Glossary

Prior acts coverage

Coverage under a claims-made policy for wrongful acts committed before the policy began, reaching back to its retroactive date or without a limit.

Also called: prior acts, full prior acts, nose coverage, prior acts date

A claims-made policy asks two questions: when was the claim made, and when did the wrongful act happen? Prior acts coverage answers the second. It means the policy responds to claims made during the policy period for acts that took place before the policy incepted, back to its retroactive date. If the retroactive date is the day you first bought the coverage, prior acts go back that far. If the policy has no retroactive date, it is said to have full prior acts.

Prior acts coverage matters most when you change carriers. Say a consulting firm has carried errors and omissions coverage since 2019. A new carrier that accepts the 2019 retroactive date keeps a claim made in 2027 over a 2021 engagement covered. A new carrier that sets a 2026 retroactive date leaves that claim uninsured.

It is not tail coverage. Prior acts looks backward from the start of a policy; an extended reporting period extends the time to report claims after a policy ends. Underwriters grant prior acts only with continuous coverage and a clean application: known claims or circumstances are excluded, and a false answer can void the policy. The guide on prior acts coverage and retroactive dates shows how to carry the date across a renewal, and claims-made policy explains the form.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Retroactive date The date in a claims-made policy before which wrongful acts are not covered, even if the claim is made and reported while the policy is in force. Claims-made policy A liability policy that covers claims first made against you and reported to the insurer during the policy period, whenever the underlying act occurred. Extended reporting period A window after a claims-made policy ends during which claims can still be reported for incidents that happened while the coverage was in force. Tail coverage An option that lets a claims-made policyholder report claims after the policy ends, for wrongful acts that happened while it was in force. Errors and omissions (E&O) Insurance for claims that a professional or service business's mistakes, missed work or bad advice caused a client a financial loss.

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Related industries

Consultant insurance Professional liability (E&O) is the core cover for consultants; also GL, cyber, contract requirements and the home-office and subcontractor traps. Medical practice insurance What physician practices need: malpractice (claims-made vs occurrence, tail), state patient fund rules, cyber and HIPAA breach cover, EPLI, property and comp.

Related tools

Tail coverage cost calculator Prices an extended reporting period on a claims-made policy at your policy's percentages and compares it with nose (prior-acts) coverage from a new insurer.