Markel agents and brokers E&O review for insurance agents: E&O cost, coverage and policy terms
Agents and brokers E&O covers the cost of defending and settling a client's claim that your professional work went wrong. Markel, a specialty insurer, writes it for agencies and other insurance intermediaries.
It fits retail agencies as well as MGAs, underwriting managers and wholesalers. You buy it through a broker, and every policy is quoted.
- Best for
- Retail agencies, brokerages, MGAs, underwriting managers and wholesalers placed through a broker
- Price
- Quote only, through a broker
- Insurer
- Markel, a specialty insurance group
- Lines covered
- Agency, brokerage, MGA and wholesale work, with related services such as premium finance and claims adjusting
- Policy form
- Claims-made, meaning it answers claims made during the policy period
Our take
Markel suits an agency, MGA or wholesaler whose broker wants a specialty insurer that covers more than plain retail work. Its definition of covered services takes in premium finance, claims adjusting, consulting and notary work.
It can be written as your main policy or as excess coverage over another E&O policy, which helps larger firms build higher limits.
Markel publishes few policy terms, so ask your broker for the retroactive date, the deductible and whether defense costs reduce the limit.
Pros
- Covers MGAs, underwriting managers and wholesalers, not only retail agencies
- Primary or excess coverage
- Worldwide coverage and punitive damages where allowed
- A say in choosing defense counsel
- Confidential risk advice from an outside law firm
Cons
- Sold only through brokers, with no published prices
- Defense, deductible and tail terms aren't published
- No path for newly licensed agents
Who can buy
- Who can buy
- Retail agencies and brokers, underwriting managers, MGAs and wholesale brokers
- Membership required
- No
What it costs
- How it's priced
- Underwritten and quoted for each firm through an insurance broker
- Coverage basis
- Primary, or excess over another E&O policy
Insurer and admitted status
- Issuing insurer
- A Markel insurance company named on the quote
- Parent
- Markel Group Inc., traded on the New York Stock Exchange
- States
- Depends on the product. Check availability with your broker
Policy form, prior acts and tail
- Policy form
- Claims-made
- Pay on behalf
- Markel pays covered losses directly instead of paying you back later
Claims-made means a claim is covered when it is made during the policy period. Ask your broker for the retroactive date (the earliest date of past work covered) and for tail options, which add time to report claims after the policy ends. Both are set in the quote.
Limits, deductibles and defense
- Limits
- Set in the quote, as primary or excess coverage
- Defense counsel
- You have a say in choosing defense counsel
Who the policy covers
- Services covered
- Agency and brokerage work, underwriting management, MGA and wholesale work, notary services, premium finance, servicing other firms' business, consulting, appraising, claims adjusting and public relations
- Predecessor firms
- Coverage for agencies you took over is available
Included and optional coverage
| Coverage | Included or optional | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Worldwide coverage | Included | Within the policy limit |
| Punitive damages | Included where the law allows | Within the policy limit |
| Predecessor firm coverage | Available | Set in the quote |
| Technology and network security | Included | Set in the quote |
How to apply
Talk to a broker
Markel sells agents E&O through insurance brokers.
Or use the contact form
Markel's US contact form routes agents and policyholders to the right team.
Complete the application
Your broker sends Markel your agency details for underwriting.
Review the quote
Check the limit, deductible, retroactive date and whether it sits over other coverage.
Bind through your broker
Your broker binds the policy and sends you the documents.
Claims and risk management
- How to report
- Markel's online claim form, 800-362-7535 or newclaims@markel.com
- Claims handled by
- Markel
Policyholders get risk management articles and confidential advice from the law firm Goldberg Segalla.
Markel agents and brokers E&O alternatives
- Axis Insurance ServicesQuote onlyBroker placing E&O with limits up to $100 million
- Berkley Service Professionals$10,000 minimum a year, firms with $2M+ revenuePublished minimum premium for agency E&O
- RockwoodQuote onlyLloyd's program for P&C agencies, with a newly licensed track
- Big I Professional LiabilityQuote onlySwiss Re program for Big I member agencies
- PIA Agency InsuranceQuote onlyA broker that shops several E&O insurers
See every option in E&O insurance for insurance agents.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Markel agents E&O cost?
Markel doesn't publish prices. Your broker gets a quote after Markel underwrites your firm.
Who issues the policy?
A Markel insurance company, part of Markel Group Inc. The quote names the exact one.
Does Markel cover MGAs and wholesalers?
Yes. Underwriting managers, MGAs and wholesale brokers can buy it along with retail agencies.
Are defense costs inside or outside the limit?
That's set in the quote, so ask your broker to show it before you bind.
How we researched this review. We based this review on the terms and product pages published by Markel agents and brokers E&O, reviewed in October 2026, together with our team's experience working with insurance agents and agency owners since 2008.
Corrections
Vendors change their pricing all the time and they don't email us when they do. So if you see a price on here that's gone up, a plan Markel agents and brokers E&O quit selling or a contract term that reads different now, let us know and send the link to the page where Markel agents and brokers E&O has it. Somebody here pulls up that page and checks it before we change anything on ours.