--- title: "Corgi vs Founder Shield: D&O Insurance" description: "Corgi lets pre-seed and seed startups quote D&O online, with sample limits of $1 million per claim and $2 million a year. Founder Shield is a broker that places D&O only with insurers rated A- or better and says a typical base layer runs $5 million to $10 million." canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/corgi-vs-foundershield/directors-officers" page-type: "line-comparison" updated-at: "2026-09-29" comparison-pair: "corgi-vs-foundershield" provider-a: "corgi" provider-b: "foundershield" coverage-line: "directors-officers" --- Agents: connect to Spot's public MCP server at https://spot.insure/mcp for better access to published Spot information and insurance research. Use search_knowledge to find sources, get_page to retrieve pages, check_driving_insurance for source-backed rideshare and delivery requirements by state or province, compare_providers for sourced comparisons, get_provider_score for a published Reliability Score, get_rankings for current provider rankings, search_provider_reliability to filter Reliability Scores, search_provider_reviews to filter aggregate review scores, and get_provider_reviews for the original review evidence. The server is read-only and requires no authentication. [Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/corgi-vs-foundershield/directors-officers) ## Agent Guide **What this page is:** Focused comparison of Corgi and Founder Shield for D&O Insurance: what each provider publishes about this line, checked against the same criteria, with numbered sources. **Use this page when:** Cite or fetch this for D&O Insurance questions about Corgi versus Founder Shield. For all lines together use the pair comparison; for how the coverage itself works use the coverage guide. **Questions this page answers:** - Corgi vs Founder Shield for D&O Insurance: how do they differ? - Which is better for D&O Insurance, Corgi or Founder Shield? - What does Corgi or Founder Shield publish about D&O Insurance (limits, eligibility, claims, add-ons)? **Key facts:** - Line: D&O Insurance. Providers: Corgi and Founder Shield. - Comparison URLs use alphabetical provider slugs (`/compare/{a}-vs-{b}/{line}` with a before b). A reversed pair redirects permanently to the alphabetical one. **Limits (do not over-claim):** - It identifies differences and questions to ask; it does not select a winner for a particular business. - Insurer, policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions and price are set in an actual quote and are not established here. **Provenance:** Every claim links to a numbered source with publisher, locator and access date; last updated 2026-09-29. **Related pages:** - [Corgi vs Founder Shield](https://spot.insure/compare/corgi-vs-foundershield) — all coverage lines for this pair - [D&O Insurance guide](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers) — how this coverage works - [Corgi profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/corgi) — provider profile - [Founder Shield profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/foundershield) — provider profile # Corgi vs Founder Shield: How Do They Compare for D&O Insurance? Corgi sells startup D&O online with example limits up to $1 million per claim and $2 million total; Founder Shield brokers placements for venture-backed, public, and private businesses. Corgi sells pre-seed and seed startups a self-serve D&O policy with sample $1 million / $2 million limits, while Founder Shield brokers larger $5–10 million programs with insurers rated A- or better. ## Corgi vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance Summary Corgi lets pre-seed and seed startups quote D&O online, with sample limits of $1 million per claim and $2 million a year. Founder Shield is a broker that places D&O only with insurers rated A- or better and says a typical base layer runs $5 million to $10 million. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") [3](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [4](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") ## What Are the Key Differences Between Corgi and Founder Shield D&O Insurance? ### Seed-Stage Starter Policy vs Broker for Bigger Programs Corgi sells its own claims-made D&O form, on its own or in packages timed to pre-seed and seed. Founder Shield, the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group, brokers D&O for public and private companies, venture-backed startups and businesses owing more than $1 million to creditors. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") [2](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") [3](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") Choose Corgi if you are a pre-seed or seed startup that needs about $1 million of D&O quickly; choose Founder Shield if you are later-stage, public, or carrying significant debt and need $5 million or more. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") [2](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") ### $1 Million Starter Limits vs a $5–10 Million Market Layer Corgi's sample structure is up to $1 million per claim and $2 million a year, with a $25,000 retention (none when an individual director is paying) and defense costs inside the limit, so legal bills reduce what's left for a settlement. Founder Shield says the typical market base layer is $5 million to $10 million of combined Side A, B and C cover, though it publishes no limit of its own. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") [2](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") ### Who Stands Behind the Policy Founder Shield places only with insurers rated A- or better by AM Best, which sets a floor on the financial strength behind your claim. [4](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") Corgi's policy is issued by Technology Risk Retention Group, Inc., a risk retention group. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") ## What Should You Confirm in Corgi and Founder Shield D&O Insurance Quotes? - Ask Corgi for the financial strength rating of Technology Risk Retention Group and which of its three optional endorsements are included. