNA as the underwriter of the AICPA program specifically. [7]

Who Each Company Targets

Travelers offers separate E&O products by profession, including accountants, design professionals, lawyers, real estate professionals, insurance professionals and financial institutions. [4] USI's AICPA program targets sole practitioners and regional CPA firms specifically, and has offered CPA coverage since 1967. [7]

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

  • If you're an accounting firm, ask both companies which product and named insurer applies to you. [4] [7]
  • Ask Travelers which named product applies to your profession, and confirm the exact issuing entity. [4]
  • Ask USI what risk-management resources, such as engagement-letter templates, come with the AICPA program. [7]
  • Neither company's reviewed page publishes limits or retentions; ask both for specific figures. [4] [7]

Areas of coverage

Travelers

  • role: Travelers underwrites errors and omissions insurance as one of several management and professional liability products, sold as a standalone policy written for the buyer's profession rather than bundled with other lines by default. E&O and management-liability product pages, as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • insurer: The E&O page's footer names Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America and its property-casualty affiliates, but Travelers also states the material does not amend any issued policy, so the exact issuing entity for a given E&O product depends on the policy. Footer disclosure on the errors-and-omissions page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Travelers offers separate E&O products by profession, including accountants, design professionals, lawyers, real estate professionals, insurance professionals, life/accident/health insurance agents, managed care organizations, financial institutions and a miscellaneous professional liability option for other client-facing professionals. Product-selection list on the E&O page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Travelers describes E&O as covering the costs of client allegations of inadequate work, negligent actions or failure to meet the expected level of service, including legal defense and settlement costs, and says coverage can be customized to the risks of a specific profession. E&O overview and video transcript; exclusions and limits are not detailed on this page and depend on the policy as issued.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The reviewed E&O page does not publish limit or retention amounts for any of its professional-liability products. Errors-and-omissions page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • application: Travelers directs buyers to talk to an independent agent to place E&O coverage, and tells agents to use its management-and-professional-liability applications and forms library. E&O page CTA and video transcript.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 ↗

Travelers sells profession-specific E&O through agents; USI offers a CPA-focused AICPA program with accounting-specific support and templates.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    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

  2. 02
    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

  3. 03
    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

  4. 04
    Errors and Omissions Insurance (E&O)

    Travelers · What Is Errors and Omissions Coverage (E&O)?; Who needs errors and omissions insurance?; Select a product; Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America and its property casualty affiliates footer · accessed 2026-09-23

  5. 05
    Management and Professional Liability Insurance

    Travelers · Errors & omissions (E&O) insurance description; Applications and forms for agents: management and professional liability applications · accessed 2026-09-23

  6. 06
    Get business insurance

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

  7. 07
    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

  8. 08
    Business Services

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

  9. 09
    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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