Glossary

What is Excess Liability?

Additional liability coverage that sits above primary policies and follows the same terms and conditions as the underlying policy.

Full Definition

Excess liability insurance provides additional limits above a primary liability policy, following the same terms, conditions, and exclusions (following form). Unlike umbrella policies, excess policies do not broaden coverage — they simply extend limits. In commercial insurance, excess towers are constructed by stacking multiple excess policies to achieve total limits of $25M-$100M+ for large risks. Each layer's premium reflects the risk of that specific attachment point.

Related Terms

Umbrella Policy

Aggregate Limit

Self-Insured Retention (SIR)

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Related Coverage & Services

Umbrella / Excess Liability Insurance

Umbrella and excess liability policies provide additional limits above primary general liability, auto, and employers' liability.

Umbrella Policy

An insurance policy that provides additional liability coverage beyond the limits of underlying policies such as auto, homeowners, or commercial general liability.

Aggregate Limit

The maximum total amount an insurance policy will pay for all covered claims during the policy period.

Self-Insured Retention (SIR)

The amount of loss the insured must pay before the insurance policy begins to respond, similar to but legally distinct from a deductible.

Business Insurance

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