About Us
Berkley Alliance Professional provides pollution liability, professional liability and faulty workmanship liability insurance for contractors. Dedicated to supporting small businesses, we emphasize fast, reliable service, competitive pricing, and a seamless, hassle-free process to meet their needs. Our experienced in-house claims professionals advocate for policyholders and provide guidance throughout the claims process.
Berkley Alliance Professional is a division of Berkley Alliance Managers, a member of W. R. Berkley Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, that is part of the S&P 500 and whose insurance company subsidiaries are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best.
What We Do
Berkley Alliance Professional provides contractors with pollution, professional and faulty workmanship liability insurance.
Pollution liability insurance covers contractors against claims related to environmental damage, contamination, or hazardous waste exposure, ensuring they’re protected from costly cleanup and legal fees. Commercial general liability provides very little pollution coverage.
Professional liability insurance protects contractors from costly claims due to mistakes, oversights or unfulfilled obligations, keeping their reputation and finances secure. Unlike commercial general liability, which covers bodily injury or property damage, professional liability focuses on protecting a contractor’s work, advice and services, giving them the peace of mind to focus on growing their business.
Faulty workmanship liability insurance protects contractors from financial loss due to claims arising from mistakes, defects or poor-quality work, covering the costs of replacement or repair. Unlike commercial general liability insurance, which typically excludes coverage for the quality of work itself, faulty workmanship liability insurance fills that gap, ensuring their projects and reputation are safeguarded.
Our Team
Stephen L. Porcelli
President
Steve has more than 30 years of experience in the professional liability segment of the insurance industry in the roles of business leader, manager and underwriter. Steve started and managed successful professional liability businesses for three insurance carriers prior to joining the W. R. Berkley Corporation to form Berkley Alliance Managers in 2013. Throughout his career, he has succeeded in hiring and cultivating teams of specialist professional liability executives, underwriters and claims people to build innovative insurance solutions in specialty markets.
Steve holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Industrial Relations from Syracuse University in New York. He is based in Glastonbury, CT.
Robert J. Connor, JD, CIC
Executive Vice President
With almost 30 years of professional liability insurance experience, Bob has served in various roles including underwriter, regional vice president, retail broker, wholesale broker and chief marketing officer. He leverages his unique depth and breadth of experience to create innovative solutions that incorporate the perspective of all participants of an insurance transaction. Before joining the insurance industry, he practiced law.
Bob holds a Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law, Queens, New York, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics Management from Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York. He is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Laila Santana
Executive Vice President, Chief Claims Officer
Laila is a licensed attorney and has been a claims professional dedicated to the design and construction industry for more than twenty years. Laila oversees all claims operations for Berkley Alliance Managers. Before joining the company in 2013, she was the director of design and construction professional liability claims for a leading insurance carrier, where she created, grew and led the claims department. Prior to that position, Laila was the vice president, executive claims counsel and regional claims manager for a leading carrier that provided architects and engineers with professional liability insurance. Before entering the insurance industry, Laila practiced law with Booth, Mitchell & Strange, LLP in Orange, California.
She earned a Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, California, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Business from Pepperdine University, Seaver College. Laila is a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Risk Management Committee, the ACEC Legal Counsel Forum, the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI) and the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM). She is based in Irvine, California.
Samuel Lightbourn, RPLU
Small Business Specialist
Samuel is a Small Business Specialist for Berkley Alliance Professional. He joined Berkley Alliance Managers in 2022 as a Trade Artisan General Contractor (TAG) Underwriter for Berkley Construction Professional. Samuel has six years of underwriting experience across multiple industries and previously worked as an underwriter for a leading global insurance carrier.
Samuel holds a Registered Professional Liability Underwriting (RPLU) and is a member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS). He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut. Sam is based in Glastonbury, Connecticut.
Dedicated Claims Team
Our in-house claim professionals have decades of experience managing contractors pollution and professional liability claims. We provide exceptional claims handling, high-quality and result-oriented services.
The Berkley Alliance Professional claims team advocates on our policyholder’s behalf, protecting deductibles and offering support throughout the process. This comprehensive approach enables policyholders to stay focused on their business.
Report a Claim
Circumstances or claims must be reported to Berkley Alliance Professional as the Policy requires to avoid problems regarding timely notice or reporting.
Here’s how to report:
Complete the New Matter Report Form
Send the New Matter Report Form
Send the New Matter Report Form and accompanying documents to Berkley Alliance Professional.
Acknowledgment
of Report
We encourage you to report circumstances and claims by email. You will receive an acknowledgment of your report, which provides you with peace of mind that it has been received.
California CCPA Notice regarding the collection of Personal Information.
The Power of Berkley
Berkley Alliance Professional is one of the 55+ (re)insurance businesses worldwide that comprise the Berkley brand. Berkley is one of America’s largest commercial lines property casualty insurance providers, operating worldwide within two segments of the P&C insurance business: Insurance and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess. Each business offers expertise within an industry, product, or region.
Berkley Alliance Professional is a member of W. R. Berkley Corporation, a Fortune 500 company that is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is part of the S&P 500. W. R. Berkley Corporation’s insurance company subsidiaries are rated A+ (Superior), Financial Size Category XV by A.M. Best Company and A+ (Strong) by Standard & Poor’s.
Berkley’s competitive advantage lies in its long-term strategy of decentralized operations. This structure provides each Berkley business the agility of a small business—the ability to identify and respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and local customer needs. It also provides our Berkley businesses with the strength and resources of a Fortune 500 organization as well as the financial accountability and incentives to attract and retain the highest-caliber professionals.
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