---
title: "Counterpart vs Founder Shield: Fiduciary Liability Insurance"
description: "Counterpart describes employer and benefit-plan exposures; Founder Shield targets plan sponsors and individual fiduciaries with examples of investment and administration claims."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-foundershield/fiduciary"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-30"
comparison-pair: "counterpart-vs-foundershield"
provider-a: "counterpart"
provider-b: "foundershield"
coverage-line: "fiduciary"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-foundershield/fiduciary)

## Agent Guide

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

**Key facts:**
- Line: Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Providers: Counterpart and Founder Shield.
- 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 Founder Shield](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-foundershield) — parent: all coverage lines for this pair
- [Fiduciary Liability Insurance guide](https://spot.insure/coverage/fiduciary) — coverage explainer for this line
- [Counterpart profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/counterpart) — provider profile (evidence)
- [Founder Shield profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/foundershield) — provider profile (evidence)
- [Counterpart vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-foundershield/employment-practices) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Counterpart vs Founder Shield General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-foundershield/general-liability) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [AIG vs Counterpart Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-counterpart/fiduciary) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [AIG vs Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-foundershield/fiduciary) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Alliance Risk vs Counterpart Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-counterpart/fiduciary) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Alliance Risk vs Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-foundershield/fiduciary) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Aon vs Counterpart Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aon-vs-counterpart/fiduciary) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)
- [Aon vs Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aon-vs-foundershield/fiduciary) — sibling comparison (other line, or other pair for this line)

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

Counterpart describes employer and benefit-plan exposures; Founder Shield targets plan sponsors and individual fiduciaries with examples of investment and administration claims.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Counterpart and Founder Shield for Fiduciary 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’s fiduciary page addresses plan administration and ERISA exposure. Founder Shield names plan sponsors and fiduciaries and lists investment, advice, and benefits-processing claims. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/fid "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/fiduciary-liability-insurance/ "Fiduciary Liability Insurance")

## 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 Founder Shield Insurance?

Founder Shield is a broker for venture-backed startups: you apply online in under 15 minutes, and an advisor shops its 200+ carrier markets to build a program that changes as your products and locations change. It doesn't insure you itself, so ask which insurer carries each policy. [5](https://foundershield.com/ "Founder Shield") [6](https://foundershield.com/startup-insurance/ "Startup Insurance") [7](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [8](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/what-if-our-company-grows-a-lot-or-things-change-during-the-year/ "What If Our Company Grows A Lot or Things Change During the Year?") [9](https://foundershield.com/terms-of-service/ "Terms of Service")

[Founder Shield profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/foundershield)

## What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Fiduciary liability can protect your company and plan fiduciaries when participants claim mishandling of an employee benefit plan. If you sponsor a retirement or health plan, check who is insured and whether both administration errors and fiduciary-breach claims are addressed. [12](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/employers-and-advisers/guidance/field-assistance-bulletins/erisa-fidelity-bonding-requirements.pdf "Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements") [13](https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/fri-3001.pdf/c75b6c8e63ca11ee93454641efede6a9 "Fiduciary Liability") [14](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance/fiduciary-liability "Fiduciary Liability Insurance")

## Key Differences in Fiduciary Liability Insurance

### Plan Roles

Founder Shield markets fiduciary coverage to plan sponsors offering a 401(k) or similar plan and to individuals handling plan funds or property. Counterpart describes employer and benefit-plan contexts on its dedicated page. If you need both entity and individual protection, confirm who qualifies as an insured in each proposed form. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/fid "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/fiduciary-liability-insurance/ "Fiduciary Liability Insurance")

### Investment and Administration Claims

Founder Shield lists risky investments, poor advice, benefits-processing errors, and improper denial or change of benefits as claim scenarios, and distinguishes these from general D&O or bodily-injury claims. Counterpart also addresses benefit-plan administration and ERISA exposure but labels its limits illustrative. Ask for the actual insuring agreement and exclusions tied to your plan’s duties. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/fid "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/fiduciary-liability-insurance/ "Fiduciary Liability Insurance")

