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CNA Insurance:
An Honest Review

7 years of placement experience with the commercial specialist. CNA does one thing — commercial insurance — and has done it for 125 years. Here's what that means for your business.

Options Insurance Rating
4.0 / 5
Commercial Specialist
Get a CNA Quote Skip to Our Verdict ↓
A+
AM Best Rating
125+
Years in Business
15 yrs
Options Placement Exp.
7th
Largest U.S. Commercial Insurer

About CNA Insurance

CNA Financial Corporation has been in commercial insurance since 1897 — over 125 years focused exclusively on business coverage. Today CNA is the 7th largest U.S. commercial property and casualty insurer with $15 billion in annual revenue, $50.4 billion in invested assets, and operations in 59 offices across 11 countries. AM Best recently upgraded CNA's financial strength rating to A+ Superior, reflecting improved operating performance and balance sheet strength. S&P, Moody's, and Fitch all assign equivalent investment-grade ratings.

CNA does not write personal lines. Their entire focus — every underwriter, every claims professional, every risk management resource — is pointed at commercial insurance. That depth of specialization is exactly why we reach for them when a medical clinic, financial planner, or professional services business needs coverage that a generalist carrier might handle as an afterthought. CNA handles it as a core competency.

We have placed clients with CNA since 2018 across a specific set of business classes where their appetite and terms are consistently competitive: acupuncture, chiropractic, financial planning, craft and art supply retail, nonprofit redistribution, business consulting, photography, and insurance agencies. Their CNA Connect® BOP platform supports 600+ business types across 300+ coverage endorsements — one of the broadest small business menus in the commercial market. The PrepWise® risk management platform — available free to policyholders — adds industry-specific tools, webinars, and consulting that most carriers don't offer at any price.

Quick Stats

AM Best Financial StrengthA+ Superior (Recently Upgraded)
S&P / Moody's / FitchA+ / A2 / A+ — All Investment Grade
Annual Revenue$15.0B · $50.4B Invested Assets
Market Position7th Largest U.S. Commercial Insurer · 600+ Business Classes
ClaimsInconsistent Per Customer Reviews — No Issues in Our Experience
Distribution ModelIndependent Agents (Retail & Wholesale)
Options Placement Experience7 Years (Since 2018)
Lines We Write with ThemGeneral Liability, Professional Liability (E&O) — Medical, Financial, Consulting, Photography, Nonprofit, Insurance Agency

CNA's Genuine Strengths

After 7 years of placing medical and professional clients with CNA, here's what consistently stands out — validated by their own track record and our direct experience.

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Medical and Professional Clinic Specialist

CNA is our first call for medical and professional clinic GL. Acupuncture, chiropractic, and other allied health practices have specific liability exposures that general market carriers often handle poorly — either with restrictive exclusions or inadequate limits. CNA's healthcare business unit understands these exposures. In our 7 years of placement, medical clinic clients have been consistently well-served — stable rates, easy to work with, and no complaints from our book.

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CNA Connect® BOP — 600+ Business Classes

CNA's small business BOP platform supports over 600 business types with more than 300 coverage endorsements. That breadth means we can find a fit for an unusual business class that other carriers decline or quote with inadequate terms. Financial planners, photography studios, nonprofits, insurance agencies — these are classes where CNA has intentional appetite and purpose-built coverage, not a generic GL form with a business name filled in.

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GL Aggregate Limits Up to $4 Million

CNA's general liability aggregate limits go up to $4 million — well above the $2 million that many BOP-style products cap at. For professional and medical businesses where a single claim could be substantial, higher aggregate limits are a meaningful differentiator. Clients who need more protection than standard limits provide don't have to go to a surplus lines carrier to find it.

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PrepWise® Risk Management — Free to Policyholders

CNA offers PrepWise®, a risk management platform available at no additional cost to policyholders. PrepWise includes industry-specific risk management tools, online training and webinars, and access to risk management consulting. For small professional practices that don't have an in-house risk manager, this is genuine added value — the kind of resource that helps prevent claims rather than just paying for them after the fact.

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A+ Financial Strength — Recently Upgraded

AM Best recently upgraded CNA to A+ Superior, reflecting improved operating performance and stronger balance sheet fundamentals. With $15 billion in annual revenue and $50.4 billion in invested assets, CNA has the financial capacity to handle significant commercial claims. For professional service businesses whose entire livelihood could be at risk from a single large claim, carrier financial strength is not a minor consideration.