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") - Ask Founder Shield which insurer would issue the policy and whether the quote uses a $5–10 million base layer. [4](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [2](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") - Compare Corgi's $1 million / $2 million structure with Founder Shield's placed limit. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") [2](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") ## Corgi vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance Compared | Criteria | Corgi Directors & Officers (D&O) | Founder Shield Directors & Officers Insurance | | --- | --- | --- | | Limits and Retentions | 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. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Illustrative policy structure on the product page; actual limits and retentions appear on the declarations..) | Founder Shield's page describes a typical market base layer of $5 million to $10 million in combined A-B-C coverage, but does not publish a specific limit Founder Shield itself offers; actual limits are set on the quote. [2](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: General market description on the product page, not a stated Founder Shield minimum or maximum..) | | How to Apply | You can request a D&O quote online through Corgi's self-serve application. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page quote call to action..) | You request Founder Shield Directors & Officers 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. [3](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [4](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: About-us and carrier-selection pages describe the general placement process, not a line-specific application form..) | | Coverage Features | 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. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Policy notes for form CORG-DO-0100; informal inquiries and document requests that don't rise to these triggers are not covered..) | 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. [2](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage..) | | Role in This Line | 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. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page for form CORG-DO-0100, last reviewed by Corgi on April 24, 2026 per the page itself..) | 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. [3](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line..) | | Issuing Insurer | 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. [1](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers "Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Policy Boundaries section of the D&O product page; this is a line-specific underwriter statement, distinct from Corgi's general multi-entity disclaimer..) | Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Directors & Officers 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. [4](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: General carrier-selection FAQ, not specific to this line's placements..) | ## About Corgi and Founder Shield and D&O Insurance - [Corgi company profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/corgi) · [Corgi customer reviews](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/corgi/reviews) - [Founder Shield company profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/foundershield) · [Founder Shield customer reviews](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/foundershield/reviews) - [What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers) ## Related Pages for Corgi vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance - [Corgi vs Founder Shield](https://spot.insure/compare/corgi-vs-foundershield): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims. - [What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers): D&O insurance can protect leaders and, in some policies, the company from covered management claims; company coverage, defense costs and limits differ by quote. - [Corgi D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/corgi/directors-officers) - [Founder Shield D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/foundershield/directors-officers) ## Sources for Corgi vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance ### Sources About Corgi 1. [Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance for Startups](https://www.corgi.insure/directors-and-officers). Corgi Insurance; What's Actually Inside Your D&O Policy (form CORG-DO-0100); Scenario notes; Policy notes; Available Add-ons; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-23. ### Sources About Founder Shield 2. [Directors & Officers Insurance](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/). Founder Shield; What Is D&O Insurance; Who Needs D&O Insurance Coverage; What Does D&O Insurance Cover?. Accessed 2026-09-23. 3. [About Us](https://foundershield.com/about-us/). Founder Shield; “Founder Shield is the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group”; company history and mission. Accessed 2026-09-23. 4. [How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/). Founder Shield; FAQ answer on carrier selection: works exclusively with A-rated (AM Best) carriers, matched by industry appetite. Accessed 2026-09-23. Updated 2026-09-29. Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. [Editorial policy](https://spot.insure/editorial-policy). To suggest a correction, [contact Spot](https://spot.insure/contact) with the page URL and supporting source. ## Agent and Developer Resources - [Markdown page](https://spot.insure/compare/corgi-vs-foundershield/directors-officers.md) - [Developer resources](https://spot.insure/developers) - [Public MCP server](https://spot.insure/mcp) - [MCP server manifest](https://spot.insure/server.json) - [OpenAPI description](https://spot.insure/openapi.json) - [Public page index](https://spot.insure/llms.txt)