COMPARE: AAIS CU 0001–COMMERCIAL EXCESS/UMBRELLA LIABILITY COVERAGE 09 10 EDITION TO AAIS UM 0200–COMMERCIAL UMBRELLA/EXCESS LIABILITY COVERAGE 04 00 EDITION

(October 2025)

INTRODUCTION

The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) developed CU 0001–Commercial Excess/Umbrella Liability Coverage 09 10 Edition to replace UM 0200–Commercial Umbrella/Excess Liability Coverage 04 00 Edition. Additionally, they introduced a new form, CU 0002 – Commercial Umbrella Liability Coverage, which AAIS now considers its primary umbrella liability coverage form. 

Related Articles:

CU 0002–Commercial Umbrella Liability Coverage Analysis

CU 0001–Commercial Excess/Umbrella Liability Coverage Analysis

UM 0200 was once the only umbrella coverage offered by AAIS. Therefore, it is essential to understand the updates introduced when AAIS replaced UM 0200 with CU 0001. This article compares CU 0001 and UM 0200, with each section aligned to the CU 0001 policy structure.

DEFINITIONS

CU 0001 eliminated the following terms:

CU 0001 added the following terms:

CU 0001 made significant changes in the following terms:

o   Coverage is available for any newly formed or acquired organization (excluding a Joint Venture, LLC, or Partnership) for up to 90 days. 

o   Coverage is not provided if the acquired organization already has similar insurance.

o   Coverage does not include injuries or damages occurring prior to the organization’s new or formation date.

o   Coverage does not include any personal/advertising injury due to an offense that occurred before the organization's newly acquired or formed date.

o   Under Coverage E—Excess Liability— the coverage territory is the same as the underlying insurance.

o   Under Coverage U—Umbrella Liability—the coverage extends worldwide, excluding locations under trade embargoes and economic sanctions.

NOTE: Since the basic territory definition has been eliminated, CU 0001 no longer requires suits to be brought into the basic territory.  

o   Members and managers are now separated.

§  Members are included as insureds only with respect to their conduct of the insured's business.

§  Managers are included as insureds only with respect to their duties of the insured's business.

o   Added Trustees as an insured.

o   Removed mobile equipment operator as an insured. However, this does not include the insured’s employees.

o   Volunteer is now included as an insured when acting as the insured's real estate manager.

o   Employees and volunteer workers of the named insured are now included while performing their duties during the insured’s business operations. 

§  Coverage for managers or executive officers adds Partnerships or Joint Ventures to the “other than organization.”  

o   Employees and volunteers are now excluded from coverage for injuries to partners, members, family members of all excluded insureds, and third-party damage liabilities.

o   CU 0001 moved “Newly Acquired Organization” from the definition of “Insured” to the definition of “You and Your,” making Newly Acquired Organizations now a named insured.

o   Mobile equipment used off public roads now includes descriptions of equipment such as bulldozers, farm machinery, and forklifts.

o   Mobile equipment no longer needs to be self-propelled, meaning it no longer has to rely on its own power source to move.

o   References to concrete mixers and mix-in-transit are removed from the description of equipment used to provide mobility.

o   Equipment not described and not specifically excluded is now included, as long as it is not used to transport persons or cargo.

o   Data Records are excluded as tangible property.

o   Under Coverage E:

§  Any auto-related coverage is not considered tangible property.

§  Any pollutant cleanup requests for any auto-related losses are considered property damage.

COMMERCIAL EXCESS/UMBRELLA LIABILITY COVERAGES

This section is now named Commercial Excess/Umbrella Liability Coverages, whereas it was formerly called Principal Coverages in UM 0200.

COVERAGE E

Insuring Agreement Changes

Exclusions Changes

The exclusions in UM 0200 were previously listed in a separate section but are now included in the insuring agreement section.

CU 0001 modified the following exclusions:

e. The exclusion language is expanded by replacing the term “benefits specified” with “Liability Imposed” under auto no-fault. This update removes first-party bodily injury, as it is now covered under the liability imposed language. Additionally, the revision adds exclusions for personal injury protection (PIP) and auto medical payments.

f. Pollution is modified. It is now an absolute exclusion unless the underlying insurance provides coverage. In that case, it follows the terms of the underlying insurance.

h. Pollution expense is modified, unless the underlying insurance provides coverage. In that case, it follows the terms of the underlying insurance.

n. Lead exclusion is expanded to clearly state there is no coverage.

CU 0001 added the following exclusions:

k. Employment-related practices

l. War

m. Data records (unless covered by underlying insurance)

o. Silica

p. Asbestos

q. Medical payments/expenses (provided without fault)

COVERAGE U

Insuring Agreement Changes

Exclusions Changes

The exclusions in UM 0200 were previously listed in a separate section but are now included in the insuring agreement section.

