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

Risklytics lists a $1 million to $3 million typical D&O limit ask for venture-backed firms and takes online applications; Chubb insures D&O directly for smaller private companies.

Risklytics is a broker that finds D&O for venture-backed startups, including robotics, autonomy and AI companies, and says most need $1 million to $3 million at their first priced round. Chubb writes its own ForeFront D&O form for smaller private companies. ^1,^4,³

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

Specialist Broker for Deep-Tech Startups vs a Standard Insurer Form

Risklytics doesn't underwrite; it places D&O with specialist insurers willing to write robotics, autonomy and AI risk, which matters if mainstream carriers balk at your technology. ⁴ ³ Chubb writes D&O and Entity Liability itself on ForeFront Portfolio 3.0, a version built for smaller privately held companies, with separate versions for not-for-profits and healthcare. ¹ ² Choose Risklytics if you are a venture-backed robotics, autonomy or AI startup approaching a priced round; choose Chubb if you are a conventional smaller private company that wants a known carrier's standard form.

When to Buy and How Much

Risklytics says term sheets and incoming board members typically require D&O at or before your first priced round. ³ Chubb publishes no overall maximum, only a $500,000 sublimit for evaluating derivative demands and an optional additional $500,000 Side A limit. ¹

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

Ask Risklytics which insurer is quoting and whether it accepts your robotics, autonomy or AI activity. ³
Compare each quoted limit with the $1–3 million Risklytics says venture-backed companies usually need. ³ ¹
Ask Risklytics how its commission and any fees appear on the binder. ⁵
Confirm a Chubb quote is on ForeFront 3.0 for smaller private companies. ¹

Chubb vs Risklytics D&O Insurance Compared

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

Criteria	Chubb ForeFront Portfolio 3.0 Directors & Officers and Entity Liability Insurance	Risklytics Directors & Officers Insurance
Limits and Retentions	Chubb publishes two specific sublimits: a $500,000 sublimit for security-holder derivative-demand evaluation costs, and an optional additional $500,000 Side A dedicated limit for executives. Overall policy limits are not published and depend on the issued policy. ¹Company-reported. Coverage Highlights list.	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	Chubb aims this D&O product at smaller private companies and offers separate versions for not-for-profit and healthcare organizations in its ForeFront Portfolio. ^1,²Company-reported. ForeFront Portfolio 3.0 D&O page opening description; ForeFront Portfolio page coverage list.	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	Agents and brokers can quote and issue the ForeFront Portfolio, including its D&O and Entity Liability coverage, through Chubb Marketplace. ²Company-reported. ForeFront Portfolio page quoting section.	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	Chubb lists a broad definition of Insured covering the parent organization, subsidiaries, directors or officers (including foreign equivalents), advisory board members and volunteers worldwide; automatic not-for-profit outside-directorship coverage; a broad definition of Claim including written demands, civil and criminal proceedings, and extradition requests; and civil fines and penalties coverage where insurable, including FCPA civil penalties. ¹Company-reported. Coverage Highlights list; subject to the policy as issued. Chubb says the policy uses a streamlined insured-versus-insured exclusion with exceptions (including financial impairment, former executives after one year, and whistleblower and employment claims) and conduct exclusions that require final non-appealable adjudication before they apply. ¹Company-reported. Coverage Highlights list, exclusion-related bullets. Chubb says the policy provides private-placement and failed-IPO coverage, a full Side A carve-back to the pollution exclusion, and a guaranteed IPO quotation including coverage for road-show presentations. ¹Company-reported. Coverage Highlights list.	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	Chubb underwrites D&O and Entity Liability directly through ForeFront Portfolio 3.0, describing this specific version as designed for directors and officers of smaller, privately held companies. ¹Company-reported. ForeFront Portfolio 3.0 D&O and Entity Liability product page.	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.