The Baldwin Group vs Cowbell

The 2025 Form 10-K describes The Baldwin Insurance Group, Inc. as an insurance distribution firm and holding-company parent and sole managing member of The Baldwin Insurance Group Holdings, LLC. That filing uses “Baldwin” for the Inc. parent and its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates. The January 1, 2026 transparency disclosure defines “The Baldwin Group” as Holdings LLC and its affiliated entities; the September 14, 2026 investor release uses “The Baldwin Group” as the brand for the Inc. parent and affiliates. These source-specific group descriptions do not identify the licensed producer or insurer for a particular policy. ^1,2,9Company-reported. The Baldwin Group's consolidated US and international corporate group as described in its 2025 filing; not a claim that the parent company is the licensed producer, managing general agent, or insurer for any particular policy.

On September 14, 2026, The Baldwin Insurance Group, Inc. entered a merger agreement with The Baldwin Insurance Group Holdings, LLC (“OpCo LLC”), Square Acquisition Parent, Inc. (“Parent”), Square Acquisition Merger Sub I, Inc. (“Merger Sub”), and Square Acquisition Merger Sub II, LLC (“LLC Merger Sub”). The SEC filing says Parent is wholly owned by Sequence AI Holdings, Inc. DFO Management, LLC and affiliated investment entities committed equity financing to Parent; DFO is not identified as Parent’s owner. Subject to the agreement’s conditions, LLC Merger Sub will merge into OpCo LLC and OpCo LLC survives; Merger Sub will merge into the Company, which survives as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. The agreement separately calls for OpCo LLC to form Seller LLC, which forms Seller Intermediate and Seller Merger Sub; after the initial mergers, Seller Merger Sub will merge into OpCo LLC. Seller Merger Sub is distinct from Square Acquisition Merger Sub II, LLC. The filing also says that Holders, as defined in the Stockholders Agreement, of a majority of the Class B shares held by those Holders executed a written consent; approval by holders of at least a majority of outstanding voting shares remained a closing condition. On September 28, 2026, Baldwin’s site still carried the go-private announcement and its release forecast a Q1 2027 close; these sources do not establish a completed acquisition. ^11,12,9,10Company-reported. The signed control transaction as named and described in the September 14, 2026 SEC Form 8-K and merger agreement; status retained as pending on the packet review date, September 28, 2026. DFO is identified as an equity financier to Parent, not as Parent’s owner in the reviewed filing.

Baldwin’s License page has a “Legal Entity | CA License Number” table listing six entities and their California numbers. The page does not identify license class or current status, or map an entry to a particular product, policy, or placement. ²⁵Company-reported. Baldwin’s own California-number disclosure, accessed September 29, 2026; license class, current status and placement-specific authority are not stated.

Your policy’s named insurer remains responsible for coverage; Cowbell is an insurance platform and agency that may act as a general agent. Cowbell Insurance Agency LLC identifies itself as a US P&C producer. ^26,30,27Company-reported. Cowbell's current U.S. website and producer disclosure; the exact role can vary by product and placement.

Cowbell identifies Zurich as a $60 million Series C investor and partner, while Zurich describes Cowbell as its technology collaborator for Select Plus. The reviewed sources do not describe Cowbell as a Zurich subsidiary or say that Zurich underwrites every Cowbell product. ^29,44,28Company-reported. Ownership and commercial relationship characterization in Cowbell's 26 July 2024 financing announcement and current Zurich Select Plus page; no capitalization table was available.

Baldwin’s business-insurance quote page shows a three-step online intake. Its visible first step asks for a revenue band, company and headquarters details, and contact information; the “Get a quote” link points to app.foundershield.com. Baldwin’s business page and contact page also invite prospects to speak with an advisor. The reviewed evidence does not establish a completed quote, purchase, or policy bind through this route. ^5,6,3,7Company-reported. The specific business-insurance quote page inspected on September 28, 2026; the first of three steps was visible and its quote link pointed to app.foundershield.com. Do not generalize this route to all Baldwin commercial prospects or products.

Buyers work through an insurance agent or broker; appointed agents use Cowbell’s platform to quote, bind and issue eligible products, and no direct-buyer quote path was documented. ^33,26,34,36Company-reported. Current public U.S. buyer and broker paths. This does not establish that every listed agent can access every Cowbell product.

For business insurance, Baldwin describes a five-step RiskMap process: insurance analysis, risk identification, insurance strategy, data-informed decisions, and continual assessment and optimization as risks evolve. ³Company-reported. The process described for Baldwin's business-insurance advisory service; a company-described service approach, not an independently measured outcome or guaranteed savings.

Baldwin's contact page provides an existing-policy assistance route that asks for the policy type and the customer's US state, and links to a client portal. The page also directs business-insurance prospects to speak with an advisor. ⁷Company-reported. Public contact and service entry points on Baldwin's US-facing site; portal capabilities and service timing were not established by the page.

Cowbell pairs cyber coverage with risk ratings, policyholder insights, security connectors, training and resiliency support; included access may be limited or trial-based, while some services require a subscription. ^47,36,40Company-reported. Current U.S. resiliency-services catalogue and cyber product overviews. Eligibility, third-party terms and whether a service is bundled depend on the policy and service agreement.

Ask your agent how to request changes or cancel; Cowbell directs policyholders to agents for cancellations and agents to Cowbell for endorsements. Prime 100 renewal proposals start around 60 days before expiry; Prime 250 requires a signed application and underwriting. ⁴⁵Company-reported. Current public FAQ for P100 and P250; other products and individual policy terms may use different servicing and renewal procedures.

In a disclosure effective January 1, 2026, The Baldwin Group says compensation may include insurer-paid commissions, negotiated client fees, and contingent commissions tied to goals measured across a book of business. It also describes separate compensation for certain insurer-partner administration, claims, wholesaling, and managing-general-agent services, among other arrangements. The disclosure is group-wide and does not say which arrangements apply to a particular policy. ²Company-reported. The Baldwin Group's group-level compensation disclosure effective January 1, 2026; not the fee or commission terms for a specific commercial account, affiliate, insurer, or placement.

Cowbell lists several payment methods and financing for direct-billed policies; credit cards carry a disclosed 2.99% processing fee, and financing terms are shown before enrollment. ⁴⁵Company-reported. Current U.S. direct-bill FAQ. Agency-billed policies use different payment routes, and policy invoices control account-specific instructions.

Request your broker’s compensation disclosure and itemized premium because reviewed US sources do not publish Cowbell’s producer commissions or universal premiums. ^27,45,30,35Not found in reviewed sources. Review of Cowbell's U.S. terms, FAQ, licensing page and current product overviews as of 15 September 2026; this is not a finding that compensation or other fees do not exist.

Baldwin says its claims-advocacy team works with clients, their claim service providers, and other partners before, during, and after a loss to help manage claims and consider resolution strategies. This describes an advocacy service, not who decides coverage or pays a particular claim. ⁸Company-reported. Company-described commercial claims-advocacy service; it does not establish that Baldwin is the insurer or claim decision-maker for a policy, or guarantee a claim outcome.

Cowbell says its in-house cyber claims team and response panel are available 24/7; have your policy number, incident date, details and contact ready. The issuing insurer and policy determine coverage and payment. ^46,36,39Company-reported. Cowbell's current U.S. cyber claims-services page and product overviews; company-reported service description, not an independently measured outcome.