---
title: "Amelia Risk vs Marsh D&O Insurance"
description: "Amelia Risk times D&O to seed and Series A; Marsh sorts public-company securities risk from private-company employment claims and flags ESG scrutiny."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-marsh/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-marsh/directors-officers)

# Amelia Risk vs Marsh D&O Insurance

Amelia Risk times D&O to seed and Series A; Marsh sorts public-company securities risk from private-company employment claims and flags ESG scrutiny.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Amelia Risk and Marsh for D&O Insurance against the same documented criteria. It identifies differences and questions to confirm; it does not select a winner for a particular business. Offering claims are what each provider publishes about this line unless marked otherwise. “Not found” describes the evidence reviewed, not proof that a feature is unavailable. Confirm the insurer, policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions and cost in an actual quote.

## Summary

Amelia Risk brokers D&O around outside funding and Series A term sheets, while Marsh’s financial and professional liability practice places D&O for public, private and nonprofit companies, distinguishes securities-lawsuit exposure from employment-practices claims by company type, and names ESG-related stakeholder scrutiny as added pressure. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG") [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")

## What Is Amelia Risk?

Amelia Risk is a women-owned San Francisco insurance brokerage that says it designs commercial programs for startups, consumer packaged goods, technology companies, and consumer-product brands by approaching multiple insurers rather than selling a self-serve policy. [1](https://ameliarisk.com/ "Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers") [2](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/ "Our Specialties") [3](https://ameliarisk.com/about-us/ "About Us")

[Amelia Risk profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/amelia-risk)

## What Is Marsh?

Marsh is a global insurance broker and risk advisor. In the United States it places coverage through core Marsh teams and through Marsh McLennan Agency for many middle-market buyers, including technology, cyber, property, casualty and benefits programs. [10](https://www.marsh.com/en/home.html "Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments") [11](https://www.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh/Documents/PDF/US-en/us-client-compensation-guide.pdf "Compensation guide for US clients") [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/marsh-mclennan-agency.html "Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA)") [13](https://www.marsh.com/en/industries/technology.html "Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management")

[Marsh profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/marsh)

## What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?

Directors and officers liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging wrongful acts in managing an organization. [16](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms "Glossary of Business Insurance Terms")

## Key Differences in D&O Insurance

### Funding Trigger Versus Company-Type Risk

Amelia Risk says most companies consider D&O once they have taken outside funding, that Series A term sheets usually require it, and that seed-stage purchases are becoming more common as seed rounds grow larger. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG") Marsh says public-company directors and officers typically face more securities-lawsuit exposure from shareholders and regulators, while private and nonprofit organizations more often face employment-practices claims. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") One page times the purchase to a financing event; the other sorts the claim pattern by whether the company is public.

### ESG Pressure Marsh Names

Marsh says ESG-related stakeholder scrutiny, covering areas such as carbon emissions, renewable-energy use, labor practices, board diversity and executive compensation, can add regulatory, legislative or litigation pressure. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") Amelia Risk’s reviewed D&O pages do not describe ESG-related scrutiny as a D&O driver. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability")

### Practice Shape

Marsh’s financial and professional liability practice places D&O for public, private and nonprofit companies; MMA also places D&O within its executive and professional liability practice for middle-market clients. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") [15](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") Amelia Risk lists D&O for startups, technology, CPG and consumer-product companies. [6](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/startups/ "Insurance For Startups") Neither reviewed set names the issuing insurer. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability")

