CNA Small Business Insurance: Products, Agents and Service
CNA directs small-business buyers to independent agents and describes CNA Connect as a businessowners policy for more than 600 small-business classes. Issuer and availability vary by policy and state, so confirm both in a quote. 1,2,3
What Is Embroker?
Embroker suits technology firms seeking a single application for management coverage plus eligible Tech E&O and cyber, and law firms seeking a grouped package; buyers needing only standard small-business coverage should compare direct carriers. 5,6,7
What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?
D&O insurance can help pay covered defense costs and losses from claims against company leaders over management decisions. If your organization has a board or executives, check whether the company itself is insured and whether legal bills reduce the limit. 9,10,11
Key Differences in D&O Insurance
Standalone access and limits
Embroker offers D&O standalone and in related management-liability arrangements, and its startup examples scale limits from roughly $1–2 million for companies raising up to $10 million to $8–10 million for those raising $100–250 million. CNA targets private companies, including small businesses, and allows shared or separate limits. Ask CNA for stage-appropriate capacity and Embroker for the exact retention behind its illustration. 4 8
How the Difference Affects Your Placement
Both describe Side A, B and C in their respective products, but Embroker lists exclusions for intra-company suits, fraud and prior knowledge while CNA’s reviewed summary does not detail exclusions. Compare the actual exclusions and confirm how each form treats claims between insureds. 4 8
What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes
CNA and Embroker Review Scores for 2026
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
CNA Review Score
Review Score
1 rated source
Customer feedback on CNA is mixed and hard to compare. NerdWallet gave it 4.5 out of 5 for manufacturers, while Trustpilot shows about 1.4 out of 5 from 49 mostly self-selected reviews.[1][5]
Read CNA reviewsEmbroker Review Score
Review Score
3 rated sources
Embroker’s reviews are mixed, and BBB records a complaint-response concern. The feedback is too limited to establish consistent service quality.[4][6][7]
Read Embroker reviewsCNA vs Embroker D&O Insurance Compared
CNA vs Embroker: D&O Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | CNA Epack 3 Private Company D&O | Embroker Directors and Officers Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Confirm in your quote. | Embroker sells D&O as a standalone policy and offers to package it with cyber and workers' compensation; it also says EPLI, D&O and related coverages are sometimes bundled into a management liability program. 8Company-reported. Product-page description; not a statement about the issuing insurer. |
| Who It’s For | CNA states this D&O product is designed for private companies, including small private companies. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing company varies by form/state Product: Private-company D&O in Epack 3 Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: U.S. private-company D&O under Epack 3; issuer/state terms vary Claim limitation: Company marketing summary only; issued policy forms, underwriting, jurisdictional availability, limits, exclusions and definitions control. Source/date qualification: Source is CNA’s 2025 private-company D&O marketing summary; it is not an issued policy form. | Embroker markets D&O to any private or public company with a board of directors, startups that have received or are about to receive venture capital funding, and nonprofit corporations, saying VC and private equity investors commonly require it before funding. 8Company-reported. Product-page eligibility and 'Why Do Startups Need D&O Insurance?' sections; not a guarantee of coverage for a particular company. |
| Coverage Features | CNA’s private-company D&O summary describes coverage for covered company and individual claims and identifies Side A, Side B and Side C protection. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing company varies by form/state Product: Private-company D&O in Epack 3 Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: U.S. private-company D&O under Epack 3; issuer/state terms vary Claim limitation: Company marketing summary only; issued policy forms, underwriting, jurisdictional availability, limits, exclusions and definitions control. Source/date qualification: Source is CNA’s 2025 private-company D&O marketing summary; it is not an issued policy form. | Embroker lists coverage for misuse of company funds, misrepresentation of company assets, breach of fiduciary duty, failure to comply with workplace laws and lack of corporate governance. 8Company-reported. Product-page What's covered section; the issued policy and declarations control. Embroker says the policy excludes lawsuits between members of the same company, criminal or deliberately fraudulent activity, prior-knowledge claims, and claims against directors actively engaged in antitrust violations. 8Company-reported. Product-page What's not included section. Embroker structures its D&O policy with three insuring agreements: Side A covers individual directors and officers when the company cannot indemnify them, Side B reimburses the company for indemnifying its leaders, and Side C covers the company itself when it is sued for financial mismanagement. 8Company-reported. Product-page 'What are Side A, B, and C insuring agreements?' section; specific policy structure, not a claim about every insurer's D&O form. |
