---
title: "Counterpart vs Cowbell: Employment Practices Liability Insurance"
description: "Counterpart distributes EPL through wholesale brokers; Cowbell’s EPL module targets private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets through appointed wholesalers."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/employment-practices"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-30"
comparison-pair: "counterpart-vs-cowbell"
provider-a: "counterpart"
provider-b: "cowbell"
coverage-line: "employment-practices"
---

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

## Agent Guide

**What this page is:** Focused comparison of Counterpart and Cowbell for Employment Practices Liability 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 Employment Practices Liability 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 Employment Practices Liability Insurance: how do they differ?
- Which is better for Employment Practices Liability Insurance, Counterpart or Cowbell?
- What does Counterpart or Cowbell publish about Employment Practices Liability Insurance (limits, eligibility, claims, add-ons)?
- What should I confirm in a quote for Employment Practices Liability Insurance from Counterpart or Cowbell?

**Key facts:**
- Line: Employment Practices Liability 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 2026-09-30. Editorial policy: /editorial-policy.

**Related pages:**
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell) — parent: all coverage lines for this pair
- [Employment Practices Liability Insurance guide](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices) — 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 Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/fiduciary) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [AIG vs Counterpart Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-counterpart/employment-practices) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [AIG vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-cowbell/employment-practices) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Alliance Risk vs Counterpart Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-counterpart/employment-practices) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Alliance Risk vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cowbell/employment-practices) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Amelia Risk vs Counterpart Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-counterpart/employment-practices) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Amelia Risk vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cowbell/employment-practices) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)

# Counterpart vs Cowbell: How Do They Compare for Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Counterpart distributes EPL through wholesale brokers; Cowbell’s EPL module targets private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets through appointed wholesalers.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Counterpart and Cowbell for Employment Practices Liability 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.

## Summary

Counterpart describes a dedicated EPL product distributed through wholesale brokers. Cowbell’s Zurich Select Plus module has stated size thresholds and an API route for appointed wholesalers. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/epli "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") [8](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. [5](https://cowbell.insure/ "Cowbell") [6](https://cowbell.insure/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/CB-US-PrimeTech-Overview-1.pdf "Prime Tech Product Overview") [7](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 Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

EPLI can help pay covered defense costs and losses when applicants or workers allege discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination or other workplace wrongdoing. If you employ people, check the claim definition, defense costs and prior acts. [9](https://www.iii.org/article/employment-practices-liability-insurance "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") [10](https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/epl-3001.pdf/2c354eaa63ca11eeacdd06e978c86228 "Employment Practices Liability Coverage") [11](https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/lia-3001.pdf/e79a6b6c63ca11eeaa7806e978c86228 "Liability Coverage Terms and Conditions")

## Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance

### Quote Route

Counterpart says its EPL is offered through its producer and surplus-lines broker via wholesale brokers. Cowbell describes EPL as a Zurich-underwritten Select Plus module for private companies under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets. Buyers should check those thresholds against their current and projected size before pursuing the Cowbell route. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/epli "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") [8](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")

### HR Services

Cowbell says appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers access the EPL module through its platform API; it is not sold directly to businesses. Counterpart also uses wholesale distribution, but the reviewed claim does not describe the same platform restriction. Ask your broker whether they are appointed for each route and how the quoted EPL wording handles third-party discrimination. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/epli "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") [8](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")

## What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes

- Ask Cowbell’s appointed wholesaler to confirm eligibility and identify the Zurich policy issuer for the module. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/epli "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")
- Ask Counterpart which wholesaler will place the EPL policy and provide the actual carrier and form. [8](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Counterpart Employment Practices Liability | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Employment Practices Liability |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Counterpart says insurance is offered through its producer and surplus-lines broker and describes wholesale-broker distribution. [1](https://yourcounterpart.com/ "Counterpart | Agentic Insurance™") [4](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: This does not identify the carrier for an EPL placement..) | Employment practices liability (EPL) is one module within Cowbell's distribution of Zurich's Select Plus management liability product; Cowbell operates the platform, Zurich underwrites. Zurich's own page names this module 'Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability,' broader than the plain 'EPL' shorthand Cowbell's FAQ uses. [8](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [7](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 EPL, are written 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 EPL module. [8](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [7](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 dedicated Employment Practices Liability product page within its business-insurance catalogue. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/epli "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: The source summary does not establish a size, industry, state or applicant acceptance rule..) | Cowbell targets this EPL module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50M in assets, across industries such as retail, hospitality, and manufacturing. [8](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 | Counterpart’s EPL page lists employment-related allegations as examples of the exposure its product addresses. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/epli "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: The retained page description does not supply the policy’s complete covered-claim definition or exclusions..) | Cowbell describes EPL as covering claims related to employment practices, including discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, and other employment-related issues. [8](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?'..)<br><br>Cowbell says EPL claims are the most common type of management liability claim overall, most frequently alleging discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, or retaliation for a legally protected activity such as filing a complaint or whistleblowing. [8](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: FAQ 'What is the most common management liability claim?'..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Counterpart labels its published EPL limit and retention figures as illustrative examples. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/epli "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Examples are not guaranteed or quoted terms; the assigned source record does not preserve a universal numeric offer..) | Neither the Cowbell page nor Zurich's own Select Plus page, both read in full, publishes EPL limit or retention amounts. [8](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [7](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..) |
| How to Apply | Confirm in your quote. | This EPL module is accessed only by appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through the Cowbell platform's API; it is not sold directly to businesses. [8](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?'..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Counterpart vs Cowbell](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices): EPLI can address covered workplace claims from applicants and workers; claim timing, defense arrangements, limits and exclusions shape your protection.
- [Counterpart vs Cowbell Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-cowbell/fiduciary)
- [AIG vs Counterpart Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-counterpart/employment-practices)
- [AIG vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Alliance Risk vs Counterpart Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-counterpart/employment-practices)
- [Alliance Risk vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Counterpart Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-counterpart/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)

## Sources

### 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. [Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/epli). Counterpart, Inc.; Retained provider source: product page lists eligibility, employment allegations and illustrative limits/retentions; prior access 2026-09-28. Direct reopen timed out in this session.. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4. [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.

### Cowbell

5. [Cowbell](https://cowbell.insure/). Cowbell; What We Do; Assess, Insure, Respond and Improve; U.S. navigation; footer legal disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-15.
6. [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.
7. [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 'Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability'; FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?' and 'What is the most common management liability claim?' (identical to Cowbell's page); Targeted industries list; footer copyright. Accessed 2026-09-23.
8. [Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/). Cowbell; FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?' (EPL definition); FAQ 'What is the most common management liability claim?' (EPL claim types); Target industries list. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide

9. [Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://www.iii.org/article/employment-practices-liability-insurance). Insurance Information Institute; Opening; What EPLI covers; Steps to limit employment liability risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
10. [Employment Practices Liability Coverage](https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/epl-3001.pdf/2c354eaa63ca11eeacdd06e978c86228). Travelers; I.A/II.A p.1; III.A.4–6 p.7; II.F Employment Claim, PDF p.2; I.B p.1; II.U–V p.5; II.L p.3; III.A.9 and A.13, pp.7–8; III.B.2 p.8; IV.A Settlement, PDF pp.8–9. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [Liability Coverage Terms and Conditions](https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/lia-3001.pdf/e79a6b6c63ca11eeaa7806e978c86228). Travelers; III.F–H p.6; III.O pp.8–9; III.F p.6; III.B–D, PDF pp.3–5; III.E–F, PDF pp.5–6. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated 2026-09-30. 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 Reviews

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 Reviews

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/employment-practices.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)