## What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes

- Ask Marsh whether your file is being treated as public-company securities exposure or private-company employment-practices exposure. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")
- If ESG topics are live for your board, ask Marsh how that scrutiny is treated. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")
- Ask Amelia Risk which carrier would issue around your funding event. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability")
- Confirm whether MMA’s middle-market practice or Marsh’s broader practice would handle the file. [15](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Amelia Risk Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Brokerage | Marsh Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) Insurance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Amelia Risk arranges D&O liability coverage for clients, describing and structuring the policy around protecting individual directors and officers, the board, and the company entity, rather than underwriting it directly. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as of 23 September 2026. Does not establish who issues a particular client's policy..) | Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places D&O insurance for public, private and non-profit companies; MMA also places D&O coverage within its executive and professional liability practice for middle-market clients. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") [15](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page..) |
| Issuing Insurer | The reviewed pages do not name an insurer for D&O placements; Amelia's marketing describes access to underwriters, wholesale brokers and carrier partners generally, without attributing any of them to D&O specifically. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: D&O product page and podcast transcript, checked 23 September 2026..) | The reviewed pages do not name a specific D&O insurer. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") [15](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page as read on 2026-09-23..) |
| Who It’s For | Amelia Risk lists D&O among the policies it places for startups, technology companies, CPG brands, and consumer-product companies. [6](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/startups/ "Insurance For Startups") [7](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/technology/ "Insurance For Technology Companies") [8](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/cpg/ "Insurance For CPG Companies") [9](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/consumer-products/ "Consumer Product Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Specialty pages' "policies to consider" lists, marketed segments rather than an underwriting appetite statement..)<br><br>Amelia Risk says most companies consider D&O once they've taken outside funding, that Series A term sheets usually require it, and that it's becoming more common to see D&O bought at the seed stage as seed rounds grow larger. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page timing guidance, restated in more detail by co-founder Danielle Holyoake in the company's podcast episode..) | Marsh says public company directors and officers typically face more securities-lawsuit exposure from shareholders and regulators, while private and non-profit organizations more often face employment-practices claims from customers, vendors or regulators; directors and officers of all organization types can face cyber-related liability exposure. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page, common risks FAQ..) |
| Coverage Features | Amelia describes the D&O policy as covering the individual directors and officers, the board, and the entity, with claims typically alleging mismanagement and most often coming from shareholders, though they can also come from regulators, competitors, or employees. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page description; the actual policy wording, definitions, and exclusions depend on the issuing insurer and the client's declarations..)<br><br>In the company's podcast, co-founder Danielle Holyoake says the D&O policies she has reviewed and sold generally define "directors and officers" broadly enough to include employees and even interns, rather than naming specific individuals on the policy. [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Her description of policies she has personally reviewed and sold, not a specimen form or a statement about every D&O policy Amelia places..) | Marsh says D&O insurance typically has three coverage sides: Side A protects directors' and officers' personal assets when the organization cannot or will not indemnify them; Side B reimburses the organization for indemnifying directors and officers; Side C offers balance-sheet protection when the entity itself is named, generally limited to securities claims for public companies. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page FAQ; illustrative policy structure, not a specific policy form..)<br><br>Marsh says ESG-related stakeholder scrutiny, covering areas such as carbon emissions, renewable-energy use, labor practices, board diversity and executive compensation, can add regulatory, legislative or litigation pressure on directors and officers beyond traditional D&O exposures. [14](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page, What other risks do directors and officers face? section..) |
| Risk Services | The reviewed D&O materials don't describe governance training, board-advisory services, or other risk-control services specific to D&O policyholders beyond the coverage description and general claims-advocacy language. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG") (Evidence: Not found in reviewed sources; scope: D&O product page and podcast transcript as read on 23 September 2026; does not establish that no such services exist, only that these pages don't describe them..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | Amelia's co-founder says D&O underwriting can take as little as a few days to a few weeks once complete information is provided, and recommends budgeting two to three weeks; she also cautions founders not to wait until a funding round or other transaction is imminent, because decisions made before a claims-made D&O policy starts aren't covered by it. [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Illustrative timing comment in a company-hosted podcast interview, not a binding service-level agreement..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |

## Full Comparison

- [Amelia Risk vs Marsh](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-marsh): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers): Directors and officers insurance can help pay for covered claims against company leaders over decisions they make in running the business.
- [Amelia Risk vs Marsh Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-marsh/cyber)
- [Amelia Risk vs Marsh Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-marsh/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Marsh Tech E&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-marsh/technology-errors-omissions)
- [Amelia Risk vs Marsh Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-marsh/workers-compensation)
- [Alliance Risk vs Amelia Risk D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-amelia-risk/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs Marsh D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-marsh/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Beazley D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-beazley/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs CFC D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cfc/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Chubb D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-chubb/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Coalition D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-coalition/directors-officers)

