Berkley Select
Berkley Select is a Chicago-based specialty liability insurance underwriting unit (a W. R. Berkley subsidiary) that provides management and professional liability coverage (D&O, EPL, fiduciary, crime, nonprofit, plus Lawyers and Accountants Professional Liability) to lawyers, accountants, private companies, and nonprofit organizations, distributed exclusively through appointed producers across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Berkley Select does
Berkley Select is a Chicago-based management and professional liability insurance underwriting unit and wholly-owned subsidiary of W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB, Fortune 500, S&P 500). Founded in 1992 as Monitor Liability Managers, it has operated under the Berkley Select brand since 2007 and was combined with its sister underwriting unit in 2018 to form a single specialty liability platform. The company is rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best and AA- (Very Strong) by S&P through its parent's insurance subsidiaries.
The company underwrites and services a portfolio of specialty liability products distributed exclusively through appointed retail and wholesale insurance producers across the United States. Core product lines are Executive Liability (Directors & Officers, Employment Practices Liability, Fiduciary, Crime, and Nonprofit Liability), Lawyers Professional Liability (marketed under the AttorneyShield sub-brand), Accountants Professional Liability, and Affinity Programs for industry-specific niches. Cumulative scale includes 300,000+ attorneys insured since 1994, 100,000+ nonprofit liability policies, 45,000+ executive liability policies, and combined claims paid exceeding $1.9B across product lines, serviced by an in-house claims team averaging 21 years of experience with 70% licensed attorneys.
Berkley Select generates revenue through recurring annual insurance premiums on a quote-based, risk-tailored pricing model, with products delivered on both admitted and surplus lines bases. The technology stack includes the Express Portal (producer-facing digital quote/bind for EPL accounts), an online payment center, and integrated risk management portals operated by partners Zywave, Hinshaw & Culbertson, and Barron & Newburger. The company employs 101-250 people, has been named a Business Insurance Best Places to Work for three consecutive years (2023-2025), and operates with the operational autonomy of a small specialty underwriter backed by the balance sheet and ratings of a Fortune 500 parent.
Berkley Select firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Berkley Select
- Legal name
- Berkley Select
- Website
- https://berkleyselect.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Berkley Select is a Chicago-based specialty liability insurance underwriting unit (a W. R. Berkley subsidiary) that provides management and professional liability coverage (D&O, EPL, fiduciary, crime, nonprofit, plus Lawyers and Accountants Professional Liability) to lawyers, accountants, private companies, and nonprofit organizations, distributed exclusively through appointed producers across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Berkley Select industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Management and Professional Liability Insurance
- NAICS
- Insurance Carriers and Related Activities (524), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers (52412)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Management Liability (D&O/EPL/Fiduciary) (FSAJAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Professional Liability (E&O) (FSAJAGAC), Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions) (FSAJADAB)
Keywords
Where Berkley Select is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Berkley Select business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Insurance Premiums: Berkley Select generates revenue through insurance premiums collected from policyholders for management and professional liability coverage including D&O, EPL, Lawyers Professional Liability, Accountants Professional Liability, and related products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Quote-based pricing tailored to individual risk profiles |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Berkley Select product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Berkley Select provides management and professional liability insurance coverage, including Directors and Officers (D&O), Employment Practices Liability (EPL), Fiduciary Liability, Crime, Nonprofit Liability, Lawyers Professional Liability, and Accountants Professional Liability. Products are underwritten for privately held companies, nonprofit organizations, professional services firms (law firms and accounting practices), and affinity/niche industry programs, and are distributed through appointed retail and wholesale insurance producers nationwide.
Product overview
Berkley Select is a management and professional liability insurance provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products. The core offerings include Executive Liability products (D&O, EPL, Fiduciary, Crime, and Nonprofit Liability), Lawyers Professional Liability (with AttorneyShield as a specialized sub-brand for law firms), Accountants Professional Liability, and Affinity Programs for industry-specific niches. Products are distributed through wholesale and retail insurance professionals and are backed by W. R. Berkley Corporation's A+ rated insurance subsidiaries. The company operates with branded program names including ExecSuite for executive liability and ExecShield for nonprofit coverage.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AttorneyShield: Specialized portfolio of management and professional liability insurance offerings tailored for law firms, including Employment Practices Liability coverage for attorneys.
- ExecCrime
- ExecSuite
- ExecShield
Products and services
- Executive Liability Comprehensive executive liability insurance products protecting directors and executives in corporate governance for privately held companies, nonprofit organizations, and professional services firms. Includes D&O, EPL, Fiduciary, and Crime coverages.
- Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance protecting personal assets of directors and officers from allegations of failing to act in the organization's best interest. Includes third-party liability coverage and privacy violation coverage.
- Employment Practices Liability (EPL) Stand-alone EPL coverage protecting businesses against claims or lawsuits alleging employment-related wrongdoing such as discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination. Covers private and public companies up to 2,000 employees.
- Fiduciary Liability Insurance protecting businesses and employers against claims for mismanagement of employee benefit plans such as retirement or health plans. Covers benefit plan administrators from allegations of negligence and breaches of duty under ERISA.
- ExecCrime Crime insurance product protecting businesses from financial losses caused by employee dishonesty, forgery, computer fraud, social engineering scams, funds transfer fraud, and counterfeit currency. Coverage limits up to $5 million.
- Nonprofit Liability Management liability insurance protecting nonprofit organization assets and individual directors, officers, employees and volunteers from expenses arising from allegations of wrongful acts.