| Limits and Retentions | CNA says Epack 3 D&O can use shared or separate limits and offers an embedded Side A limit option. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing company varies by form/state Product: Private-company D&O in Epack 3 Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: U.S. private-company D&O under Epack 3; issuer/state terms vary Claim limitation: Availability of options is subject to underwriting and policy wording. Source/date qualification: Source is CNA’s 2025 private-company D&O marketing summary; it is not an issued policy form. | For its startup package, Embroker publishes illustrative D&O/EPLI/fiduciary limit and retention ranges by funding stage, from roughly $1-2 million in limits with a $10-25k retention for companies raising up to $10 million, up to $8-10 million in limits with a $25-75k retention for companies raising $100-250 million. 8Company-reported. Product-page cost table for the Embroker Startup Package; actual limits, retentions and premiums depend on underwriting. |
| How to Apply | Confirm in your quote. | Embroker offers an online quote for D&O coverage through its digital platform, describing underwriting factors including revenue, industry risk and claims history. 8Company-reported. Product-page 'Quick quotes' feature and cost-factor list; no quote was requested during this research. |
| Claims Support | CNA says an experienced claims team supports policyholders with D&O claims. 4Company-reported. Entity: CNA brand; issuing company varies by form/state Product: Private-company D&O in Epack 3 Jurisdiction: United States Research source scope: U.S. private-company D&O under Epack 3; issuer/state terms vary Claim limitation: Company-reported service description; not an outcome guarantee. Source/date qualification: Source is CNA’s 2025 private-company D&O marketing summary; it is not an issued policy form. | Confirm in your quote. |
Related Pages for CNA vs Embroker D&O Insurance
D&O Insurance Pages for CNA and Embroker
Other Coverage Lines Compared for CNA vs Embroker
Other D&O Insurance Provider Comparisons
Sources for CNA vs Embroker D&O Insurance
Sources About CNA
- Insurance for Small Businesses. CNA; Insurance for Small Businesses, lines 38-50 and 65-67 (CNA Central and agent route); lines 79-106 (product and stated appetite lists); page footer line 132 (CNA registered service mark). Accessed 2026-09-28.
- CNA Connect Small Businessowners Policy (BOP) | CNA Insurance. CNA; CNA Connect; coverages, product range, services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- General Disclaimer. CNA; General Disclaimer paragraphs 1 and 5 (HTML lines 24 and 28): CNA describes Continental Casualty Company and its relevant affiliates; references to CNA may include one or more CCC affiliates; each particular policy/product/service is the responsibility only of the specific CNA company that issues or supplies it. Footer line 57 identifies CNA Financial Corporation as trademark registrant. Re-read 2026-09-29. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Private Company Directors & Officers Liability | CNA. CNA; pp. 1–2: covered claims, Side A/B/C, limits, eligibility and claims. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Sources About Embroker
- Embroker. Embroker; Industry navigation; quote and sign-in links; coverage options; footer availability qualification. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Terms And Conditions. Embroker; Introduction; §§2A–B Insurance services, 13 Applications and quotes, 15 Insurance companies and underwriting guidelines, 16 Certificates, 21 Surplus lines products, 22 Payments. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Embroker Access. Embroker; EMIS announcement; appointed-broker quoting, binding and issuance; product links; footer identifies Embroker Insurance Services, LLC. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained. Embroker; Why it's essential; Who needs this coverage; What is Directors and Officers (D&O) insurance?; What's covered; What's not included; What are Side A, B, and C insuring agreements?; What does Directors and Officers insurance cost? Accessed 2026-09-23.
Sources for the D&O Insurance Guide
- Glossary of Business Insurance Terms. The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- The Chubb Primary Directors & Officers and Entity Securities Liability Insurance. Chubb Group of Insurance Companies; hosted by eperils; I.A–C p.1; I.C p.1; I and III.A–B pp.1–2; VI Reporting pp.3–4. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Private Company Directors and Officers Liability Coverage. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America; I.A–C p.1; I.C p.1; Header p.1 and VI.A pp.6–7. Accessed 2026-09-16.
