Coverage Guide
Commercial Umbrella Insurance
A commercial umbrella policy adds an extra layer of liability coverage above the limits of underlying policies — typically commercial general liability, commercial auto, and employers liability. When a claim exceeds the underlying limit, the umbrella pays up to its own limit. For many mid-size commercial accounts, umbrella is not optional — it is required by contract and increasingly by common sense.
How commercial umbrella works
Sits above underlying policies
The umbrella does not respond until the underlying policy limit is fully exhausted. If the CGL limit is $1M and the claim is $3M, the umbrella pays the remaining $2M (up to its limit).
Drop-down coverage
True umbrella policies can drop down to cover claims not covered by underlying policies — filling gaps where the underlying policy excludes a specific loss.
Follows form
Most umbrella policies follow the terms of the underlying policy. This means exclusions in the underlying CGL generally apply to the umbrella as well.
Multiple underlying lines
A single umbrella policy typically sits above CGL, commercial auto, and employers liability simultaneously — providing one broader layer of protection across multiple lines.
Underlying policy requirements
Most umbrella carriers require minimum underlying limits before they will attach. Standard requirements:
Commercial GL
$1,000,000 / $2,000,000 minimum
Commercial Auto
$1,000,000 CSL minimum
Employers' Liability
$500,000 / $500,000 / $500,000 minimum
ACORD forms required
How AgencyAssist helps
Umbrella submissions require collecting all underlying policy details — carrier names, policy numbers, and limits — from multiple sources. AgencyAssist collects this information as part of the client intake and maps it to the ACORD 131 automatically, alongside the ACORD 125 and any other required forms.
Submit umbrella applications in minutes
One intake link collects all underlying policy data. ACORD 131 generated automatically.