Markel Expands Professional Liability Offerings with New Media and Entertainment Coverage Options

• By: Will Jones
• August 31, 2026

PRODUCTS: Entertainment Shield; Media Shield.

COMPANIES: Markel and Evanston Insurance Company.

BEST RATING: A

AVAILABILITY: Appointed agents and brokers only.

FOCUS: Markel recently expanded its professional liability offerings for insurance protection against fast-evolving creative, digital and professional risks. The enhancements bring together multiple coverage needs under a streamlined approach, helping insureds reduce gaps and simplify coverage as the way they work continues to change.

Markel’s enhancements include two new products—New Media Shield and Entertainment Shield—designed to protect qualified content creators, media professionals and entertainment-focused businesses.

“We continue to see risk evolution across the marketplace, especially in media liability,” said Paul Melone, executive underwriting officer, professional liability, Markel[OO1] . “It has never been easier to create and distribute content, and we are operating in an era where social media dominates. As media expands, so does its complexity.”

COVERAGE DETAILS: Media and Entertainment Shield products are designed to help protect against lawsuits alleging reputational damage, invasion of privacy, misappropriation, copyright and trademark infringement, and negligence. Coverage is customizable to the unique risks media and entertainment professionals face and can be layered with other coverage parts, such as miscellaneous errors & omissions, general liability, technology or cyber, to meet the needs of policyholders.

Highlights include:

Media Shield: Coverage is available on a primary or excess basis and on a claims-made or occurrence basis. The product uses a nonadmitted policy form and includes broad definitions of “media wrongful act” and “multimedia services.” Insureds can add coverage parts for miscellaneous E&O, music liability, general liability, technology services and cyber. Coverage extensions are available for merchandising activities.

Entertainment Shield: Coverage is available on a primary or excess basis and on a claims-made basis. The product uses a nonadmitted policy form and includes broad definitions of “content” and “music publishing services.” Insureds can add coverage parts for miscellaneous E&O, media, general liability, technology services and cyber. Coverage extensions are available for merchandising activities, record label and talent management.

UNDERWRITING: Maximum capacity is $5 million in limits of liability. Coverage is available on a primary, excess or quota share basis. The minimum premium is $2,500 for Media Shield and $7,500 for Entertainment Shield.

TARGET: Target insureds include advertising, marketing, graphic design and public relations agencies; authors and bloggers; broadcasters; commercial printers; content creators; entertainment managers; multimedia companies; podcasts; public appearances; publishers; TV and film producers and distributors; acquisition and development; postproduction houses; and film libraries.

COVERAGE AVAILABILITY: All U.S. states on a surplus lines basis.

CONTACT: Paul Melone, executive underwriting officer, professional liability, Markel; 1185 Avenue of the Americas, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10036; 646-632-4146.

Will Jones is IA editor-in-chief.

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