Beazley vs Cowbell: How Do They Compare for Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Beazley underwrites EPL itself, with advertised limits up to US $20 million; Cowbell's EPL is a Zurich-underwritten module for private companies under 250 employees, reached only through Zurich-appointed wholesalers.

Beazley fits a much wider range of employers, considering companies up to 30,000 employees and advertising EPL limits up to $20 million. Cowbell's Zurich-backed module is only for private firms under 250 employees and $50 million in assets, reached through appointed wholesalers. ^1,^2,³

What Are the Key Differences Between Beazley and Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Up to 30,000 Employees vs Under 250

Beazley says it considers employers in all industries with up to 30,000 employees, with no stated headcount cap for staffing firms. Cowbell aims its EPL module at private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets, in industries such as retail, hospitality and manufacturing. Choose Beazley if you're a staffing firm, a public company or past 250 employees; Cowbell is only an option for smaller private employers. ¹ ³

Insurer's Own Product vs a Wholesale-Only Module

Beazley underwrites EPL itself, standalone or inside its ExecuGuard package, and posts downloadable applications. Cowbell distributes Zurich's Select Plus product, where EPL is one module; Zurich underwrites it, and only appointed Zurich wholesalers can access it through Cowbell's API. With Cowbell, your broker has to go through a wholesaler to reach the policy. ¹ ² ³ ⁴

$20 Million Advertised Limit vs No Published Limit

Beazley advertises EPL limits up to $20 million but doesn't publish retentions. Cowbell and Zurich publish no EPL limit or retention. Zurich names the module Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability, so customer discrimination claims may be included; ask for that grant and its limit on the quote. ¹ ³ ⁴

What Should You Confirm in Beazley and Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes?

Check whether your ownership type, headcount and assets fit Cowbell's private-company target before pursuing it. ³ ¹
Ask each for the company that issues the policy; neither Beazley's EPL page nor Cowbell and Zurich name the specific US issuer. ⁴ ¹
Compare quoted limits with Beazley's advertised $20 million maximum; Cowbell doesn't publish a number. ¹ ³
Ask the wholesaler which Select Plus modules are on the quote, since EPL is one part of that product. ³

Beazley vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance Compared

Beazley vs Cowbell: Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	Beazley Employment Practices Liability	Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Employment Practices Liability
Who It’s For	Beazley says it considers employers in all industries with up to 30,000 employees, with no stated employee-count limit for staffing firms, and describes an appetite for harder-to-place classes such as law firms, hospitality, high-tech, healthcare, retail and transportation; healthcare risks are instead written through Beazley Remedy. ¹Company-reported. EPL product page eligibility description; actual acceptance depends on underwriting review of a specific applicant.	Cowbell targets this EPL module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50M in assets, across industries such as retail, hospitality, and manufacturing. ³Company-reported. FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list.
How to Apply	Beazley lists an ExecuGuard application, an EPL renewal application and a staffing supplemental application as downloadable tools on the EPL page; the reviewed page does not describe a self-service online quoting flow for new business. ¹Company-reported. EPL product page Tools & Resources section as read on 2026-09-23.	This EPL module is accessed only by appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through the Cowbell platform's API; it is not sold directly to businesses. ³Company-reported. FAQ 'How can I access the Zurich Select Plus management liability product through Cowbell?'.
Coverage Features	The EPL policy covers a broad range of discrimination, harassment and other "inappropriate employment conduct" claims, lets the policyholder choose between "duty to defend" and "pay on behalf" claim handling, and includes industry-specific wordings for classes such as law firms, accountants, staffing firms and PEOs. ¹Company-reported. EPL product page coverage description; exclusions and conditions are set by the issued policy. Beazley lists sublimited extensions for immigration-practices defense costs and OSHA proceedings, and a wage-and-hour defense-costs sublimit subject to underwriting; standalone wage-and-hour indemnity (not just defense costs) is sold separately through Beazley's Workplace Protect product. ¹Company-reported. EPL product page; sublimit amounts are not published and appear only on a quote.	Cowbell describes EPL as covering claims related to employment practices, including discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, and other employment-related issues. ³Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'. Cowbell says EPL claims are the most common type of management liability claim overall, most frequently alleging discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, or retaliation for a legally protected activity such as filing a complaint or whistleblowing. ³Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the most common management liability claim?'.
Role in This Line	Beazley underwrites employment practices liability (EPL) coverage as a standalone product on its dedicated EPL page and as one of three coverages bundled in its ExecuGuard package policy alongside D&O and fiduciary liability. ^1,²Company-reported. US EPL as described on the two reviewed product pages; does not establish which entity issues a particular policy.	Employment practices liability (EPL) is one module within Cowbell's distribution of Zurich's Select Plus management liability product; Cowbell operates the platform, Zurich underwrites. Zurich's own page names this module 'Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability,' broader than the plain 'EPL' shorthand Cowbell's FAQ uses. ^3,⁴Company-reported. Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section.