Skip to content

Glossary

Umbrella / excess liability

Additional limits sitting above underlying policies (GL, auto, employers liability). Note that standard umbrellas usually do not extend professional liability — higher…

What is umbrella / excess liability?

Additional limits sitting above underlying policies (GL, auto, employers liability). Note that standard umbrellas usually do not extend professional liability — higher E&O limits require excess E&O.

Why it matters

Umbrella coverage stacks extra limits above your underlying policies for the catastrophic claim that pierces them. Contracts requiring $2M+ are often satisfied most cheaply with a $1M base plus a $1M umbrella rather than a bigger primary policy.

Related terms

Get covered before your next client meeting.