---
title: "Counterpart vs Cowbell: D&O Insurance"
description: "Cowbell targets its private-company D&O module at firms under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets; Counterpart publishes separate private-company and nonprofit pages."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-10-01"
comparison-pair: "counterpart-vs-cowbell"
provider-a: "counterpart"
provider-b: "cowbell"
coverage-line: "directors-officers"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/directors-officers)

## Agent Guide

**What this page is:** Focused comparison of Counterpart and Cowbell 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 Counterpart versus Cowbell. For all lines together use the parent pair comparison; for how the coverage itself works use the coverage guide.

**Questions this page answers:**
- Counterpart vs Cowbell for D&O Insurance: how do they differ?
- Which is better for D&O Insurance, Counterpart or Cowbell?
- What does Counterpart or Cowbell publish about D&O Insurance (limits, eligibility, claims, add-ons)?
- What should I confirm in a quote for D&O Insurance from Counterpart or Cowbell?

**Key facts:**
- Line: D&O Insurance. Providers: Counterpart and Cowbell.
- Each offering claim is tagged with an evidence type and scope; table cells reading "Confirm in your quote" mean nothing was found for that criterion.
- Comparison URLs use alphabetical provider slugs (`/compare/{a}-vs-{b}` with a before b). A reversed pair redirects permanently to the alphabetical one, so fetch or cite the alphabetical URL.

**Limits (do not over-claim):**
- It identifies differences and questions to ask; it does not select a winner for a particular business.
- "Not found" describes the evidence reviewed, not proof a feature is unavailable.
- 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 in the Sources section; last updated 2026-10-01. Editorial policy: /editorial-policy.

**Related pages:**
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell) — parent: all coverage lines for this pair
- [D&O Insurance guide](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers) — coverage explainer for this line
- [Counterpart profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/counterpart) — provider profile (evidence)
- [Cowbell profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cowbell) — provider profile (evidence)
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/crime) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/employment-practices) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/fiduciary) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [AIG vs Counterpart D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-counterpart/directors-officers) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [AIG vs Cowbell D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-cowbell/directors-officers) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Alliance Risk vs Counterpart D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-counterpart/directors-officers) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Alliance Risk vs Cowbell D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cowbell/directors-officers) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Amelia Risk vs Counterpart D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-counterpart/directors-officers) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Amelia Risk vs Cowbell D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cowbell/directors-officers) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)

# Counterpart vs Cowbell: How Do They Compare for D&O Insurance?

Cowbell targets its private-company D&O module at firms under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets; Counterpart publishes separate private-company and nonprofit pages.

## How to Use the Counterpart vs Cowbell D&O Insurance Comparison

Use this comparison to evaluate Counterpart and Cowbell for D&O Insurance against the same documented criteria. It identifies differences and questions to confirm; it does not select a winner for a particular business. Offering claims are what each provider publishes about this line unless marked otherwise. “Not found” describes the evidence reviewed, not proof that a feature is unavailable. Confirm the insurer, policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions and cost in an actual quote.

## Counterpart vs Cowbell D&O Insurance Summary

Cowbell describes a private-company D&O module for firms under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets; Counterpart markets separate private-company and nonprofit D&O pages. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/do "Private Directors & Officers Liability Insurance") [4](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/not-for-profit-do "Not-for-Profit Directors & Officers Insurance") [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")

## What Is Counterpart Insurance?

Counterpart describes a broker-focused platform for small businesses and lists management and professional liability programs. Buyers should compare the named profession, carrier, state, policy wording and any package component on the actual quote. [1](https://yourcounterpart.com/ "Counterpart | Agentic Insurance™") [2](https://yourcounterpart.com/about "About Counterpart")

[Counterpart profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/counterpart)

## What Is Cowbell Insurance?

Cowbell suits small and midsize businesses seeking cyber options by company size, with technology E&O and Zurich management-liability options also available; firms needing broad commercial coverage should compare a full-service broker. Some security services cost extra. [6](https://cowbell.insure/ "Cowbell") [7](https://cowbell.insure/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/CB-US-PrimeTech-Overview-1.pdf "Prime Tech Product Overview") [8](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus")

[Cowbell profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cowbell)

