CFC vs Usi: Representations and Warranties Insurance

CFC underwrites transaction liability with up to $50 million per transaction; USI Insurance Services brokers R&W for private-equity deal teams and reviews offering and purchase agreements for risks before closing.

Kearny Risk organizes these comparisons for firms whose advice, content or technology creates professional exposures.Research updated 2026-09-29

Areas of coverage

CFC

  • role: CFC's Transaction Liability practice underwrites representations and warranties (R&W) insurance for M&A deals, available to both buyer-side and seller-side purchasers, alongside standalone small-deal products and secondary liquidity solutions. Transaction liability product page overview, describing CFC as a deal facilitator working with private equity firms and strategic buyers and sellers.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Beyond its main R&W policy, CFC sells two standalone small-deal products: Buyer Protect, described as covering a buyer for up to 100% of enterprise value, and Seller Protect, described as protecting sellers of small businesses during an M&A transaction. Both are limited to deals under $20 million. Product page descriptions and the 'Solutions' section, which caps buyer protect/seller protect at deals under $20m. The page's key-features bullets for these two products use near-identical wording about the buyer bringing a claim, so the exact difference in claims mechanics between the two products was not independently confirmable from this page alone.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: The core transaction liability policy covers representations and warranties, contingent tax, and other M&A liabilities, and CFC also offers excess coverage layered on top for certain fundamental representations. Product page key features and the 'Limit & appetite' section; exact terms are set by the policy as issued.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: CFC separately offers secondary liquidity solutions for private market investors acquiring, divesting, or restructuring interests in private equity, private credit, or other fund assets, through what it calls a dedicated secondaries underwriting practice. Secondary liquidity solutions section of the product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: CFC says it underwrites transaction liability business on behalf of Lloyd's of London syndicates and insurance companies rated 'A' or better by AM Best, without naming a specific carrier for any individual deal. Limit & appetite section of the product page; the specific carrier for a given policy would appear on that policy's documents.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: CFC says it can underwrite up to $50 million of limit on a single transaction, or up to $150 million of excess coverage for certain fundamental representations. Limit & appetite section of the product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: For the Buyer Protect and Seller Protect products, CFC says coverage can be placed within 24 hours of receiving the application form, and can be arranged after closing. Buyer protect and seller protect key features on the product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: CFC has a dedicated transaction liability claims team in its London and New York offices, says it has handled nearly 300 claims to date, and aims to send an acknowledgement within 24 hours of a claim notification. Claims section of the product page; outcome statistics are company-reported and not independently verified.company-reportedSource ↗

USI Insurance Services

  • role: USI brokers representations and warranties (R&W) insurance as part of its Private Equity practice's deal-support services; it does not underwrite the policy itself. Private Equity practice page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: The Private Equity page does not name the insurer USI uses for R&W placements. Page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • eligibility: USI markets this practice to private equity buyers and sellers working with financial or strategic buyers throughout a merger or acquisition process, not to a general commercial buyer outside a deal context. Company description of the practice's audience.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: USI lists "Representations and Warranties Insurance Solutions for Uninsured Risk" among its Private Equity practice's offerings, in the context of reviewing the offering memorandum and purchase-and-sale agreement to identify pre-closing liabilities. Single catalogue line on the practice page; actual insuring agreements, exclusions and the underwriting review process are set by the R&W insurer and the deal's own diligence.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The page does not publish limit or retention figures for R&W placements. Page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • services: USI says it reviews the offering memorandum and purchase-and-sale agreement to flag red flags, helps define pre-closing liabilities, and maintains a local service team overseeing the target company's insurance and benefits programs after close, alongside benchmarking and total-cost-of-risk analysis. Company description of the deal-support process; R&W insurance is one of several services listed alongside these.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: USI directs private equity and M&A inquiries to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local USI office. Contact instructions on the Private Equity practice page.company-reportedSource ↗

What Are the Key Differences Between CFC and USI Insurance Services Representations and Warranties Insurance?

Stated Underwriting Capacity vs a Broker’s Placement

CFC underwrites R&W and says it can write $50 million on a transaction plus $150 million of excess on certain fundamental representations. USI doesn’t underwrite; its Private Equity practice places R&W with an insurer it doesn’t name and publishes no limits, so you see capacity only in the quote. Choose CFC if you need large or fast capacity from the insurer itself; choose USI if you’re a private-equity firm that wants a broker to review the deal and handle the target’s insurance afterward. [3] [5]

Document Review vs 24-Hour Small-Deal Cover

USI reads the offering memorandum and purchase-and-sale agreement to flag issues and define pre-closing liabilities. CFC doesn’t describe document review; instead it offers Buyer Protect and Seller Protect for deals under $20 million, which it says can be placed within 24 hours, even after closing. [5] [3]

Ongoing Insurance Service vs a Dedicated Claims Team

After close, USI has a local team oversee the acquired company’s insurance and benefits. CFC has a dedicated transaction-liability claims team in London and New York. USI helps you run the business you bought; CFC handles the R&W claim if a representation turns out false. [5] [3]

What Should You Confirm in CFC and USI Insurance Services Representations and Warranties Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask USI which insurer it proposes, and ask CFC which Lloyd’s syndicate or A-rated insurer backs your policy. [5] [3]
  • Ask USI how its document review shapes the R&W submission. [5]
  • Ask CFC whether it’s quoting Buyer Protect, Seller Protect, core capacity or excess. [3]
  • Compare USI’s quoted limits with CFC’s $50 million and $150 million figures. [3] [5]

CFC underwrites R&W itself, with up to $50 million per deal, $150 million of excess on certain fundamental reps, and 24-hour policies for deals under $20 million. USI is a private-equity broker that reviews your deal documents and has a local team handle the acquired company’s insurance after close.

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
    Regulatory information

    CFC · CFC Underwriting Limited; CFC Lloyd's Syndicate 1988 · accessed 2026-09-23

  3. 03
    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

  4. 04
    Transactional Risk Insurance

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

  5. 05
    Private Equity

    USI Insurance Services · Optimizing Risk from Letter of Intent to Exit; As part of our thorough insurance due diligence, we carefully review the offering memorandum and the purchase-and-sale agreement...; USI's Private Equity Practice offers comprehensive solutions and services, including:...Representations and Warranties Insurance Solutions for Uninsured Risk... · accessed 2026-09-23

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