Extended reporting period
Also called Tail coverage, extended reporting endorsement or ERP
Definition
An extended reporting period (ERP) gives you extra time after a claims-made policy ends to report claims about work done while the policy was in force.
How it works
A claims-made policy covers claims first made against you while the policy is in force. If you cancel or don’t renew, a claim that arrives next year about last year’s work has no policy to go to. An extended reporting period, often called tail coverage, keeps the reporting window open after the policy ends.
An ERP doesn’t cover new work. It applies to claims about work or incidents that happened after your retroactive date and before the policy ended. It also typically doesn’t add fresh limits. Claims reported during the tail usually share the limits of the policy that expired.
Some policies include a short automatic reporting window after they end. Longer periods are usually optional and bought for an additional premium, often by a deadline shortly after the policy ends. The options, length and price depend on the policy, so read the extended reporting section before you cancel.
When you might need one
- You’re closing the business or retiring.
- You’re switching to an insurer that won’t keep your original retroactive date.
- You’re moving from claims-made coverage to an occurrence policy.
- Your policy is canceled or not renewed and you can’t replace it right away.
If your new insurer keeps your original retroactive date, you generally don’t need a tail, because the new policy can take claims about your earlier work.
The occurrence vs. claims-made guide explains why this gap exists, and the professional liability page covers how Corgi’s coverage works.