CU 0001 modified the following exclusions:

b. The term “insured” is used in lieu of “you” for contractual liability contracts, broadening the exclusion.

f. The exclusion language is expanded by replacing the term “benefits specified” with “Liability Imposed” under auto no-fault. This update removes first-party bodily injury, as it is now covered under the liability imposed language. Additionally, the revision adds exclusions for personal injury protection (PIP) and auto medical payments.

g. and h. Pollution exclusion has been revised. The pollution exclusion and pollution cleanup expense exclusion are now listed separately as distinct exclusions. This update does not alter the wording or intent.

k. Reference to personal and advertising injury in the liquor exclusion has been removed.

l. This exclusion applies when employees are acting within the scope of their employment and performing duties related to the insured’s business. This makes the exclusion more restrictive.

n. This exclusion now applies before, during, or after the individual's employment, making it more restrictive.

o. This exclusion no longer distinguishes real property from personal property, and it specifically excludes any costs to improve such property, even if the insured makes the property safer.

s. Property damage to personal property in the insured’s care, custody, or control is now an absolute exclusion with the exception of sidetrack and trailer interchange agreements.

z. Violation of various regulations related to communications is more specific.

dd. Breach of contract now also excludes personal injury, as personal injury and advertising injury have been combined.

ee. Failure of goods to conform now also excludes personal injury, as personal injury and advertising injury have been combined.

ff.  The exclusion of advertising injury for entities in the business of advertising is expanded to also exclude the Web and Internet. However, there are many exceptions.

gg. Wrong price now also excludes personal injury, as personal injury and advertising injury have been combined.  

hh. Personal injury and advertising injury contractual liability broadens the exclusion to “the insured” rather than just “you.”

ll. Lead exclusion has been modified by separating the exposure provisions, such as bodily injury or property damage, as well as costs and expenses.  

CU 0001 added the following exclusions:

u. Property damage to personal property loaned to the named insured.

v. Property damage to property abandoned, sold, or given away.

x. Data Records

aa. Personal injury and advertising injury committed with knowledge an injury would occur.

bb. Personal injury and advertising injury due to criminal acts.

ii. Personal injury and advertising injury violations of intellectual property rights.

jj. Personal injury and advertising injury from various types of Internet sites the insured hosts, such as social communication forums.

mm. Silica is now excluded from the policy and is no longer optional by endorsement.

nn. Asbestos is now excluded from the policy and is no longer optional by endorsement.

SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS

This was Defense Coverage in UM 0200. Items 1 through 5 in UM 0200 are now incorporated into the insuring agreements in CU 0001.

Item 6 in UM 0200 comprises most of the Supplemental Payments in CU 0001.

The following are the differences between Item 6. and Supplemental Payments Item 1:

a. Court costs taxed against the insured no longer include attorney fees or expenses.

c. and d. are combined. The maximum daily earnings are now $250 per day. While the UM 200 only provided $100 per day.

g. The limit on bail bonds is now $2,000. This was item h. in the UM 200, but it only provided $500 in coverage.

CU 0001 adds the following items:

WHAT MUST BE DONE IN CASE OF LOSS

CU 0001 made the following changes:

1. Coverage E—Excess Liability is added to the provision for the insured’s cooperation. Under Coverage U—Umbrella Liability, this is not applicable since there are no underlying carriers.

4. Other Duties is changed significantly. The insured is expected to assist in settling claims or conducting suits.

HOW MUCH WE PAY

CU 0001 made several changes in this section:

Coverage E—Excess Liability and Coverage U—Umbrella Liability:

General Aggregate changes

Occurrence Changes

·         Reference to Coverage U—Umbrella Liability paying in excess of the retained limit is eliminated. Therefore, it is not listed in CU 0001.

4. Coverages E and U are addressed together rather than separately.

4.b. Under Coverage E—Excess Liability, if defense costs are within the underlying insurance’s limits, any defense costs the insurance company pays under Coverage E is included in the Occurrence Limit.

Items 5. and 6. regarding exhaustion or limit reduction under Coverage E remain applicable. However, defense costs are added for damages if they are part of the underlying insurance.

7. is a new provision. It explains how the policy responds if any underlying insurance is not concurrent with this policy.

CONDITIONS

CU 0001 made the following changes:

1. Appeals has been broadened. It now includes the insured not electing to appeal a judgment, not just the underlying insurer. It also adds Coverage E and Coverage U for self-insured retention. Additionally, it removes the phrase “in addition to the applicable limit.”  

4. Bankruptcy of Underlying Insurer now applies to only Coverage E. In UM 0200, it applied to both Coverage E and Coverage U.  

5. Cancellation and Nonrenewal replaces the four-paragraph condition in UM 0200.

11. Legal Action Brought Against Us adds an additional paragraph stating that injury or damage not covered by this policy, or damages in excess of the policy limit, are not paid.

12. Maintenance of Underlying Insurance adds Coverage E—Excess Liability to the provision, as Coverage U—Umbrella Liability does not apply. It also clarifies that this insurance will not replace underlying insurance if the insured fails to maintain such coverage.

CU 0001 added the following conditions: