---
title: "Amelia Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance"
description: "Amelia Risk times D&O to Series A and seed; StartupInsurance.ai quotes D&O first on its intake screen and reviews forms for a blanket AI exclusion."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# Amelia Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance

Amelia Risk times D&O to Series A and seed; StartupInsurance.ai quotes D&O first on its intake screen and reviews forms for a blanket AI exclusion.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Amelia Risk and StartupInsurance.ai 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 StartupInsurance.ai lists Directors & Officers as the first coverage box on its online quote-intake screen and says its free policy check reviews D&O forms for AI exclusions within 48 hours. [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") [11](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## 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 StartupInsurance.ai?

StartupInsurance.ai is a marketing brand of ContractorNerd Insurance Services, LLC, offering startup insurance placement and policy reviews. Buyers can begin with an online coverage selection or a review of existing policies and contract requirements. [10](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/ "Company | Startup Insurance") [11](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai")

[StartupInsurance.ai profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/startupinsurance)

## What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?

Directors and officers liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging wrongful acts in managing an organization. [14](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms "Glossary of Business Insurance Terms")

## Key Differences in D&O Insurance

### When Coverage Is Usually Bought

Amelia Risk says most companies consider D&O once they have taken outside funding and that Series A term sheets usually require it. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") StartupInsurance.ai frames D&O as coverage founders typically need once an investor’s term sheet requires it. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

Amelia Risk also notes seed-stage purchases are becoming more common as seed rounds grow larger. [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG") StartupInsurance.ai cites a term-sheet request as a typical reason a founder comes to it. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

### AI Exclusion Review

StartupInsurance.ai says one major carrier added a blanket AI exclusion to D&O, typically arriving at renewal inside an endorsement, and that its free policy check reviews an existing program for AI exclusions and contract gaps within 48 hours. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") Amelia Risk’s reviewed sources do not describe an AI-exclusion review for D&O. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") [7](https://ameliarisk.com/specialties/technology/ "Insurance For Technology Companies")

### Application Path

StartupInsurance.ai starts D&O on an online quote-intake screen, with Directors & Officers as the first coverage box. [11](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") Amelia Risk’s co-founder describes underwriting that starts once complete information is provided and recommends budgeting two to three weeks. [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG")

## What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes

- Ask StartupInsurance.ai whether the proposed D&O form includes a blanket AI exclusion. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- Confirm which carrier would issue; StartupInsurance.ai’s carrier panel is program-wide, not broken out by line. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- Ask Amelia Risk for a bind timeline against its two-to-three-week budget. [5](https://ameliarisk.com/blog/beyond-the-certificate/ "Podcast Episode – Beyond The Certificate With Startup CPG")
- Ask whether the purchase trigger is seed, Series A, or a term-sheet condition. [4](https://ameliarisk.com/insurance-policies/directors-and-officers/ "Directors and Officers Liability") [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Amelia Risk Directors & Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Brokerage | StartupInsurance.ai Directors & Officers (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..) | StartupInsurance.ai lists directors and officers coverage among the lines its startup program places, and its homepage cites an investor's term-sheet request for D&O as a typical reason a founder comes to it. ContractorNerd Insurance Services, LLC arranges the placement as agent/broker of record rather than underwriting it. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [13](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/ "Terms and Conditions") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage coverage list and "the problem" narrative, plus ContractorNerd's terms and conditions on its producer role; does not describe a specific D&O policy's terms..) |
| 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 homepage's carrier panel names insurers with D&O capacity, such as Chubb (shown as A++ Admitted) and Coalition (shown as A- Surplus), but does not state that either one specifically underwrites D&O placements; the issuing insurer varies by placement. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Homepage carrier panel and ratings card; the panel is program-wide, not broken out by coverage line..) |
| 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..) | StartupInsurance.ai frames D&O as coverage founders typically need once an investor's term sheet requires it, positioning the line for venture-backed startups with a board rather than pre-revenue companies with no outside investors. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage narrative example; not a stated underwriting eligibility rule (e.g., minimum funding stage or headcount)..) |
| 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..) | StartupInsurance.ai says one major carrier added a blanket AI exclusion to D&O (along with E&O and fiduciary forms), typically arriving at renewal inside an endorsement, and that it reviews policies for this exclusion as part of its free check. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage "wording that still says yes" section; names the exclusion trend industrywide but not the carrier, and does not state whether any StartupInsurance.ai-placed D&O policy carries this specific endorsement..) |
| 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..) | StartupInsurance.ai's free policy check reviews an existing program for AI exclusions and contract gaps within 48 hours, and the homepage specifically calls out D&O as one of the forms affected by the AI-exclusion trend it checks for. [12](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage service description; a marketing offer describing what the review covers, not a report on any specific customer's D&O policy..) |
| 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..) | Directors & Officers (D&O) is the first coverage box on StartupInsurance.ai's online quote-intake screen, described there as coverage that "protects your board and executives from lawsuits." [11](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Initial coverage-selection screen of the quote application; does not show the underwriting questions that follow for this line..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Amelia Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance): 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 StartupInsurance.ai General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance/general-liability)
- [Amelia Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai Product Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance/product-liability)
- [Amelia Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai Tech E&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance/technology-errors-omissions)
- [Alliance Risk vs Amelia Risk D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-amelia-risk/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-startupinsurance/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.

### StartupInsurance.ai

10. [Company | Startup Insurance](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/). StartupInsurance.ai; The story; founders; The free policy check; legal footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/). StartupInsurance.ai; Coverage-selection screen: Directors & Officers (D&O) — “Protects your board and executives from lawsuits”. Accessed 2026-09-23.
12. [Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/). StartupInsurance.ai; The problem (“An investor's term sheet asked for D&O”); Wording that still says yes (“One major carrier added a blanket AI exclusion to D&O, E&O and fiduciary”); Coverage: What we place; The free policy check. Accessed 2026-09-23.
13. [Terms and Conditions](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/). ContractorNerd; Section 2, Insurance Services: “ContractorNerd is an insurance agency/insurance producer... not an insurance company, does not underwrite insurance”; Section 2.A, Broker/Agent of Record. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### D&O Insurance Guide

14. [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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- [Markdown page](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers.md)
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