CFC vs Founder Shield: How Do They Compare for D&O Insurance?

Founder Shield brokers D&O through third-party carriers for venture-backed, public, and private businesses; CFC includes D&O inside its US management-liability package plus separate Side A DIC excess cover.

CFC sells D&O only inside its US management-liability package and declines California-domiciled and US public companies. Founder Shield is a broker that takes public, private and venture-backed companies, uses only carriers rated A- or better, and cites a typical $5–10 million base layer. ^1,^2,^5,⁷

What Are the Key Differences Between CFC and Founder Shield D&O Insurance?

Whether You Qualify

If you're incorporated in California or publicly traded in the US, CFC's package is off the table; its brochure lists both among declined risks. Founder Shield markets D&O to public and private businesses, to venture-backed companies (it says almost every institutional term sheet requires the coverage) and to businesses owing more than $1 million to creditors. Choose Founder Shield if you're public, California-domiciled or want several carriers compared; choose CFC if you're an eligible private company that wants D&O bundled with its other management-liability cover and a single insurer's claims team. ² ⁵

Package Extras vs a Typical Tower

CFC's D&O section adds a separate limit reserved for individual directors and officers on top of the package limit, and CFC sells Side A DIC, excess cover that sits above an existing D&O program for private or public companies. Founder Shield says a typical market base layer is $5–10 million of combined Side A, B and C cover; CFC doesn't publish any dollar amounts. ² ¹ ⁵

Claims and Buying

CFC assigns a dedicated adjuster from notification to resolution and takes US claims by phone, email or online form. With Founder Shield, you request coverage on its website or through an advisor, and its placement team approaches carriers for you; its D&O page doesn't describe claims handling. ⁴ ⁵

What Should You Confirm in CFC and Founder Shield D&O Insurance Quotes?

Confirm your state of incorporation and public status against CFC's declines before applying. ²
Ask CFC for the dollar amount of the extra insured-persons limit and whether Side A DIC is worth adding. ² ¹
Ask Founder Shield which carrier it proposes and how the quoted limit compares with the $5–10 million typical layer. ⁷ ⁵
Ask CFC which insurer or Lloyd's syndicate issues your US policy; its regulatory page doesn't say. ³

CFC vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance Compared

CFC vs Founder Shield: D&O Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	CFC Directors & Officers Liability	Founder Shield Directors & Officers Insurance
Who It’s For	CFC's brochure lists California-domiciled business and US publicly traded companies among the risks it declines for the package that carries this D&O coverage. ²Company-reported. Brochure's 'What we decline' list; underwriting still applies to any individual business.	Founder Shield targets D&O at public and private businesses, venture-backed companies (it says almost every institutional term sheet requires the coverage), and businesses owing more than $1 million to creditors. ⁵Company-reported. Directors & Officers Insurance product page.
Coverage Features	CFC says its directors and officers cover includes protection for the entity itself and aims to prevent directors and officers from having to sell personal assets to pay defense costs. ²Company-reported. Brochure's 'Directors and officers cover' description; the issued policy wording determines actual entity and Side B/C coverage terms. CFC's brochure lists an additional limit for insured persons as part of the directors and officers liability section, on top of the package's base limit. ²Company-reported. Brochure's 'What else is in the policy?' list; the dollar amount of that additional limit is not stated on the reviewed pages. CFC separately offers Side A DIC (difference in conditions), which it describes as excess coverage for directors and officers of private and publicly traded organizations, sitting above the primary management-liability D&O cover. ¹Company-reported. Management-liability product page; Side A DIC has its own brochure that was not opened for this record, so its terms are not otherwise described here.	Founder Shield describes a three-part structure: Side A pays individual directors/officers directly when the company cannot or will not indemnify them, Side B reimburses the company for indemnification it pays, and Side C provides entity coverage for the company itself. ⁵Company-reported. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.
Role in This Line	CFC includes directors and officers liability inside its US Management Liability package rather than selling it as a standalone product. It separately sells Side A DIC, an excess policy that sits above a company's existing D&O program. ^1,²Company-reported. CFC's management-liability product page and brochure; package composition as CFC describes it.	Founder Shield is a retail insurance brokerage, described on its site as “the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group,” and places Founder Shield Directors & Officers Insurance with third-party carriers rather than underwriting the policy itself. ⁶Company-reported. About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line.

Criteria

CFC Directors & Officers Liability

Founder Shield Directors & Officers Insurance

Who It’s For

CFC's brochure lists California-domiciled business and US publicly traded companies among the risks it declines for the package that carries this D&O coverage. ²Company-reported. Brochure's 'What we decline' list; underwriting still applies to any individual business.

Founder Shield targets D&O at public and private businesses, venture-backed companies (it says almost every institutional term sheet requires the coverage), and businesses owing more than $1 million to creditors. ⁵Company-reported. Directors & Officers Insurance product page.

Coverage Features

CFC says its directors and officers cover includes protection for the entity itself and aims to prevent directors and officers from having to sell personal assets to pay defense costs. ²Company-reported. Brochure's 'Directors and officers cover' description; the issued policy wording determines actual entity and Side B/C coverage terms.

CFC's brochure lists an additional limit for insured persons as part of the directors and officers liability section, on top of the package's base limit. ²Company-reported. Brochure's 'What else is in the policy?' list; the dollar amount of that additional limit is not stated on the reviewed pages.

CFC separately offers Side A DIC (difference in conditions), which it describes as excess coverage for directors and officers of private and publicly traded organizations, sitting above the primary management-liability D&O cover. ¹Company-reported. Management-liability product page; Side A DIC has its own brochure that was not opened for this record, so its terms are not otherwise described here.

Founder Shield describes a three-part structure: Side A pays individual directors/officers directly when the company cannot or will not indemnify them, Side B reimburses the company for indemnification it pays, and Side C provides entity coverage for the company itself. ⁵Company-reported. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.

Role in This Line

CFC includes directors and officers liability inside its US Management Liability package rather than selling it as a standalone product. It separately sells Side A DIC, an excess policy that sits above a company's existing D&O program. ^1,²Company-reported. CFC's management-liability product page and brochure; package composition as CFC describes it.

Founder Shield is a retail insurance brokerage, described on its site as “the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group,” and places Founder Shield Directors & Officers Insurance with third-party carriers rather than underwriting the policy itself. ⁶Company-reported. About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line.