---
title: "Beazley vs Lockton D&O Insurance"
description: "Beazley underwrites private-company D&O with a defense election; Lockton designs Side A/B/C programs and integrates Professional & Executive Risk claims counsel into the broking team."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# Beazley vs Lockton D&O Insurance

Beazley underwrites private-company D&O with a defense election; Lockton designs Side A/B/C programs and integrates Professional & Executive Risk claims counsel into the broking team.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Beazley and Lockton 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

Beazley underwrites private-company D&O, with advertised limits up to US $20 million and a duty-to-defend or pay-on-behalf choice. Lockton designs and places D&O programs rather than underwriting them, describes structuring Side A, B and C, and says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team sits with the brokers from the start of the relationship. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") [3](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/executive-risk-usa/execuguard-combined-epl-do-and-fiduciary "Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary)") [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance")

## What Is Beazley?

Beazley is a specialty insurance group whose MediaTech product combines technology and professional E&O, media and cyber coverage. Separate offerings address executive liability, digital health and other specialty risks. [1](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/small-business-solutions-usa/mediatech-for-small-businesses/ "MediaTech for Small Businesses") [2](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/legal-information-en/ "Legal Information") [3](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/executive-risk-usa/execuguard-combined-epl-do-and-fiduciary "Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary)") [4](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/healthcare-usa/virtual-care "Virtual Care")

[Beazley profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/beazley)

## What Is Lockton?

Lockton is a privately held insurance brokerage that arranges commercial risk, employee benefits and retirement programs. US pages describe a technology practice and intermediary placement with insurers, not Lockton as the policy’s insurer. [6](https://global.lockton.com/us/en "Lockton United States") [7](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/technology "Technology") [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/terms-of-business "US Terms of Business")

[Lockton profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/lockton)

## What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?

Directors and officers liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging wrongful acts in managing an organization. [10](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms "Glossary of Business Insurance Terms")

## Key Differences in D&O Insurance

### Issuing the Policy Versus Designing the Tower

Beazley underwrites private-company D&O. Lockton designs and places D&O programs, saying effective coverage needs market intelligence, coverage-design precision and attention to emerging risks such as AI-related litigation; it does not underwrite and does not name the insurers on the reviewed D&O page. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance")

### Who Can Be an Insured

Lockton says coverage it places can extend beyond directors and officers to trustees, employees, independent contractors, staff, committee members, volunteers, the corporate entity, majority-owned subsidiaries, spouses and estates, depending on the structure. Beazley’s private-company page emphasizes Excess Side A for individual directors and officers when indemnification fails or the underlying limit is exhausted, plus an optional employed-lawyers element, without listing Lockton’s expanded insured classes. [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies")

### Defense Choice and Claims Counsel

Beazley lets the policyholder choose duty to defend or pay on behalf and says it pays 100% of defense costs for covered loss, with advertised limits up to US $20 million. Lockton explains Side A, Side B and Side C as parts it can structure, and says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team puts insurance and claims counsel inside the broking team from the start rather than treating advocacy as a later add-on. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance")

