Coalition vs Founder Shield: How Do They Compare for Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Coalition distributes fiduciary as one of four Executive Risks coverages through appointed brokers only; Founder Shield brokers fiduciary policies for 401(k) plan sponsors and other employee-benefit fiduciaries, including innovation companies.

Coalition’s Executive Risks covers private and nonprofit organizations within published size caps; Founder Shield places the line with third-party carriers rated A- or better by AM Best. ^2,^1,^4,⁵

What Are the Key Differences Between Coalition and Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Program Design Versus Retail Placement

Coalition sells fiduciary as one of four Executive Risks coverages. Founder Shield places fiduciary with outside insurers rather than underwriting it; the firm says its carrier panel is rated A- or better by AM Best. ¹ ⁴ ³

How Carriers Are Chosen

Coalition names Zurich American Insurance Company as the admitted Executive Risks carrier and says Coalition Insurance Solutions also places the suite with unaffiliated insurers on a non-admitted basis. Founder Shield says it places policies only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, chosen for the client’s industry, without naming the fiduciary issuer. ² ⁵

Coalition’s eligibility is private and not-for-profit U.S. organizations up to 1,000 employees and $500 million in assets and plan assets. Founder Shield markets the line to plan sponsors offering a 401(k) or similar plan and to individual fiduciaries who handle plan funds or property. ¹ ³

Claim Framing and Intake

Coalition describes coverage for mismanagement of employee benefits and pension plans, with limits up to $10 million per line, sold only through appointed brokers. Founder Shield lists risky plan investments, poor investment advice, administrative errors and improper denial or change of benefits, and distinguishes fiduciary from D&O and general liability; you request coverage through its website or an advisor. ¹ ³ ⁴

What Should You Confirm in Coalition and Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance Quotes?

Ask Founder Shield whether Coalition Executive Risks is among its A- or better markets. ⁵ ¹
Confirm you fit Coalition’s employee and asset caps if that program is quoted. ¹
Compare Coalition’s $10 million per-line figure with Founder Shield’s quoted limit. ¹ ³
Get admitted versus surplus paper on a Coalition placement. ²

Coalition vs Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance Compared

Coalition vs Founder Shield: Fiduciary Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	Coalition Executive Risks — Fiduciary Liability	Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance
Who It’s For	Coalition says Executive Risks products, including fiduciary liability, are available to private and not-for-profit U.S. organizations in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with up to $500 million in assets, up to 1,000 employees, and up to $500 million in plan assets. ¹Company-reported. Executive Risks FAQ as read on 2026-09-23; the plan-assets cap is directly relevant to fiduciary eligibility.	Founder Shield markets fiduciary liability to plan sponsors offering a 401(k) or similar plan and to the individual fiduciaries who handle plan funds or property. ³Company-reported. Fiduciary Liability product page.
How to Apply	Coalition distributes Executive Risks, including fiduciary liability, only through appointed insurance brokers rather than direct to buyers. ¹Company-reported. Executive Risks product page as read on 2026-09-23.	You request Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance through Founder Shield's website or an insurance advisor rather than binding coverage directly; Founder Shield says its placement team then approaches carriers on the client's behalf. ^4,⁵Company-reported. About-us and carrier-selection pages describe the general placement process, not a line-specific application form.
Coverage Features	Coalition says fiduciary liability provides coverage for claims of mismanagement of employee benefits and pension plans. ¹Company-reported. Executive Risks product page as read on 2026-09-23; exclusions and limitations apply per the page footer, and the issued policy controls actual terms.	Founder Shield lists claims of risky plan investments, poor investment advice, administrative errors in benefits processing, and improper denial or change of benefits as scenarios fiduciary liability responds to. ³Company-reported. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage. Founder Shield distinguishes fiduciary liability from D&O and general liability: it responds to breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims tied to ERISA plan administration, not general management or bodily-injury claims. ³Company-reported. Fiduciary Liability product page.
Role in This Line	Coalition designs and distributes fiduciary liability as one of four coverages in its Executive Risks product suite, sold through appointed brokers. ¹Company-reported. Executive Risks product page as read on 2026-09-23.	Founder Shield is a retail insurance brokerage, described on its site as “the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group,” and places Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance with third-party carriers rather than underwriting the policy itself. ⁴Company-reported. About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line.
Issuing Insurer	Coalition's disclaimer names Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC 16535) as the admitted carrier for Executive Risks, and says Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc. also places Executive Risks with unaffiliated insurers on a non-admitted basis, so the carrier for a specific fiduciary policy depends on the placement route. ²Company-reported. U.S. Disclaimers page as read on 2026-09-23.	Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance, only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, chosen for the client's industry. It does not name the issuing insurer for this line; that depends on which carrier the policy is placed with. ⁵Company-reported. General carrier-selection FAQ, not specific to this line's placements.