Beazley vs Heffernan: Representations and Warranties Insurance

Beazley underwrites R&W directly, including buyer- or seller-side coverage; Heffernan Insurance Brokers arranges policies for private-equity and strategic M&A clients and provides pre-close diligence and post-close planning.

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

Areas of coverage

Beazley

  • role: Beazley underwrites representations and warranties (M&A) insurance directly, describing solutions designed to reduce or extinguish the impact of liabilities arising from a merger or acquisition, including warranty breaches, adverse tax consequences and contingent liability claims. US Mergers & Acquisitions product page; scope covers the general insuring concept, not a specific policy form.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Beazley says it offers this coverage to private equity clients, selling entrepreneurs, private shareholders, venture capital funds, listed companies and other corporate clients, with a broad appetite across different target sectors, deal types and transaction structures. Product-page target-customer list; individual deal acceptance still depends on underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Beazley says it can underwrite and place M&A insurance, including cross-border deals, in all 50 US states and more than 80 jurisdictions globally. Company-stated geographic reach; not an independently verified regulator record of authorization in every jurisdiction listed.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Beazley describes coverage that can be provided to a seller to defend against a breach of representations or warranties claimed by a purchaser, or to a purchaser for first-party protection against innocent or fraudulent breaches by a seller. Product-page description of the insuring structure; actual policy wording, retentions and exclusions are set at binding.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Beyond representation and warranty breaches, Beazley says its M&A offering can also address adverse tax consequences and contingent liability claims arising from a transaction. Product-page "What we offer" summary; each element's availability depends on the specific transaction and underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: Beazley advertises M&A insurance limits of up to US $50,000,000. The page does not publish retentions, minimum limits or premium ranges. Product-page headline limit figure; actual capacity offered depends on the transaction.company-reportedSource ↗
  • services: Beazley says it can underwrite transactions globally and structure coverage around the specific details and timeframes of a transaction. Company-stated service description; no turnaround-time commitment or staffing detail is published.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: The reviewed page does not list a self-service quote form or application document for M&A insurance; it instead names underwriters and product leaders by region and links to "Speak with an Underwriter" and "Become a Beazley Broker" contact routes. Checked the full product page, including its Tools & Resources equivalent area, on 2026-09-23; no application form was found there, unlike the Crime and Fidelity page.not-foundSource ↗
  • claims: Beazley's own example describes a case where its insured was sued by a third party over intellectual property and lost, the third party then counterclaimed against the acquired target, and Beazley paid the claim and it was settled with the third party, despite some question over whether the claim was fully covered. A single company-selected scenario on the product page; it is not a claims-handling statistic or a guarantee of similar outcomes.company-reportedSource ↗

Heffernan Insurance Brokers

  • role: Heffernan's Private Equity and M&A (HIB) Practice arranges representation and warranty (RWI) insurance for deal buyers and sellers as part of a broader transactional-risk brokerage, rather than underwriting the coverage itself. Private Equity and M&A page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Heffernan markets this practice to private equity firms and strategic investors doing mergers and acquisitions, covering both enterprise-level and transactional liability needs. Private Equity and M&A page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Heffernan says RWI safeguards a buyer and seller's agreed understanding of a deal, and groups it under 'Transactional Risk Mitigation' alongside contingent liability, environmental liability, tax liability, and litigation-buyout coverage. Private Equity and M&A page as read on 2026-09-23; the page does not describe RWI's specific insuring agreement, exclusions, retention structure, or limits.company-reportedSource ↗
  • services: Heffernan describes pre-close due diligence (a detailed review, benchmarking and a search for hidden liabilities), group purchasing across its private-equity clients, and insurance planning for the company after closing. Private Equity and M&A page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The reviewed page does not publish limits, retention levels, or premium ranges for representation and warranty policies. Private Equity and M&A page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • application: Heffernan invites private equity and M&A clients to contact the practice directly; the page does not describe a self-service quote or online application path. Private Equity and M&A page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗

What Are the Key Differences Between Beazley and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Representations and Warranties Insurance?

Insurer With Published Capacity vs a Deal-Risk Broker

Beazley writes M&A insurance itself, advertises limits up to $50 million, and names regional underwriters you can contact. Heffernan's Private Equity and M&A practice brokers R&W as part of a transaction-risk program and publishes no limits, retentions or prices. Beazley names selling entrepreneurs, private shareholders, VCs and listed companies among its buyers; Heffernan markets to private-equity firms and strategic investors. Choose Beazley if you're a founder or seller who wants to deal with the insurer; choose Heffernan if you're a PE buyer who wants R&W shopped and bundled with other deal cover. [1] [4]

Other Deal Risks Covered

Heffernan places R&W alongside contingent liability, environmental liability, tax liability and litigation-buyout cover. Beazley says its M&A offering can address adverse tax consequences and contingent liabilities, but doesn't list environmental or litigation-buyout products. If your deal carries environmental or pending-litigation risk, Heffernan documents a route. [4] [1]

Diligence Help

Heffernan offers pre-close due diligence (review, benchmarking and a search for hidden liabilities), group purchasing across its PE clients, and insurance planning after closing. Beazley's page describes no diligence service. [4] [1]

What Should You Confirm in Beazley and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Representations and Warranties Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask Beazley what limit it will bind against its $50 million maximum and which tax or contingent items apply. [1]
  • Ask Heffernan which insurers it will approach and whether environmental or litigation-buyout cover is quoted too. [4]
  • Ask Heffernan what diligence it can deliver on your deal timeline. [4]
  • Confirm whether each quote is buyer-side or seller-side. [4] [1]

Beazley insures R&W directly, with limits up to $50 million, and works with sellers, founders, VCs and listed companies as well as buyers. Heffernan brokers R&W for private-equity firms and strategic buyers, packaging it with tax, environmental and litigation-buyout cover and pre-close diligence.

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Mergers & Acquisitions

    Beazley · Product overview: buyer and seller protection for inaccuracies in representations or warranties · accessed 2026-09-16

  2. 02
    Transaction liability insurance | Representation and indemnities insurance

    CFC · What are representations and warranties?; Who should buy representation and warranty insurance?; Available to buyers & sellers; Limited seller security; Is transaction liability insurance available to sellers · accessed 2026-09-16

  3. 03
    Transactional Risk Insurance

    Coverdash · Transactional risk insurance; representations and warranties coverage; buy-side policies; tax and contingent liability products · accessed 2026-09-16

  4. 04
    Private Equity and M&A

    Heffernan Insurance Brokers · Reps & Warranties Insurance; Heffernan Insurance Brokers (HIB) Private Equity and M&A Practice; Key Merger and Acquisition Insurance Services: Pre-Close Due Diligence, Insurance Placement Hub, Post-Close Insurance Strategies; Transactional Risk Mitigation to Contain Any Threats: RWI, Contingent Liability, Environmental Liability, Tax Liability, Litigation Buyout; Other Related Services: General Partnership Liability (GPL), Professional Liability/E&O, Key person insurance · accessed 2026-09-23

Ask Kearny Risk to help relate this comparison to your services and contracts.

Contact Kearny Risk