Management Liability Insurance
Don’t manage the admin. Manage the liability.
Clear protection for directors, the company and the decisions that put both at risk.
Warren Tea, an insurance broker, takes a call. His client has a demand letter on the desk. An ex-employee alleges unfair dismissal. A regulator has also requested documents. Cash flow is tight. Legal fees are rising. The board is worried.
Pressure builds when the client realises their cover is a patchwork across different policies. Who pays for defence costs? What about fines that are enforceable by law? Are directors personally exposed?
Hutch Management Liability brings the pieces together for SMEs. One policy with clear sections for directors and officers, the company, employment practices, statutory exposures, crime, and third-party cyber liability. All wrapped up with Hutch's famous service levels.
Built for brokers. Backed by Lloyd's. It’s the clear way to better cover.
Coverage at a glance
Insuring clause(s)
Claims made and notified (all sections)
Who it’s for
Australian SMEs with revenue up to $50M
Core sections
Directors & Officers; Corporate Liability; Employment Practices; Statutory Liability; Crime; Third-Party Cyber.
Key optional extensions
Social Engineering Fraud; Tax Audit Costs; Bail/Civil Bond Expenses (when noted in Schedule).
Also see: Financial Services Guide (FSG)
Key Covers
- Directors & Officers Liability: protects individual directors and officers for alleged wrongful acts.
- Company (Corporate) Liability: protects the insured entity for alleged wrongful acts.
- Employment Practices Liability: protects the business for employment-related claims, including certain third-party claims.
- Statutory Liability: covers insurable fines and penalties where permitted by law, plus defence and investigation expenses.
- Crime: protects against employee dishonesty, third-party fraud, computer fraud and theft, with optional Social Engineering sub-limit.
- Third-Party Cyber Liability: protects the business against third-party claims arising from a data breach or client network infection.
- Public relations, inquiry and court-attendance sub-limits available under relevant sections.
- Defence costs are payable in accordance with the policy terms and count toward the applicable limits.
Important: Cover is “claims made and notified”. Statutory Liability availability and insurability of fines depend on the law. Some benefits are optional or sub-limited. See the Policy Wording and Schedule.
ML Quoting. Bright and Early.
Introducing Dawn: Hutch's AI-powered email ingestion service. ML is Dawn's simplest submission. Just email four details to dawn@ai.hutchunderwriting.com.au and let Dawn know that you want ML. You'll have a quote reference in your Sunrise import queue within minutes. No proposal form required.
- ABN
- Occupation
- Turnover
- Employee count
Dawn reads the submission, pre-populates your Sunrise quote form, and places the quote in your Sunrise import queue. You review, declare, and bind. It is that simple.
If a submission requires review, our friendly team of underwriters will respond to your referral directly via Sunrise.
Who Hutch ML is Built For
- SME Businesses: Australian companies with annual revenue up to $50M.
- Occupations: Broad SME appetite (see appetite table).
- Distribution: Available exclusively via Ebix Sunrise Exchange.
- Limits: Up to $5M per section with sub-limits.
Appetite & Fit
(quick guide)
| Suitable for (examples) | May not be suitable for | Not suitable for |
|---|---|---|
Professional services, manufacturing, wholesalers, retailers, technology services, healthcare clinics (non-aged care), education providers (mainstream), construction suppliers, property services |
High growth start-ups, businesses with recent restructures, recent or open investigations, novel revenue models, overseas exposures |
Government administration and defence, financial institutions and AFSL holders, electricity/gas/water utilities, aged or foster care, religious organisations, mining industry risks |
Note: Appetite varies by risk profile. Some sectors may require endorsements (e.g., IP or pollution restrictions) or adjusted limits and retentions.
Broker FAQs
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How do defence costs work under this policy?
Defence costs are payable in accordance with the policy terms and count toward the applicable section limit and any aggregate, unless stated otherwise in the Schedule. The policy can advance approved defence costs prior to final adjudication, subject to the terms.
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Is Statutory Liability automatically included and are fines covered?
Statutory Liability is a policy section with its own limit and sub-limits. It covers insurable fines and penalties where permitted by law, plus defence and investigation expenses. Some fines are not insurable. Availability, limits and legal position vary by jurisdiction. Check the Policy Wording and the Schedule.
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Can I add Social Engineering cover for payment diversion scams?
Yes. Social Engineering Fraud is an optional sub-limit under Crime. The policy also requires reasonable verification controls (e.g., call-backs to known contacts) for bank detail changes.
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Are North American claims covered?
The policy excludes acts in, and claims brought under, the jurisdiction of the United States or Canada. For clients with exposure there, speak with us about suitable alternatives.
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Does Employment Practices Liability include third-party claims?
Yes. Employment Practices Liability (EPL) includes third-party liability for certain claims like discrimination or harassment involving non-employees, subject to terms and sub-limits.
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What isn’t covered?
The policy does not cover:
- Professional services liability (covered under other policies)
- Bodily injury or property damage (except where allowed under specific sections)
- Known claims or circumstances before the policy period, or matters before the retroactive date
- Certain contractual liabilities, trading debts, unpaid fees
- Certain sectors and jurisdictions (e.g. North America)
- Uninsurable fines or penalties, and fines where insurance is prohibited by law
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How do I place this?
- Review the docs - Download the latest Policy Wording.
- Quote - Use Ebix Sunrise Exchange (via code HUTHML). No proposal form? No problem. Use Dawn to email four details and find your quote ready in Sunrise within minutes.
- Bind - Bind and Close instantly.
- Issue Documents - Issue automatically generated Schedule and CoC and share with your client.
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Can I get an ML quote without a proposal form?
Yes. ML is Dawn's simplest submission. Email Dawn (dawn@ai.hutchunderwriting.com.au) asking her for an ML quote. Include only four details:
- ABN
- Occupation
- Turnover
- Employee count
You'll have a quote reference in your Sunrise import queue, within minutes, ready for you to review, declare and bind.
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How do I lodge a claim?
Notify Hutch Claims as soon as practicable and provide relevant documents (contract, scope, correspondence). Our in-house claims team will confirm next steps.
When the letter lands, clarity counts.
As the board starts asking questions, you need certainty on scope, limits and next steps. Hutch Management Liability gives SMEs a clear structure across directors, the entity, employment, statutory, crime and third-party cyber.
Built for brokers. Backed by Lloyd’s.
The clear way to better cover.
Why brokers choose Hutch
- Broker-centred process and clear sections.
- Fast quote pathways via Ebix Sunrise Exchange. Enter, quote and bind within minutes. Or use Dawn and email four details to find your ML quote ready in Sunrise before you've had your morning coffee. No double-keying; no closings; even invoices are auto-populated.
- Service. If your submission has triggered a referral, we usually respond within one business day. Have a question? Our Financial Lines Underwriters are always happy to help. They are passionate about Management Liability and enjoy every opportunity to share their knowledge.
Downloads
Policy Documents
Underwriter Spotlight
Alec Bouchard
Underwriting Manager, Management Liability
With over 15 years of global experience in financial lines, Alec's deep market insight and strategic approach to distribution enable him to significantly enhance our innovative solutions. Alec is dedicated to simplifying processes and enhancing broker relationships, making insurance more accessible through proactive education and support.
This page is intended for licensed insurance brokers. General advice only. It does not take into account your client’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions in the Policy Wording. Available exclusively via Ebix Sunrise Exchange (code HUTHML).