Media liability glossary
The terms you will meet on media liability product pages, applications, and policies, each defined with a citation to the source of the definition.
Media liability insurance
A specialized form of errors and omissions insurance for the risks of creating and distributing media content. Hiscox titles its product “Media Liability Insurance Coverage,” and Philadelphia Insurance Companies says its policy addresses liability arising from media activities, including the creation and distribution of media content resulting from a media wrongful act.
Source: Hiscox media liability product page; PHLY media liability product page
Errors and omissions (E&O) insurance
Liability insurance for losses arising from negligent acts, errors, or omissions in professional services. Chubb describes its MediaGuard as an errors and omissions insurance solution for traditional and non-traditional media organizations, and Markel describes its media products as layerable with miscellaneous E&O coverage parts.
Source: Chubb US MediaGuard page; Markel product announcement, May 2026
Media wrongful act
The coverage trigger described in media liability policies. PHLY says its policy addresses liability arising from media activities, including the creation and distribution of media content resulting from a media wrongful act. IRMI's glossary defines a related cyber-coverage term, media wrongful act, as covering negligent acts, errors, or omissions resulting in copyright, trademark, or service mark infringement, misappropriation of intellectual property rights, disparagement, libel, plagiarism, reputational harm, and similar risks as detailed in the particular policy.
Source: PHLY media liability product page; IRMI: media wrongful act (cyber coverage)
Defamation
A claim that published or broadcast statements harmed someone's reputation. Chubb lists libel, slander, and defamation among the exposures its media liability coverage addresses, and Markel describes its media products as protecting against lawsuits alleging reputational damage.
Source: Chubb technology liability page (MY); Markel product announcement, May 2026
Libel and slander
In media liability materials, libel and slander appear as categories of defamation claims. Chubb lists libel, slander, and defamation together among the exposures its media liability coverage addresses. How a particular policy defines and treats each category is set in the policy wording.
Copyright infringement
Claims alleging unauthorized use of copyrighted material in published content. Markel lists copyright infringement among the perils its Media Shield and Entertainment Shield products are described as protecting against. Chubb likewise lists intellectual-property infringement among media liability exposures.
Source: Markel product announcement, May 2026; Chubb technology liability page (MY)
Trademark infringement
Claims alleging unauthorized use of another's trademark, trade name, slogan, or service mark. Markel lists trademark infringement among the perils its media products are described as protecting against.
Invasion of privacy
Claims alleging intrusion into private life or misuse of private information. Markel lists invasion of privacy among the perils its media products are described as protecting against, and Chubb lists privacy violations among media liability exposures.
Source: Markel product announcement, May 2026; Chubb technology liability page (MY)
Misappropriation
Claims alleging wrongful use of another's ideas, content, or intellectual property. Markel lists misappropriation among the perils its media products are described as protecting against.
Claims-made policy
IRMI defines a claims-made policy as coverage triggered when a claim is made against the insured during the policy period, regardless of when the wrongful act that gave rise to the claim took place. The one exception IRMI notes is when a retroactive date applies: the wrongful act must then have taken place on or after that date. PHLY offers its media liability endorsements on a claims-made or occurrence basis.
Source: IRMI: claims-made policy; PHLY media liability product page
Occurrence form
A policy form under which coverage responds to events happening during the policy period, regardless of when a resulting claim is made. Chubb describes the occurrence form of its MediaGuard as covering activities that occur during the policy period, regardless of when the claim is first made.
Source: Chubb US MediaGuard page
Retroactive date
In a claims-made policy, the date before which wrongful acts are not covered. IRMI notes that when a retroactive date applies to a claims-made policy, the wrongful act that gave rise to the claim must have taken place on or after the retroactive date. The date itself is set in the policy declarations.
Source: IRMI: claims-made policy
Duty to defend
IRMI defines duty to defend as an insurer's obligation to provide an insured with a defense to claims made under a liability insurance policy, generally broader than the duty to indemnify. Chubb's MediaGuard materials describe a choice between reimbursement of defense costs or duty to defend, so the defense arrangement varies by product and is set in the policy.
Publishers liability
IRMI defines publishers liability as the liability of a book, periodical, or other type of publisher arising from acts such as plagiarism, libel, or copyright infringement, noting that coverage for these exposures is available in specialized policies known as media liability insurance.
Source: IRMI: publishers liability
Broadcasters liability
IRMI defines broadcasters liability as the legal liability to which radio and television broadcasters are subject, noting that defamation, invasion of privacy, and errors and omissions are among the types of claims alleged against broadcasters, with coverage available under media liability policies.
Source: IRMI: broadcasters liability
What this page relies on
- [1] Hiscox media liability product page: https://www.hiscox.com/brokers/media-liability
- [2] PHLY media liability product page: https://www.phly.com/mpldivision/professionalliability/medialiability
- [3] Chubb US MediaGuard page: https://www.chubb.com/us-en/business-insurance/mediaguard.html
- [4] Markel product announcement, May 2026: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/markel-expands-professional-liability-offerings-with-new-media-and-entertainment-coverage-options-849825686.html
- [5] IRMI: media wrongful act (cyber coverage): https://www.irmi.com/term/insurance-definitions/media-wrongful-act-(cyber-coverage)
- [6] Chubb technology liability page (MY): https://www.Chubb.com/my-en/business/technology-liability-insurance.html
- [7] IRMI: claims-made policy: https://www.irmi.com/term/insurance-definitions/claims-made-policy
- [8] IRMI: duty to defend: https://www.irmi.com/term/insurance-definitions/duty-to-defend
- [9] Chubb Canada MediaGuard page: https://www.chubb.com/ca-en/business-insurance/mediaguard-by-chubb.html
- [10] IRMI: publishers liability: https://www.irmi.com/term/insurance-definitions/publishers-liability
- [11] IRMI: broadcasters liability: https://www.irmi.com/term/insurance-definitions/broadcasters-liability