Harper vs Lockton: General Liability Insurance

Lockton brokers custom GL program structures with one dedicated service team; Harper takes one application to multiple insurers, aimed at hard-to-place businesses, with same-day certificates once a policy is in force.

Montgomery Risk Partners prepared this library from Spot.Insure comparison research and underlying public records.Research updated 2026-09-25

Lockton designs custom general-liability programs for global manufacturers, REITs, and healthcare companies; Harper targets smaller businesses needing certificates, including those declined elsewhere.

Sources and records

  1. 01
    Commercial Insurance Guide

    California Department of Insurance · Commercial General Liability; Commercial Automobile; What Should I Expect from a Broker-Agent?; How Are Commercial Policies Rated? · accessed 2026-09-16

  2. 02
    General Liability Insurance

    Harper · Product hero; Know your coverage: What is General Liability insurance?; Bodily injury, Property damage, Legal defense, Certificates on demand; Why Harper (specialist review, multiple insurers, same-day certificates); FAQ: Is general liability required by law?, What limits do I need?, What does it cost? · accessed 2026-09-23

  3. 03
    Commercial general liability insurance

    Insurance Information Institute · Coverage A; Coverage B; Coverage C; Purchasing commercial general liability insurance · accessed 2026-09-16

  4. 04
    Commercial General Liability Coverage Form

    ISO; specimen hosted by Hiscox · I.A pp.1–5; I.B pp.6–7; I.C pp.7–8; Supplementary Payments p.8; II pp.9–10; III p.10; IV pp.10–12 · accessed 2026-09-16

  5. 05
    Casualty Insurance

    Lockton · Casualty Insurance Solutions list: Auto, Cargo, General & Product Liability, Umbrella & Excess Liability, Workers' Compensation; dedicated service team paragraph · accessed 2026-09-23

  6. 06
    US > General & Product Liability

    Lockton · Tailored solutions intro; industries named (global manufacturer, business-to-business service provider, consumer products company, REIT, contractor, healthcare company); liability solutions list (environmental impairment, medical malpractice, global risk, product liability, professional liability/indemnity, product recall, umbrella liability and excess) · accessed 2026-09-23

What Are the Key Differences Between Harper and Lockton General Liability Insurance?

Large Custom Programs Versus Certificate-Driven Placements

Lockton works with global manufacturers, REITs, and healthcare companies and groups liability with lines such as product recall and umbrella; Harper targets smaller businesses seeking certificates for leases or contracts, including hard-to-place and declined risks. [6] [2] Choose Lockton if you need a custom program across related casualty lines; choose Harper if you need a certificate-driven policy or have been declined elsewhere.

How Each Brokerage Builds the Placement

Lockton says it designs custom program structures using insurers across the global market rather than shopping a standard application. [6] Harper's version of shopping the market is more standardized: one application goes to multiple insurers, with a specialist reviewing the business before it's quoted. [2]

What Comes Bundled With the Line

Lockton groups its general liability brokerage with related casualty coverages for the same client, including environmental impairment, medical malpractice, product recall and umbrella or excess liability. [6] Harper's reviewed page addresses general liability on its own, without describing companion lines placed alongside it. [2]

Service Model and Certificates

Lockton says clients keep the same dedicated service team throughout the placement process. [5] Harper's comparable service claim is narrower and line-specific: same-day certificate issuance once a policy it placed is already in force. [2] Neither page names the insurer that ends up on the policy. [5] [2]

What Should You Confirm in Harper and Lockton General Liability Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask Lockton which insurers it's approaching for your specific program and how the structure is customized. [6]
  • Ask Harper the same question about which carriers are reviewing your application. [2]
  • Confirm whether your business fits the scale Lockton names or the hard-to-place profile Harper names. [6] [2]
  • Ask Lockton whether adjacent casualty lines it bundles in change the general liability terms specifically. [6]

Provider coverage details

Harper

  • role: Harper places general liability coverage by taking one application to multiple insurers rather than underwriting the policy itself, and a specialist reviews the business before it is quoted. Harper's own general liability product page. Describes the brokerage process, not an insurer or underwriting decision.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Harper markets general liability to businesses that need a certificate for a lease, client contract or license, and specifically says hard-to-place or previously declined businesses are the operations it targets. Product-page marketing copy; not an eligibility guarantee for a particular applicant.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Harper describes the general liability policies it places as covering bodily injury to third parties, property damage the business causes to others' property, and legal defense costs, including when a claim turns out to be groundless. Product-page coverage summary; the issued policy and its exclusions control the actual terms.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: Harper says most leases and contracts ask for $1 million per claim as a starting limit, and it will recommend higher limits when a business's situation calls for it. The page does not publish a maximum available limit. FAQ answer on the general liability page; actual limit options depend on the insurer and underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • services: Harper says it issues certificates of insurance the same day a landlord, client or venue requests one, once a policy is in force. Product-page service claim; not independently timed or confirmed for a particular request.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: You apply for Harper general liability through an online quote form (business details, state, revenue and coverage needs) that a specialist follows up on, rather than an instant-bind online purchase. Quote form and FAQ observed on the product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: The reviewed general liability page does not describe a claims-reporting process or claims-advocacy service specific to this line. Scoped to the general liability product page as read on 2026-09-23; the provider record separately describes general claims assistance across lines, not checked here for this line specifically.not-foundSource ↗

Lockton

  • role: Lockton brokers general liability rather than underwriting it. It says it designs custom program structures for commercial clients using insurers across the global market. General & Product Liability page as read 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Lockton says it has a general liability solution for global manufacturers, business-to-business service providers, consumer products companies, REITs, contractors and healthcare companies. General & Product Liability page as read 2026-09-23. Lists example industries served, not a complete eligibility matrix.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Lockton groups general liability brokerage with related casualty coverages it also places for the same clients: environmental impairment, medical malpractice, product recall and umbrella/excess liability, in addition to product liability itself. General & Product Liability page as read 2026-09-23. A capability list, not a specimen policy.company-reportedSource ↗
  • services: Lockton's casualty pages say clients keep the same dedicated service team throughout the placement process, which Lockton says helps it anticipate client needs and create accountability. Casualty product page as read 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Neither page names the insurers Lockton places general liability coverage with. General & Product Liability and Casualty pages checked 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗

Use this comparison as a starting point for a discussion about your business and its insurance needs.

Contact Montgomery Risk Partners