Corgi vs Cowbell D&O Insurance

Corgi sells D&O as a standalone startup policy and also bundles it into its stage-based packages starting at pre-seed and seed, describing it as protection for directors and officers against personal financial liability for management decisions. ⁶Company-reported. Product page for form CORG-DO-0100, last reviewed by Corgi on April 24, 2026 per the page itself.

Private Company D&O is one module within Cowbell's distribution of Zurich's Select Plus management liability product; Cowbell gives Zurich-appointed E&S wholesalers platform access, and Zurich underwrites the module. Zurich's own page labels this module 'Private Management and Company Liability' rather than plain 'D&O.' ^10,9Company-reported. Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section.

Corgi's D&O product page states directly that the policy is a claims-made policy underwritten by Technology Risk Retention Group, Inc., a risk retention group. ⁶Company-reported. Policy Boundaries section of the D&O product page; this is a line-specific underwriter statement, distinct from Corgi's general multi-entity disclaimer.

Cowbell and Zurich both say the Select Plus modules, including D&O, are offered on Zurich admitted paper. Zurich's site footer names 'Zurich American Insurance Company' in its copyright notice, but neither page states that entity is the specific policy issuer for this D&O module. ^10,9Company-reported. Management liability page intro; Zurich page intro and footer.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

Cowbell targets this D&O module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50M in assets, in industries such as technology, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and retail. ¹⁰Company-reported. FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list.

The policy has three coverage parts: Side A pays individual directors and officers directly when the company cannot indemnify them and carries no retention; Side B reimburses the company when it does indemnify directors and officers; Side C covers the company entity itself, subject to additional exclusions including intellectual-property claims and contractual liability. ⁶Company-reported. Coverage summary for form CORG-DO-0100; the issued policy and declarations control.

The standard policy excludes claims from registered public securities offerings, but a carve-back preserves coverage for exempt transactions such as Regulation D private placements, which Corgi says covers how most startups raise capital. ⁶Company-reported. Scenario notes for form CORG-DO-0100; not every fundraising structure automatically qualifies as exempt.

Corgi covers individual directors and officers (Sides A and B) who receive a Wells Notice, subpoena or target letter from a regulator, but the standard policy excludes entity-level regulatory investigations of the company itself. ⁶Company-reported. Policy notes for form CORG-DO-0100; informal inquiries and document requests that don't rise to these triggers are not covered.

Cowbell describes D&O liability as protecting the personal assets of directors and officers and the company's financial assets against claims alleging wrongful acts in their capacity as directors and officers. ¹⁰Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'.

Corgi's illustrative D&O structure shows limits up to $1 million per claim and $2 million in the aggregate, with a $25,000 self-insured retention per claim (no retention on Side A) and defense costs included within the limit. ⁶Company-reported. Illustrative policy structure on the product page; actual limits and retentions appear on the declarations.

Neither the Cowbell page nor Zurich's own Select Plus page, both read in full, publishes D&O limit or retention amounts. ^10,9Not publicly disclosed. Cowbell page and Zurich page, both read on 2026-09-23.

Corgi offers three optional D&O endorsements: Outside Directorship (extends coverage to directors and officers serving on outside boards at the company's request), Crisis Event Expense (covers PR and crisis-communications costs after negative publicity), and Investigative Costs (broader coverage for regulatory inquiries short of a formal claim). ⁶Company-reported. Available Add-ons section of the product page; endorsement availability varies by jurisdiction and underwriting, and each requires a separate endorsement to apply.

Cowbell frames D&O coverage as a way to help attract and retain directors and officers by giving them personal-asset protection, and says the product covers legal fees, settlements, and other defense costs for the company and its management. ¹⁰Company-reported. FAQ 'Why does my company need management liability coverage?'.

You can request a D&O quote online through Corgi's self-serve application. ⁶Company-reported. Product page quote call to action.

This D&O module is accessed only by appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through the Cowbell platform's API; it is not sold directly to businesses. ¹⁰Company-reported. FAQ 'How can I access the Zurich Select Plus management liability product through Cowbell?'.