## What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes

- Ask Lockton which insurers it would use and how far the insured definition would extend beyond directors and officers. [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance")
- Ask Beazley for duty to defend versus pay on behalf and Excess Side A. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies")
- Compare Lockton’s unpublished limits on the proposal with Beazley’s advertised $20 million capacity. [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies")
- Ask how Lockton’s integrated claims counsel would interact with Beazley’s claims team if both were on a program. [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Beazley D&O – Private Companies | Lockton Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance Brokerage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Beazley underwrites private-company directors and officers (D&O) liability itself, offered as a standalone product on its D&O - Private Companies page and bundled with employment practices and fiduciary liability coverage in its ExecuGuard package policy. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") [3](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/executive-risk-usa/execuguard-combined-epl-do-and-fiduciary "Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: US private-company D&O as described on the two reviewed product pages; does not establish which entity issues a particular policy..) | Lockton designs and places D&O programs rather than underwriting them, saying effective coverage requires market intelligence, coverage-design precision and staying ahead of emerging risks like AI-related litigation and event-driven claims. [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23..) |
| Issuing Insurer | Neither the D&O - Private Companies page nor the ExecuGuard page names the specific Beazley insurance entity that issues the policy; ExecuGuard states both admitted and non-admitted versions are available, so the issuing carrier depends on the policy placed. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") [3](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/executive-risk-usa/execuguard-combined-epl-do-and-fiduciary "Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary)") (Evidence: Not found in reviewed sources; scope: Both product pages as read on 2026-09-23; the issued policy's declarations control the actual insurer..) | The D&O page does not name the insurers Lockton places D&O coverage with. [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: D&O product page checked 2026-09-23..) |
| Who It’s For | The D&O page targets privately held companies of all sizes facing litigation such as employment allegations, fraud and misrepresentation claims, without a stated employee-count or revenue threshold on that page. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") [3](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/executive-risk-usa/execuguard-combined-epl-do-and-fiduciary "Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Private-company D&O only; ExecuGuard buyers can additionally choose to share limits across D&O, EPL and fiduciary coverages..) | Lockton says D&O coverage it places can extend beyond directors and officers to trustees, employees, independent contractors, staff, committee members, volunteers, the corporate entity, majority-owned subsidiaries, spouses/domestic partners, and estates/heirs. [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23. Describes who can typically be covered under a program Lockton structures, not a guarantee for any specific client..) |
| Coverage Features | The D&O product lets the policyholder choose between a "duty to defend" or "pay on behalf" claim-handling structure, and Beazley says it pays 100% of defense costs for covered loss. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O - Private Companies product page; actual defense obligations and cost-sharing are set by the issued policy..)<br><br>Beazley offers a dedicated additional Excess Side A limit that responds for individual directors and officers when the company cannot indemnify them or the underlying limit is exhausted, plus an optional employed-lawyers errors-and-omissions extension. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O - Private Companies product page; availability and pricing of the extension depend on underwriting..) | Lockton explains a traditional D&O program in three parts it says it can structure: Side A (direct coverage to individual directors/officers when the company can't indemnify them), Side B (reimbursing the company for indemnifying its D&Os), and Side C (entity coverage, generally limited to securities claims for public companies but broader for private and nonprofit organizations). [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23. General educational description of program structure, not a specimen policy form..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Beazley advertises private-company D&O limits up to US $20 million, on either an admitted or non-admitted (surplus lines) basis; actual limits and retentions are set by underwriting and appear on the declarations. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") [3](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/executive-risk-usa/execuguard-combined-epl-do-and-fiduciary "Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Advertised maximum capacity, not a guaranteed quote amount..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Risk Services | D&O policyholders get pre-approved choice-of-counsel flexibility, and law-firm insureds can access a bespoke executive-risk wording through Beazley's related Practice Protect product. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O - Private Companies product page; scope and terms of the Practice Protect wording were not independently reviewed..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | Beazley lists a downloadable EPL renewal application as a tool on the D&O page and names regional Executive Risk underwriters and brokers as contacts, but the reviewed page does not describe a self-service online quoting flow for new D&O business. [5](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/ "D&O - Private Companies") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O - Private Companies product page as read on 2026-09-23; buyers typically work through a broker or underwriter contact..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Claims Support | Beazley illustrates its D&O claims approach with a securities class-action and shareholder derivative-action scenario in which its claims team worked with the insured's defense counsel toward a dismissal, avoiding a settlement; this is a single company-reported example, not audited claims-outcome data. [3](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/executive-risk-usa/execuguard-combined-epl-do-and-fiduciary "Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: ExecuGuard page scenario section; outcome statistics are not independently verified..) | Lockton says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team integrates experienced insurance and claims counsel within the broking team from the start of the relationship, rather than treating claims advocacy as a separate profit center. [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Beazley vs Lockton](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton): 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.
- [Beazley vs Lockton Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/commercial-property)
- [Beazley vs Lockton Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/crime)
- [Beazley vs Lockton Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/cyber)
- [Beazley vs Lockton Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/employment-practices)
- [Beazley vs Lockton Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/fiduciary)
- [Beazley vs Lockton General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/general-liability)
- [Beazley vs Lockton Product Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/product-liability)
- [Beazley vs Lockton Representations and Warranties Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/representations-warranties)
- [Alliance Risk vs Beazley D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-beazley/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs Lockton D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-lockton/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Beazley D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-beazley/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Lockton D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-lockton/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs CFC D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-cfc/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs Chubb D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-chubb/directors-officers)

## Sources

### Beazley

1. [MediaTech for Small Businesses](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/small-business-solutions-usa/mediatech-for-small-businesses/). Beazley; Opening product description; What we offer: E&O (Tech and Professional), Media, Cyber coverage includes; How can we help; SME placement paragraph; Tools & Resources. Accessed 2026-09-16.
2. [Legal Information](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/legal-information-en/). Beazley; Website conditions: US jurisdiction availability, surplus lines and policy wording disclaimers; Beazley plc identity. Accessed 2026-09-16.
3. [Execuguard (Combined EPL, D&O, and Fiduciary)](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/executive-risk-usa/execuguard-combined-epl-do-and-fiduciary). Beazley; What we offer: separate or shared limits among EPL, D&O and fiduciary; Limits up to US $20,000,000, both admitted and non-admitted available; Examples or Scenarios: California securities class action/derivative action. Accessed 2026-09-23.
4. [Virtual Care](https://www.beazley.com/en-us/products/healthcare-usa/virtual-care). Beazley; Available Coverages; Who we can help; Where is this offered. Accessed 2026-09-16.
5. [D&O - Private Companies](https://www.beazley.com/en-US/products/executive-risk-usa/do-private-companies/). Beazley; What we offer; How can we help: duty to defend/pay on behalf, 100% defense for covered loss, Excess Side A limit, private placement coverage, Practice Protect for lawyers; Up to US $20,000,000; Tools & Resources: EPL_RenewalApp. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Lockton

6. [Lockton United States](https://global.lockton.com/us/en). Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
7. [Technology](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/technology). Lockton; Industry introduction; cyber liability heading; dedicated technology team; listed services including claims advocacy, contract review, directors and officers liability, and international program design; 24/7 service model. Accessed 2026-09-16.
8. [US Terms of Business](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/terms-of-business). Lockton; Opening entity definition; Surplus Lines; Use of a Particular Insurer; Compensation Disclosure; servicing, claims handling and renewal language in Confidentiality section; Intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
9. [D&O Insurance](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance). Lockton; What is D&O insurance?; Side A/B/C coverage components; Who can be covered under a D&O program?; Claims management. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### D&O Insurance Guide

10. [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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