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125 Years — Only Commercial Insurance

CNA has written only commercial insurance for 125 years. No personal lines, no auto insurance, no homeowners — only business coverage. That single-minded focus produces underwriters who understand business exposures deeply, claims professionals who know commercial liability, and risk management resources built for businesses. For clients who want a carrier that treats their business as the primary customer, not a secondary market, that specialization matters.

CNA for Business Insurance

CNA is a commercial-only carrier. These are the specific business classes and coverage lines we write through Options Insurance — all tailored for professional and medical clients.

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Medical & Allied Health GL

Acupuncture clinics, chiropractic offices, and allied health practices are classes where CNA has purpose-built appetite. Their healthcare business unit understands the specific liability exposures these practices face — patient interaction, treatment outcomes, premises liability — better than a generalist carrier. Stable rates, competitive terms, and no surprises at renewal.

Minnesota general liability insurance →

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Financial Planners & Consultants GL

Financial planners and business consultants carry unique liability exposures — advice that doesn't perform as expected is a common source of claims. CNA's financial and management liability unit writes these classes with appropriate coverage forms and limits up to $4 million aggregate. For professionals whose business depends on their reputation and advice, this is coverage that actually fits.

Minnesota professional liability insurance →

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Photography E&O

CNA writes professional liability (E&O) for photographers — a class many carriers either decline or underwrite poorly. Photography E&O covers claims arising from failure to deliver contracted work, equipment failure causing missed coverage, or copyright and image disputes. For professional photographers whose livelihood depends on their work product, purpose-built E&O matters.

Minnesota professional liability insurance →

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Nonprofits & Insurance Agencies

CNA writes GL for nonprofits involved in redistribution of goods — an unusual class with specific liability considerations around product condition and distribution. They also write GL for insurance agencies — a class we know well from the inside. Their appetite for these specific niches reflects the breadth of their 600+ class Connect® BOP platform.

Minnesota general liability insurance →

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Retail — Craft & Art Supply Stores

CNA's small business BOP covers craft and art supply retail — a class with premises liability, product liability, and inventory coverage considerations. Their Connect® BOP platform's 300+ endorsements allow coverage to be tailored specifically to the retail environment, including business income protection for stores that would be materially impacted by an extended closure.

Minnesota general liability insurance →

CNA note: CNA does not write personal lines. If your business clients also need personal home, auto, or umbrella coverage, we place those lines with other carriers in our portfolio and keep the commercial program with CNA. Their commercial-only focus is a strength, not a limitation.

Honest Gaps to Know About

No carrier is perfect. These are the honest gaps to know about before placing with CNA.

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Inconsistent Claims Reviews — Not Our Experience

Consumer reviews of CNA claims handling are mixed — some customers report slow communication and unsatisfactory settlements. We flag this honestly because it's in the public record. Our experience placing medical and professional clients with CNA since 2018 has been different — no complaints, stable relationships, and claims handled professionally. The discrepancy may reflect the complexity of certain commercial claims categories, or the difference between agent-placed and direct channel clients. We monitor this and will update if our experience changes.

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Limited Discount Transparency

CNA does not publicly list their discount structure. You'll know what you pay when we quote you — but you won't find a menu of available discounts on their website. For clients who like to understand exactly how their premium is calculated, this can feel opaque. In practice, our agents work the underwriting relationship directly and ensure competitive terms. But it's worth knowing the transparency isn't there the way it is with some other carriers.

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Commercial Only — No Personal Lines

CNA does not write personal lines. If a business owner also wants home, auto, or umbrella through Options Insurance, those lines go to a different carrier. For clients who value having all their coverage under one roof, CNA's commercial-only focus is a real limitation. We handle the split placement well — but it's worth knowing upfront that CNA is one piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture.

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Residential Construction Not a Fit

CNA is not the right carrier for residential construction contractors. Their appetite is focused on professional services, medical, and commercial operations — not residential builders and remodelers. For clients in residential construction, we have other carriers in our portfolio better suited to that risk profile. CNA's underwriters will let us know quickly if a class isn't in appetite, which lets us pivot efficiently.

Is CNA Right for You?

After 7 years of placing professional and medical clients with CNA, here's an honest picture of who belongs with them — and who we'd place elsewhere.

