When your primary environmental coverage is not enough, excess policies provide the additional limits you need for large projects, government contracts, and high-exposure operations.
Excess environmental insurance is a follow-form policy that sits on top of your primary environmental coverage. It provides additional limits beyond what your primary policy offers, giving you a larger safety net for costly claims.
The excess policy follows the same terms, conditions, and exclusions as the underlying primary policy. This means the coverage works the same way — you just have more of it. If a claim exceeds your primary limits, the excess layer kicks in to cover the remaining costs up to its own limit.
Excess coverage can layer on top of Contractors Pollution Liability (CPL), Environmental Impairment Liability (EIL), combined policies, or other environmental coverages.
Policy Limits
Up to $10M in excess coverage
Auto Excess
Automobile limits capped at $5M excess of primary auto
Third-Party Carriers
Can go over a third-party carrier's primary auto and employers liability
Large Limit Towers
Unsupported excess may be available for high attachment point situations
There are several common situations where your primary environmental coverage alone may not be enough.
Major construction, remediation, or infrastructure projects often come with significant environmental risks. A single pollution event on a large job site can quickly exceed primary limits. Higher coverage gives you the financial backing to handle a worst-case scenario.
Government agencies and military installations frequently require contractors to carry environmental coverage limits far above what a standard primary policy provides. Excess coverage helps you meet those requirements and stay eligible for these contracts.
Property owners and general contractors often require subcontractors to carry higher pollution limits before they will allow them on a job. If a contract calls for $5M or $10M in coverage, an excess policy is the way to meet that requirement without changing your primary policy.
Businesses that deal with hazardous materials, contaminated sites, or sensitive environments face a higher chance of large claims. Extra limits give you peace of mind knowing you have enough coverage to handle the unexpected.
Excess environmental insurance is straightforward. Here is how it fits together with your existing coverage.
You keep your existing primary environmental policy in place. This could be a CPL, EIL, combined GL/CPL, or another environmental coverage. Your primary policy responds first to any claim.
The excess policy sits directly on top of your primary coverage. It follows the same terms and conditions, so there are no coverage gaps or conflicting policy language between layers.
If a covered claim uses up all of your primary limits, the excess policy takes over and pays the remaining costs up to its own limit. This means your total available coverage is the primary limit plus the excess limit.
If your primary CPL policy has a $2M limit and you add a $5M excess policy, your total available coverage for a covered claim is $7M. The primary pays the first $2M, and the excess pays up to the next $5M.
Excess environmental insurance is most commonly used by these types of businesses and situations.
Companies working on major remediation, abatement, or infrastructure projects where the scale of the work demands higher coverage limits.
Firms with government or military contracts that require environmental coverage limits beyond what standard primary policies provide.
Companies with significant environmental risks from their operations, materials, or locations that could lead to large pollution claims.
Contractors whose clients, property owners, or general contractors require them to carry higher pollution liability limits as a condition of the contract.
Tell us about your current environmental coverage and the additional limits you need. We will find the right excess policy for your situation.
Or contact us directly to discuss your excess coverage needs.
Explore the primary environmental coverages that excess policies can layer on top of.
Primary pollution coverage for contractors working on or around contaminated sites.
Learn moreEnvironmental impairment liability coverage for specific properties and facilities.
Learn moreBundle your general liability, pollution, and professional liability into one convenient package policy.
Learn moreReady to Apply?
Excess environmental limits are quoted case by case. Tell us about your primary policy and the limits you need, and our team will get you a quote — usually within one business day.
