Excess Policy

A policy that provides additional limits above a specified underlying policy, following the same terms and conditions as the primary layer. Unlike umbrella policies, excess policies do not broaden coverage—they simply add limit capacity once the underlying policy is exhausted. In law firm malpractice programs, excess professional liability policies are used to stack additional limits on top of the primary malpractice policy, which is critical for firms handling high-value matters. The excess carrier typically has no duty to defend until the primary limits are fully eroded by defense costs or indemnity payments.