✓ Great Fit

  • Medical and allied health practices — acupuncture, chiropractic, and similar clinics
  • Financial planners and investment advisors needing GL and professional liability
  • Business consultants and management advisors
  • Photographers needing professional E&O coverage
  • Nonprofits with redistribution or goods-handling operations
  • Insurance agencies needing GL
  • Retail businesses — craft, art supply, specialty retail
  • Solo-preneurs to small businesses needing competitive GL with high aggregate limits
  • Businesses that want free risk management tools via PrepWise®

✗ Not Ideal For

  • Residential construction contractors — CNA's appetite doesn't fit this class
  • Some startups — underwriting may require established operations
  • Clients who need personal lines bundled with commercial — CNA is commercial only
  • Clients who want full discount transparency before quoting

CNA vs. The Hartford & Travelers

For professional and medical businesses, CNA's primary comparisons are other commercial specialists. Here's how CNA stacks up against two other carriers we represent. All three are available through Options Insurance.

Category CNA
via Options Insurance
The Hartford Travelers
AM Best Rating A+ Superior (recently upgraded) A+ Superior (recently upgraded) A++ Superior
Commercial Focus 100% commercial — no personal lines Primarily commercial Personal + commercial
Medical / Allied Health Appetite Purpose-built — healthcare business unit Available Available
Professional Liability Classes Very broad — financial, consulting, photography, nonprofits, agencies Broad — financial, consulting, technology Standard classes
GL Aggregate Limits Up to $4M Standard limits Standard limits
Risk Management Platform PrepWise® — free, industry-specific tools + webinars Available Limited
BOP Business Classes 600+ classes, 300+ endorsements Broad Broad
Residential Construction Not in appetite Available Available
Sources: AM Best, CNA Fact Sheet 2026, company filings. Options Insurance represents CNA, The Hartford, and Travelers as appointed independent agents.

We Place Clients with CNA When...

"My medical clinics do really well with CNA. Stable rates, easy to work with, no complaints here. When professional or medical clients need great coverage and competitive terms, CNA is the answer. Their 125 years of commercial-only focus means they understand these exposures at a depth that generalist carriers don't — and the PrepWise® risk management platform is something most clients don't even know about until we place them. After 7 years of placement, they remain one of our first calls for professional and medical GL."

— Dane Roti, Commercial Lines Agent, Options Insurance

🏥 Medical & Allied Health 💼 Financial Planners 🎯 Business Consultants 📷 Photography E&O 🏛️ Nonprofits 🎨 Specialty Retail 🛡️ GL Up to $4M 📚 PrepWise® Included

CNA Policyholder Contacts

Already a CNA client through Options Insurance? Here are the resources you need.

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Report a Claim

1-877-CNA-ASAP (1-877-262-2727)

Available 24/7 via phone. You can also report online at cna.com/claims-center, by email, or by fax. CNA's commercial claims professionals have deep expertise in the specific business classes they cover.

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Customer Service

1-800-CNA-CNA2 (1-800-262-2622)

General policy and billing inquiries. For most policy changes and questions, your Options Insurance agent is the fastest route — we manage the CNA relationship directly on your behalf.

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Online Portal & PrepWise®

cna.com

Manage your policy and access PrepWise® — the free risk management platform included with your CNA policy. PrepWise includes industry-specific tools, online training, webinars, and consulting resources tailored to your business type.

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PrepWise® Risk Management

CNA's free risk management platform for policyholders. Access industry-specific risk guides, compliance checklists, safety training, and webinars. Ask your Options Insurance agent for access details when your policy is placed. This is the feature most clients don't know about until after they're placed.

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The opinions expressed on this page reflect the experience of Options Insurance agents based on policies placed and client feedback received over 15 years. Individual results may vary. Options Insurance has a commercial relationship with CNA as an appointed independent agent. This review is not sponsored, approved, or endorsed by CNA Financial Corporation. AM Best, J.D. Power, and NAIC data are sourced from publicly available reports and are cited for informational purposes. Ratings are subject to change. CNA does not write personal lines. Financial strength ratings sourced from CNA Fact Sheet, March 2026. PrepWise® is a registered trademark of CNA Financial Corporation. Comparison data is based on publicly available third-party research. Coverage availability and terms vary by state, risk profile, and underwriting criteria. This page does not constitute a coverage guarantee or binding commitment.

Last updated: May 12, 2026