---
title: "Cowbell vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance"
description: "Cowbell distributes Zurich Select Plus EPL to appointed wholesalers; Founder Shield places EPLI with A-rated carriers as Baldwin Group’s retail brokerage."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-foundershield/employment-practices"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# Cowbell vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Cowbell distributes Zurich Select Plus EPL to appointed wholesalers; Founder Shield places EPLI with A-rated carriers as Baldwin Group’s retail brokerage.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Cowbell and Founder Shield 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

Cowbell’s EPL module is Zurich Select Plus, written on Zurich admitted paper and sold only through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers to private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets. Founder Shield, the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group, places EPLI with AM Best A-rated carriers for startups, retail and hospitality, professional services, technology firms and nonprofits with volunteers. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [3](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") [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?")

## What Is Cowbell Insurance?

Cowbell is a specialty-insurance platform and agency focused on cyber risk for small and midsize businesses. Its U.S. catalogue also includes combined Technology E&O and cyber products and a Zurich management-liability offering distributed through appointed wholesalers. [1](https://cowbell.insure/ "Cowbell") [2](https://cowbell.insure/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/CB-US-PrimeTech-Overview-1.pdf "Prime Tech Product Overview") [3](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 Founder Shield Insurance?

Founder Shield is a commercial insurance broker for venture-backed and growing businesses. Buyers can request coverage through its online portal and work with advisors on insurer selection, policy changes and claims reporting. [5](https://foundershield.com/ "Founder Shield") [6](https://apx.foundershield.com/ "Quote Portal") [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/claims/ "Claims")

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

## What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Employment practices liability insurance addresses claims alleging workplace wrongdoing, such as discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. [12](https://www.iii.org/article/employment-practices-liability-insurance "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")

## Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance

### Fixed Zurich Paper Versus A-Rated Market

Cowbell and Zurich both say Select Plus modules, including EPL, are written on Zurich admitted paper. Founder Shield does not underwrite; it places Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, chosen for the client’s industry, so the issuer varies by placement. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [3](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") [7](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [11](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us")

### Who Can Access the Offering

Cowbell’s module is accessed only by appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through the Cowbell platform’s API. Founder Shield is a retail brokerage: you request coverage through its website or an advisor, and its placement team approaches carriers. Cowbell’s size screen is under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets for private companies. Founder Shield markets EPLI to first-hire startups, high-turnover retail and hospitality, professional-services firms, technology companies and non-profits with volunteers, without publishing a 250-employee cap. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [11](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability 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?")

### Packaging With D&O

Cowbell presents EPL as a module inside Select Plus management liability, with Zurich’s official name adding third-party discrimination. Founder Shield says EPLI is often purchased standalone but is sometimes packaged with D&O because employee suits frequently name officers. Neither reviewed page publishes EPL limits. [3](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")

## What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes

- If you do not have an appointed Zurich E&S wholesaler, Select Plus EPL is not a direct purchase; Founder Shield’s path is a retail placement request. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [11](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us")
- Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier it would approach for your industry, versus Zurich paper on Cowbell. [7](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [3](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus")
- Confirm whether third-party discrimination is granted on both forms; Zurich’s module name includes it, and Founder Shield’s coverage list does not use that label. [3](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")
- Check headcount and asset eligibility for Select Plus against Founder Shield’s volunteer and high-turnover examples. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Employment Practices Liability | Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | 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. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [3](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..) | Founder Shield is a retail insurance brokerage, described on its site as “the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group,” and places Founder Shield Employment Practices 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..)<br><br>Founder Shield says EPLI is often purchased standalone but is sometimes packaged with Directors & Officers coverage, since employee-related suits frequently name corporate officers personally. [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: EPLI product page..) |
| Issuing Insurer | 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. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [3](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..) | Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Employment Practices 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 | 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. [4](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..) | Founder Shield markets EPLI to startups hiring their first employees, retail and hospitality businesses with high turnover, professional-services firms, technology companies, and non-profits with volunteers. [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: EPLI product page..) |
| Coverage Features | Cowbell describes EPL as covering claims related to employment practices, including discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, and other employment-related issues. [4](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. [4](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?'..) | Founder Shield lists defense costs, settlements and judgments, and claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation as what EPLI responds to. [10](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Neither the Cowbell page nor Zurich's own Select Plus page, both read in full, publishes EPL limit or retention amounts. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [3](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..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | 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. [4](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?'..) | You request Founder Shield Employment Practices 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

- [Cowbell vs Founder Shield](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-foundershield): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices): Employment practices liability insurance can help defend your business against covered claims of discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination.
- [Cowbell vs Founder Shield Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-foundershield/crime)
- [Cowbell vs Founder Shield Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-foundershield/cyber)
- [Cowbell vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-foundershield/directors-officers)
- [Cowbell vs Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-foundershield/fiduciary)
- [Alliance Risk vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Alliance Risk vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-foundershield/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-foundershield/employment-practices)
- [Beazley vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Beazley vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-foundershield/employment-practices)

## Sources

### Cowbell

1. [Cowbell](https://cowbell.insure/). Cowbell; What We Do; Assess, Insure, Respond and Improve; U.S. navigation; footer legal disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-15.
2. [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.
3. [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.
4. [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.

### 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. [Quote Portal](https://apx.foundershield.com/). Founder Shield; Public landing screen, Create Account and Sign In links. 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. [Claims](https://foundershield.com/claims/). Founder Shield; Our Approach; How We Support Claims Management, steps 1–5; Make a claim link. Accessed 2026-09-15.
10. [Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/). Founder Shield; What Is EPL Insurance?; Who Needs EPL Insurance Coverage?; What Does EPL 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.

### Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide

12. [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.

Updated 2026-09-23. 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/cowbell-vs-foundershield/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)