Workplace sexual harassment has been in the news once again as several women have publicly alleged that they were sexually harassed by the former head of Fox News, Roger Ailes.

It’s in part because of cases like this that a little-known corner of the insurance market has been growing, and fast. These days, almost half of large employers buy insurance coverage for claims of discrimination and harassment: it’s called Employment Practices Liability Insurance, and it was almost non-existent 25 years ago.

BRP underwrites and administers professional liability insurance, also known as E&O (errors and omissions); management liability insurance for directors and officers, employment practices, fiduciary liability, crime and excess; cyber liability insurance; and similar products for banks and broker/dealers.

As anyone who’s involved in the professional liability arena knows, it’s a dynamic and constantly evolving market that is influenced strongly by trends in the economy, social norms, and a host of other factors. To get a sense of where the market has been and where it’s likely to go, Rough Notes spoke with Lisa Doherty, president and chief executive officer of Business Risk Partners (BRP) in Windsor, Connecticut, a managing general underwriter and program manager that specializes in professional liability, management liability, and data breach/ privacy insurance as well as hybridized specialty solutions.

It’s been interesting to watch the growth of employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) during more than 25 years of working in the specialty insurance industry. Twenty years ago EPLI was rare in the United States and, even a decade ago, most companies didn’t buy it. Today, however, many firms have stand-alone EPLI coverage: 41 percent of those with more…

Anyone who reads the headlines knows that professional liability risks and losses are big news. From data breaches and allegations of sexual harassment to real estate transactions gone wrong and design professionals’ errors, businesses of all kinds and sizes are facing an increasing number of claims and lawsuits in the professional liability arena.

Lloyd’s of London began and remains a specialized market (not an insurance company). It accepts risks that are too large, or too complex, or both, that do not lend themselves to coverage through more “normal channels.” Each policy resembles a “bespoke,” i.e. custom made, suit, tailored for the individual client that requires specialized coverage. Placing specialized coverage requires both …