What they ask for
Typical enterprise requirements: Tech E&O and cyber at $1M to $5M, GL at $1M/$2M, workers comp evidence, certificates at onboarding and renewal, additional insured status and waiver of subrogation on some lines, and 30 days notice of cancellation. AI vendors now also get questions about AI cover, sublimits, and paper.
Where deals get stuck
Three places: limits above the current programme, endorsements the current carrier will not give, and paper that fails the customer's rating or admitted requirements. All three are solvable with time and expensive without it.
Negotiating the clause
Insurance clauses are negotiable before signature. Caps tied to contract value, phased limits that step up at renewal, and certificate language that matches what carriers actually issue are all standard asks. After signature, the same changes cost premium and leverage.
Paper quality is the new question
An unrated risk retention group or a sublimited endorsement can pass a certificate check and fail a legal review. Customers and investors increasingly impose AM Best and admitted paper requirements, so check the covenant before you bind, not after.
Frequently asked questions
Our customer wants $5M and we carry $1M. What now?
Either raise the primary limit or add an excess layer. Excess Tech E&O and cyber is a routine placement; get the requirement in writing and we will price both structures.
Can we sign now and fix insurance later?
You can, and it is the most expensive way to buy insurance. Send us the clause first; a short review before signature routinely saves a difficult placement after it.
Talk through your stack before you sign the next contract
Send us the term sheet, the customer MSA, or the renewal you are worried about. We will tell you plainly what it requires, what your current programme does about it, and what we would place differently.