Beazley vs Risklytics: How Do They Compare for D&O Insurance?

Risklytics lists a $1 million to $3 million typical limit ask for venture-backed companies and takes online applications; Beazley insures private-company D&O up to $20 million.

Risklytics suits venture-backed robotics, autonomy and AI startups buying their first D&O: apply online, no broker fee on top of premium, and a typical $1 million to $3 million limit. Beazley is the insurer itself, selling private-company D&O through brokers with limits up to US $20 million. ^4,^3,^1,²

What Are the Key Differences Between Beazley and Risklytics D&O Insurance?

First-Round Deep-Tech Startup vs Private Company Needing Higher Limits

Risklytics says most startups buy D&O at or before their first priced round, when term sheets and new board members require it, and that venture-backed companies typically ask for $1 million to $3 million. Beazley advertises limits up to US $20 million plus a separate Excess Side A limit for directors personally. Choose Risklytics if you're a robotics, autonomy or AI startup buying your first policy; choose Beazley if you need limits well above $3 million. ³ ⁵ ¹

Online Application vs Broker-Led Purchase

You start Risklytics online, pay no broker fee on top of premium, and keep one licensed producer on your file until bind. Beazley works through regional Executive Risk underwriters and brokers and offers no self-service quote. ³ ¹

Specialist Carriers for Deep-Tech Risk vs One Insurer

Risklytics is a broker, not an insurer: it places D&O with outside specialist insurers willing to write robotics, autonomy and AI risk, but doesn't name them. Beazley underwrites the policy itself. ⁴ ¹

What Should You Confirm in Beazley and Risklytics D&O Insurance Quotes?

Ask Risklytics which insurer would write your policy and whether the limit sits in its $1–3 million typical range. ⁴ ⁵
Ask Beazley whether Excess Side A is included and whether the policy is duty to defend or pay on behalf. ¹
If you build robotics, autonomy or AI, ask both how the policy treats claims tied to that technology. ⁴ ¹
Ask Beazley's broker what fee, if any, sits on top of premium; Risklytics says it charges none. ³ ¹

Beazley vs Risklytics D&O Insurance Compared

Beazley vs Risklytics: D&O Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	Beazley D&O – Private Companies	Risklytics Directors & Officers Insurance
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. ^1,²Company-reported. Advertised maximum capacity, not a guaranteed quote amount.	Risklytics lists a typical ask of $1 million to $3 million for venture-backed companies for this line. ³Company-reported. Lines page; actual limits are set on the bound policy.
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. ^1,²Company-reported. Private-company D&O only; ExecuGuard buyers can additionally choose to share limits across D&O, EPL and fiduciary coverages.	Risklytics says the norm is buying D&O at or before a startup's first priced round, since term sheets and incoming board members typically require it as a closing condition. ³Company-reported. Lines page.
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. ¹Company-reported. D&O - Private Companies product page as read on 2026-09-23; buyers typically work through a broker or underwriter contact.	You start Risklytics Directors & Officers Insurance through Risklytics' online application. Risklytics says there is no broker fee on top of the premium and a licensed producer stays on the file until the program binds; its commission is paid by the carrier out of the premium either way. ^5,⁴Company-reported. Pricing page describes the general application and fee process, not a line-specific form.
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. ¹Company-reported. D&O - Private Companies product page; actual defense obligations and cost-sharing are set by the issued policy. Beazley offers a dedicated additional Excess Side A limit for individual directors and officers, plus an optional employed-lawyers errors-and-omissions extension. ¹Company-reported. D&O - Private Companies product page; availability and pricing of the extension depend on underwriting.	Risklytics describes D&O as protecting a founder's personal assets when an investor or regulator sues over how the company was run, citing an investor suit after a down round and a regulator inquiry into AI capability claims as examples, and distinguishes it from Tech E&O, which answers a customer's product-failure claim instead. ³Company-reported. Lines page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.
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. ^1,²Company-reported. US private-company D&O as described on the two reviewed product pages; does not establish which entity issues a particular policy.	Risklytics Insurance Services is a licensed insurance producer (NPN 22311838) that places Risklytics Directors & Officers Insurance with outside carriers; it says it does not underwrite policies itself. ⁴Company-reported. About page; describes Risklytics' brokerage model generally, restated for this line.
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. ¹Company-reported. D&O - Private Companies product page; scope and terms of the Practice Protect wording were not independently reviewed.	Risklytics calls D&O easy to get for venture-backed companies with a clean story, describing quick placement for that segment. ³Company-reported. Lines page.