- Lawyers Professional Liability (LPL) Professional liability insurance for lawyers ranging from sole practitioners to mid-sized law firms (up to 100 attorneys). Includes predecessor firm coverage, broad definition of legal services, and automatic 60-day extended reporting period.
- AttorneyShield Specialized portfolio of EPL and management liability insurance offerings tailored for law firms. Includes D&O, EPL, and fiduciary coverage with enhancements specific to law firm exposures such as failure to make partner coverage.
- Accountants Professional Liability Professional liability insurance protecting accounting professionals against claims alleging malpractice. Covers individual CPAs, bookkeepers, and small to mid-sized firms up to 100 professionals with revenues up to $10 million.
- Affinity Programs Tailored insurance programs for specific industry niches incorporating technology, product development, and marketing support. Includes Miscellaneous E&O, Employment Practices Liability, Accountants, Ancillary Healthcare, and Lawyers Professional Liability programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- $1.5 billion in accountants professional liability claims paid
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Berkley Select
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Berkley Select technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Berkley Select partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ZywavecoreBerkley Select has partnered with Zywave, an HR risk management expert, to provide policyholders with an HR hotline staffed by HR professionals and a Self Service portal with state-specific handbook builders, job description tools, and ADA compliance resources.
- Hinshaw & Culbertson LLPcoreProvides small law firms (up to 10 attorneys) with up to 5 hours of complimentary CLE courses, up to 4 hours of hotline consultations with risk management attorneys, and access to a dedicated risk management website.
- Barron & Newburger, P.C.coreProvides mid-size law firms (11+ attorneys) with concierge-level risk management services including comprehensive risk assessments, personalized consultation, an online resource center, and on-demand CLE programs.
- 8am LawPayminorBerkley Select is an alliance partner of 8am LawPay, ensuring attorneys accept payments in compliance with ABA and IOLTA guidelines. Policyholders receive 3 months of 8am LawPay without a monthly fee.
- BambeeminorBerkley Select partnered with Bambee, an outsourced HR consulting firm offering a suite of services including expert HR guidance, dedicated HR managers, and employee onboarding/terminations. Policyholders get 50% off their one-time set up fee.
- USI AffinityminorUSI Affinity and the American Bar Association announced a new partnership with Berkley Select for professional liability insurance offerings.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Berkley Select competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hiscox: Hiscox is a direct competitor in professional liability and specialty insurance for small-to-mid market professional services firms and businesses, with comparable offerings in D&O, E&O, and professional indemnity for lawyers, accountants, and consultants.
- CNA Financial: CNA is a direct peer in professional liability for lawyers, accountants, and management liability coverages including D&O and EPL, with overlapping mid-market distribution through retail and wholesale producers.
- Beazley: Beazley is a direct competitor in specialty professional liability and management liability lines, with comparable expertise in lawyers', accountants', and D&O E&O coverage for professional services firms.
- Markel Group: Markel is a direct peer in specialty insurance including professional liability, management liability, and specialty E&O, with a comparable focus on niche segments and underwriting expertise as a core differentiator.
- James River Group: James River Group is a specialty insurance holding company with comparable E&S-focused commercial liability offerings, overlapping with Berkley Select in management liability and specialty professional lines for difficult-to-place risks.
Broad incumbents
- Travelers: Travelers offers professional liability, management liability, and D&O products for professional services firms as part of its broad P&C portfolio, competing with Berkley Select for the same mid-market accounts but with a much wider product suite.
- Hartford Financial Products: The Hartford offers D&O, EPL, fiduciary, and professional liability coverages as part of its commercial lines portfolio, overlapping with Berkley Select's executive liability and EPL offerings for private companies and nonprofits.
- Chubb: Chubb offers professional liability, D&O, and management liability insurance as part of its global specialty and commercial P&C portfolio, competing with Berkley Select for larger and more complex professional services accounts.
- AIG: AIG provides professional liability, D&O, and management liability coverage as part of its broad specialty insurance portfolio, competing with Berkley Select for professional services firm accounts across multiple lines.
- AXA XL: AXA XL offers professional liability, D&O, and specialty E&O coverages as part of its global specialty insurance business, competing with Berkley Select particularly in the larger-law-firm and accountant segments.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Berkley Select social profiles
Digital presenceBerkley Select financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Berkley Select leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Berkley Select funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Berkley Select M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Berkley Select
What does Berkley Select do?
Berkley Select provides management and professional liability insurance coverage, including Directors and Officers (D&O), Employment Practices Liability (EPL), Fiduciary Liability, Crime, Nonprofit Liability, Lawyers Professional Liability, and Accountants Professional Liability. Products are underwritten for privately held companies, nonprofit organizations, professional services firms (law firms and accounting practices), and affinity/niche industry programs, and are distributed through appointed retail and wholesale insurance producers nationwide.
Is Berkley Select a public or private company?
Berkley Select is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Berkley Select founded?
Berkley Select was founded in 1992. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Berkley Select based?
Berkley Select is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Berkley Select make money?
One revenue line is on record: insurance Premiums.
Who are Berkley Select's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hiscox, CNA Financial, Beazley, Markel Group and James River Group. Broad incumbents are Travelers, Hartford Financial Products, Chubb, AIG and AXA XL.
Does Berkley Select have an API?
No public API is recorded for Berkley Select.
What industry is Berkley Select in?
Berkley Select's product category is Management and Professional Liability Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAJAGAD, Management Liability (D&O/EPL/Fiduciary), with a secondary code of FSAJAGAC, Professional Liability (E&O). Its NAICS code is 524 and its SIC code is 6411.