## 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. [10](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms "Glossary of Business Insurance Terms") [11](https://eperils.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/14-02-18480.pdf "The Chubb Primary Directors & Officers and Entity Securities Liability Insurance") [12](https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/pdo-3001.pdf/d66bd58e63c911ee99d14294a32ecb95 "Private Company Directors and Officers Liability Coverage")

## What Are the Key Differences Between Counterpart and Cowbell D&O Insurance?

### Company Size and Product Segments

Cowbell targets its described private-company D&O module at businesses with fewer than 250 employees and under $50 million in assets, including technology, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and retail. Counterpart publishes separate D&O pages for private companies and nonprofits, with eligibility subject to proposed-risk and insurer review. A private business can compare its size and industry with Cowbell's stated target; a nonprofit can identify the Counterpart segment relevant to its legal form. [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/do "Private Directors & Officers Liability Insurance") [4](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/not-for-profit-do "Not-for-Profit Directors & Officers Insurance")

### Personal and Company Protection

Cowbell's management-liability page names protection for directors and officers and legal-expense coverage among its D&O benefits. Counterpart's page describes protection for management-liability claims and illustrative coverage and limit examples. Cowbell's listed benefits focus on leadership protection and legal expense, while Counterpart frames its description around management-liability claims and examples. Both address D&O protection, but their public summaries emphasize different aspects of the claim exposure. Compare the insured-person definition and defense-cost treatment in the proposed wording. [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/do "Private Directors & Officers Liability Insurance")

## What Should You Confirm in Counterpart and Cowbell D&O Insurance Quotes?

- Does the proposed Cowbell module fit your headcount, assets, and industry, and what personal and entity limits apply? [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")
- Which Counterpart page fits your entity, and what management-claim and defense-cost wording does its quote include? [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/do "Private Directors & Officers Liability Insurance") [4](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/not-for-profit-do "Not-for-Profit Directors & Officers Insurance")

## Counterpart vs Cowbell D&O Insurance Compared

| Criteria | Private Company and Nonprofit Directors & Officers Liability | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Private Company D&O |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Counterpart describes itself as distributing insurance through its producer and surplus-lines broker and says businesses access the program through a wholesale broker. [1](https://yourcounterpart.com/ "Counterpart | Agentic Insurance™") [5](https://knowledge.yourcounterpart.com/en/articles/4438791-how-can-i-get-insurance-through-counterpart "How can I get insurance through Counterpart?") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: The cited pages do not map a particular insurer to a D&O quote or state..) | 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.' [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [8](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section..) |
| Issuing Insurer | Confirm in your quote. | 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. [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [8](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Management liability page intro; Zurich page intro and footer..) |
| Who It’s For | Counterpart publishes a private-company D&O product page and a separate D&O page for not-for-profit organizations. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/do "Private Directors & Officers Liability Insurance") [4](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/not-for-profit-do "Not-for-Profit Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Separate product pages show different marketed segments; eligibility depends on the proposed risk and insurer review..) | 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. [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list..) |
| Coverage Features | The private-company D&O page describes protection for management-liability claims and includes illustrative coverage and limit examples. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/do "Private Directors & Officers Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Illustrations and summaries are not policy terms or an available limit commitment..)<br><br>Counterpart separately markets D&O for not-for-profit organizations. [4](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/not-for-profit-do "Not-for-Profit Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: The retained page summary does not establish a particular nonprofit’s eligibility or the terms of its policy..) | 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. [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Confirm in your quote. | Neither the Cowbell page nor Zurich's own Select Plus page, both read in full, publishes D&O limit or retention amounts. [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [8](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Cowbell page and Zurich page, both read on 2026-09-23..) |
| Risk Services | Confirm in your quote. | 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. [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: FAQ 'Why does my company need management liability coverage?'..) |
| How to Apply | Confirm in your quote. | 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. [9](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: FAQ 'How can I access the Zurich Select Plus management liability product through Cowbell?'..) |

## Related Pages for Counterpart vs Cowbell D&O Insurance

- [Counterpart vs Cowbell](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell): 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.
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/crime)
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/fiduciary)
- [AIG vs Counterpart D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-counterpart/directors-officers)
- [AIG vs Cowbell D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-cowbell/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs Counterpart D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-counterpart/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs Cowbell D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cowbell/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Counterpart D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-counterpart/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Cowbell D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cowbell/directors-officers)