## What to Confirm in Fiduciary Liability Insurance Quotes

- Ask Founder Shield which carrier issues the policy and how plan fiduciaries and the sponsor share limits. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/fid "Fiduciary Liability Insurance")
- Ask Counterpart for exact insured-person definitions, limits, and treatment of investment and benefits-processing allegations. [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/fiduciary-liability-insurance/ "Fiduciary Liability Insurance")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Counterpart Fiduciary Liability | Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Counterpart describes a producer and surplus-lines broker distributing insurance through wholesale brokers. [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 describes Counterpart’s channel and does not identify the issuing insurer for a fiduciary placement..) | 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. [11](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 | Confirm in your quote. | 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. [7](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..) |
| Who It’s For | Counterpart describes employer and benefit-plan contexts on its dedicated Fiduciary Liability page. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/fid "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: This is product marketing, not proof a given plan, sponsor or fiduciary is eligible..) | 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. [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/fiduciary-liability-insurance/ "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Fiduciary Liability product page..) |
| Coverage Features | Counterpart’s fiduciary page addresses benefit-plan administration and ERISA-related exposures. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/fid "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: The retained product description does not establish the full insured-party definition, ERISA terms or exclusions..) | 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. [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/fiduciary-liability-insurance/ "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage..)<br><br>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. [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/fiduciary-liability-insurance/ "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Fiduciary Liability product page..) |
| Limits and Retentions | The page includes illustrative limit examples for fiduciary coverage. [3](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/fid "Fiduciary Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Figures are examples and are not a quote or guaranteed available limit..) | Confirm in your quote. |
| How to Apply | Confirm in your quote. | 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. [11](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [7](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..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Counterpart vs Founder Shield](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-foundershield): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/fiduciary): Fiduciary liability can protect your company and plan fiduciaries from covered claims about benefit-plan management; check who is insured and whether administration errors are included.
- [Counterpart vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-foundershield/employment-practices)
- [Counterpart vs Founder Shield General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/counterpart-vs-foundershield/general-liability)
- [AIG vs Counterpart Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-counterpart/fiduciary)
- [AIG vs Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aig-vs-foundershield/fiduciary)
- [Alliance Risk vs Counterpart Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-counterpart/fiduciary)
- [Alliance Risk vs Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-foundershield/fiduciary)
- [Aon vs Counterpart Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aon-vs-counterpart/fiduciary)
- [Aon vs Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/aon-vs-foundershield/fiduciary)

## 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. [Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://yourcounterpart.com/products/fid). Counterpart, Inc.; Retained provider source: product page covers plan/employer eligibility, ERISA and plan administration, with examples and illustrative limits; 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.

### Founder Shield

5. [Founder Shield](https://foundershield.com/). Founder Shield; Opening broker description; Specialized Practices; Smart Tech, Smarter People; quote and sign-in links. Accessed 2026-09-15.
6. [Startup Insurance](https://foundershield.com/startup-insurance/). Founder Shield; What Coverage Does your Startup Need?; Why Startups Choose Founder Shield; Industries We Serve; Essential Policies to Consider section. Accessed 2026-09-15.
7. [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.
8. [What If Our Company Grows A Lot or Things Change During the Year?](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/what-if-our-company-grows-a-lot-or-things-change-during-the-year/). Founder Shield; Carl Niedbala answer, November 25, 2024: operational changes and coverage adjustments. Accessed 2026-09-15.
9. [Terms of Service](https://foundershield.com/terms-of-service/). Founder Shield; Opening agreement; License Status; Representations and Disclaimers Related to Products or Services; Fees and Charges; Void Where Prohibited. Accessed 2026-09-15.
10. [Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://foundershield.com/coverage/fiduciary-liability-insurance/). Founder Shield; What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?; Who Needs Fiduciary Liability Insurance Coverage?; What Does Fiduciary Liability Insurance Cover?. Accessed 2026-09-23.
11. [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.

### Fiduciary Liability Insurance Guide

12. [Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/employers-and-advisers/guidance/field-assistance-bulletins/erisa-fidelity-bonding-requirements.pdf). U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Q2 pp.2–3. Accessed 2026-09-16.
13. [Fiduciary Liability](https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/fri-3001.pdf/c75b6c8e63ca11ee93454641efede6a9). Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America; II.D,J–L pp.2–3; II.A p.1; II.V p.5; Header p.1; II.M p.3; I p.1; III.A.6–8 pp.5–6; II.M.2 p.3; III.B.1 p.6. Accessed 2026-09-16.
14. [Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance/fiduciary-liability). Travelers; What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?. 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).

## Founder Shield Reviews

Review Score: 7.4 / 10 from 1 rated source, equally weighted.

Founder Shield has too little independent customer feedback for a reliable verdict. One positive Trustpilot review does not establish a service track record.

- Trustpilot: TrustScore 3.7 (5 stars); 1 reviews. Trustpilot profile for foundershield.com; one US customer review, categorized as insurance broker/business insurance. Period: Review 2023-03-14; none in prior 12 months. Checked 2026-09-25. [foundershield.com Reviews | Trustpilot](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/foundershield.com)

Reviewed 2026-09-25. [Read the sourced review](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/foundershield/reviews).

## Agent and Developer Resources

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