## Sources

### Amelia Risk

1. [Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers](https://ameliarisk.com/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; Who is Amelia?; specialty tiles for startups, CPG, technology, and consumer products; schema.org Organization name and logo; footer locations San Francisco and East Bay; Client Login Portal, Pay Now, and Privacy links; official logo asset. Accessed 2026-09-16.
2. [Our Specialties](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; Narrow industry-vertical focus; underwriters, brokers, and carrier partners; four-step process; claims advocacy sentence; specialty sections for startups, CPG, technology, and consumer products. Accessed 2026-09-16.
3. [About Us](https://ameliarisk.com/about-us/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; Opening brokerage description; How we're different (no multiple PDFs to print, sign, and scan); We do the right thing (underwriters, wholesale brokers, and strategic partners). Accessed 2026-09-16.
4. [Directors and Officers Liability](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; What's covered by a Directors & Officers Liability (D&O) Policy?; When should a company buy a Directors & Officers Liability (D&O) Policy?. Accessed 2026-09-23.
5. [Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; Danielle Holyoake (CRO and co-founder) on D&O: why it comes up during fundraising, who it protects, when claims typically arise, underwriting timing of days to a few weeks with complete information, budgeting two to three weeks, and the caution against waiting until a transaction is imminent. Accessed 2026-09-23.
6. [Insurance For Startups](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/startups/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; Insurance policies for startups to consider: Directors & Officers Liability (D&O). Accessed 2026-09-23.
7. [Insurance For Technology Companies](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/technology/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; Insurance policies for tech companies to consider: Directors & Officers Liability (D&O). Accessed 2026-09-23.
8. [Insurance For CPG Companies](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/cpg/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; Insurance policies for CPG companies to consider: Directors & Officers Liability (D&O). Accessed 2026-09-23.
9. [Consumer Product Insurance](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/consumer-products/). Amelia Risk Insurance Brokers; Insurance policies for Consumer Product companies to consider: Directors & Officers Liability (D&O). Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Marsh

10. [Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments](https://www.marsh.com/en/home.html). Marsh; Hero and capability tiles; FAQ: What does Marsh do?; industries served; Is Marsh the same as Marsh McLennan? January 2026 brand change. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [Compensation guide for US clients](https://www.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh/Documents/PDF/US-en/us-client-compensation-guide.pdf). Marsh; US broking segments; broker role; retail commissions, client fees, wholesale, insurer consulting, contingent and supplemental commissions; Marsh LLC and Marsh USA LLC; page 3: broker role and Marsh & McLennan Agency segment; page 7: copyright © 2024 Marsh LLC. Accessed 2026-09-16.
12. [Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA)](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/marsh-mclennan-agency.html). Marsh; Middle-market US organizations; wholly-owned subsidiary; business insurance, employee health and benefits, retirement, private client. Accessed 2026-09-16.
13. [Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management](https://www.marsh.com/en/industries/technology.html). Marsh; Opening Technology Practice description; practice links including data center insurance, fintech and Stratus; Talk to us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
14. [Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html). Marsh; Opening positioning for public, private and non-profit companies; FAQs: What are the most common risks for directors and officers?; What does D&O insurance cover? (Side A, B, C); What other risks do directors and officers face?; Ruth Kochenderfer, D&O Product Leader. Accessed 2026-09-23.
15. [Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html). Marsh McLennan Agency; Directors and Officers subsection: covers costs from claims for alleged wrongful acts, including defense costs for civil, criminal and regulatory investigations. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### D&O Insurance Guide

16. [Glossary of Business Insurance Terms](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms). The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated 2026-09-23. Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. [Editorial policy](https://spot.insure/editorial-policy). To suggest a correction, [contact Spot](https://spot.insure/contact) with the page URL and supporting source.

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