## Sources for Counterpart vs Cowbell D&O Insurance

### Sources About Counterpart

1. [Counterpart | Agentic Insurance™](https://yourcounterpart.com/). Counterpart, Inc.; Current homepage: Quote Online CTA; brokers/small-business audiences; product list; performance claims; legal/footer qualifications, rendered lines 2–52, 55–70, 98–100, 282–287.. Accessed 2026-09-29.
2. [About Counterpart](https://yourcounterpart.com/about). Counterpart, Inc.; Carrier disclosure and Our Story; underwriters named at line 13; company focus lines 22–36. Financial-strength note says ratings are as of 2024-02-26.. Accessed 2026-09-29.
3. [Private Directors & Officers Liability Insurance](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/do). Counterpart, Inc.; Retained provider source: product page sections on covered organizations, coverage, example limits/retentions and capacity; prior access 2026-09-28. Direct reopen failed in this session.. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4. [Not-for-Profit Directors & Officers Insurance](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/not-for-profit-do). Counterpart, Inc.; Retained provider source: product page sections on nonprofit eligibility, coverage and underwriting partners; prior access 2026-09-28. Direct reopen failed in this session.. Accessed 2026-09-28.
5. [How can I get insurance through Counterpart?](https://knowledge.yourcounterpart.com/en/articles/4438791-how-can-i-get-insurance-through-counterpart). Counterpart Knowledge Center; Retained source: article describes wholesale-broker referral route; prior access 2026-09-28.. Accessed 2026-09-28.

### Sources About Cowbell

6. [Cowbell](https://cowbell.insure/). Cowbell; What We Do; Assess, Insure, Respond and Improve; U.S. navigation; footer legal disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-15.
7. [Prime Tech Product Overview](https://cowbell.insure/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/CB-US-PrimeTech-Overview-1.pdf). Cowbell; PDF pp. 1–4: non-admitted combined Technology E&O and cyber for technology businesses up to $1 billion; up to $5 million; surplus lines in 50 states; edition PRIME TECH US0001 1025. Accessed 2026-09-16.
8. [Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability). Zurich North America; Intro on the Zurich/Cowbell collaboration; module name 'Private Management and Company Liability'; FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?' (identical to Cowbell's page); Targeted industries list; footer copyright. Accessed 2026-09-23.
9. [Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/). Cowbell; FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?' (D&O definition); FAQ 'Why does my company need management liability coverage?' (Protection for Directors and Officers, Legal Expense Coverage, Attracting and Retaining Talent bullets); Target industries list. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Sources for the D&O Insurance Guide

10. [Glossary of Business Insurance Terms](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms). The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [The Chubb Primary Directors & Officers and Entity Securities Liability Insurance](https://eperils.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/14-02-18480.pdf). 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.
12. [Private Company Directors and Officers Liability Coverage](https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/pdo-3001.pdf/d66bd58e63c911ee99d14294a32ecb95). 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.

Updated 2026-10-01. 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.

## Counterpart Review Scores for 2026

Review Score: not enough ratings.

We found no independent customer rating of Counterpart, so it has no Review Score. Its Trustpilot page shows no reviews, and BBB has no matching business.



Reviewed 2026-09-29. [Read the sourced review](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/counterpart/reviews).

## Cowbell Review Scores for 2026

Review Score: 2.0 / 10 from 1 rated source, equally weighted.

Cowbell has one public rating we could find: 1.0 out of 5 on SourceForge from three reviews in 2023. That's too few and too old to say much.

- SourceForge: SourceForge rating 1.0 (out of 5); 3 reviews. SourceForge software directory listing for Cowbell Cyber. Three small-business reviewers describe the cyber insurance product. Small sample, all from 2023. Period: reviews dated Jan to Jul 2023. Checked 2026-09-29. [Cowbell Cyber Reviews](https://sourceforge.net/software/product/Cowbell-Cyber/)

Reviewed 2026-09-29. [Read the sourced review](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cowbell/reviews).

## Agent and Developer Resources

- [Markdown page](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/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)