Common Questions

At minimum, most professional services firms need general liability, professional liability (E&O), and cyber insurance. Beyond that, D&O, workers comp, EPLI, and umbrella coverage depend on your firm's size, structure, and what your contracts require.

Start with what's required. Your lease probably requires general liability. Your state probably requires workers comp if you have employees. Many client contracts specify insurance minimums, especially professional liability. I can walk you through the whole thing and set up a program that covers what matters without overbuying.

It varies by profession, revenue, headcount, and claims history. A 5-person accounting firm pays differently than a 5-person law firm. I can benchmark your premiums against similar firms and tell you if you're overpaying, underpaying, or in the right range. More importantly, I'll tell you if you're paying for the right things.

General liability covers physical harm: someone gets hurt on your premises or you damage their property. Professional liability covers financial harm: your work product, advice, or service causes a client to lose money. An accounting error that costs a client $200K is a professional liability claim, not a general liability claim. A client who slips in your lobby is the opposite. Different policies, different risks.

Don't compare on price alone. Two quotes at the same premium can have very different coverage. Look at limits, sublimits, deductibles, and exclusions. Check whether the policy definition of "professional services" matches what you actually do. Check the retroactive date. Check whether cyber is included or excluded.

Send me the contract requirements and your current policy declarations page. I'll compare them and tell you exactly where you stand: what meets the requirement, what doesn't, and what it costs to close the gap. This is one of the most common requests I handle.

I handle that. Tell me what the client needs (usually it's on the contract) and I'll get the certificate issued. If your current coverage doesn't meet their requirements, I'll tell you what needs to change and what it costs before we make any changes.

Your professional liability policy has a retroactive date. It's the earliest date for which claims can be covered. If someone files a claim about work you did before that date, your policy won't cover it. This matters when switching carriers or buying a new policy. I make sure the retroactive date covers your full history of professional work, not just the current policy period.

Rates go up for lots of reasons: market conditions, claims history, industry trends. But "the market went up" isn't always the real answer. Sometimes it's worth shopping. Sometimes the increase is justified but you can restructure to reduce cost. I'll look at the renewal, tell you why it went up, and whether it makes sense to push back or move.

You report the claim to your carrier. I can help you do this and make sure it's reported correctly. They assign an adjuster who investigates. Then they pay, deny, or negotiate. If something doesn't look right, I'll push back. But the best claim strategy is knowing what your policy says before you need to use it.

Yes. Your policy stays the same. You're just changing who services it. You can switch brokers at any time. Most people do it at renewal, but you don't have to wait. If you're not getting the attention you need, reach out and we can talk about it.

I'm paid by the carrier through standard broker commissions. You pay the same premium whether you use me, a big brokerage, or buy direct. The difference is what you get for that commission: someone who actually understands your practice, reads your policy, and makes sure your coverage matches your operations.

Send me your current policies and I'll read them. I'll tell you what's covered, what's not, and where the definitions might not match your actual services. No charge, no obligation. If there are problems, I'll explain your options. If everything looks good, I'll tell you that too.