2008 GROSS WRITTEN PREMIUMS: $19.24 billion

EMPLOYEES: 15,000

ACE Ltd.'s broad risk appetite, creative underwriting and global network are among the factors that distinguish it as a liability insurer, ACE executives say.

Business Insurance readers voted Zurich, Switzerland-based ACE as the best liability insurer in the 2009 Readers Choice Awards. Last year, ACE was ranked No. 2 in the category, which includes professional liability and general liability lines.

ACE's professional risk division offers a broad range of products, including directors and officers liability insurance for public, private and nonprofit institutions. ACE offers errors and omissions coverage for more than 100 classes of professionals in industries from technology to education to public officials. Products also include employment practices liability, fiduciary, fidelity, and kidnap and ransom insurance.

“We don't limit ourselves. Our focus is really on understanding and underwriting to the individual risk and the characteristics of the individual company,” said Timothy O'Donnell, New York-based president of ACE Professional Risk.

Clients also appreciate the ACE brand and financial strength the insurer offers. “We can bring in resources and coordinate capacity and products from across the entire organization,” Mr. O'Donnell said.

ACE aims to be innovative and responsive to help clients manage the evolving liability landscape, ACE executives say. For example, ACE enhanced its offerings for private companies and nonprofit organizations including hospitals and educational institutions with a “modular policy” format that allows multiple coverages to be bundled together and delivered on an upgraded technology platform.

ACE's general liability product offerings include customized coverage for nearly every industry.

ACE's underwriting structure includes dedicated teams segmented by industry and customer size, said Chris Maleno, New York-based president of ACE Casualty Risk. “Clients benefit by working with underwriters that are dedicated to that type of buyer, and it allows us to really customize solutions,” he said.