---
title: "Cowbell vs Gallagher Employment Practices Liability Insurance"
description: "Cowbell distributes a Zurich EPL module for smaller private companies; Gallagher advises EPL limits with class-action and wage-and-hour databases."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-gallagher/employment-practices"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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

# Cowbell vs Gallagher Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Cowbell distributes a Zurich EPL module for smaller private companies; Gallagher advises EPL limits with class-action and wage-and-hour databases.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Cowbell and Gallagher 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 is a Zurich Select Plus module on admitted paper, sold only through appointed wholesalers to private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets. Gallagher’s Executive and Financial Risk practice places EPL with outside carriers and uses EPL and wage-and-hour loss databases, including losses over $1 million, to advise on limits for class-action and single-plaintiff risk. [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://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance")

## 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 Gallagher?

Gallagher is a business-insurance broker and risk-management consultancy. Its technology practice serves startups through global enterprises, alongside a separate small-business offering for IT professionals and an executive-risk practice covering D&O and transaction-related coverages. Woodruff Sawyer is now part of Gallagher. [5](https://www.ajg.com/industries/technology-insurance/ "Technology Insurance") [6](https://www.gallaghersmallbusiness.com/technology-services/ "Insurance for Technology & IT Businesses") [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") [8](https://www.gallaghersmallbusiness.com/legal-information/ "Legal Information") [9](https://www.ajg.com/merger-partners/woodruff-sawyer-is-now-gallagher/ "Woodruff Sawyer Is Now Gallagher")

[Gallagher profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/gallagher)

## What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Employment practices liability insurance addresses claims alleging workplace wrongdoing, such as discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. [10](https://www.iii.org/article/employment-practices-liability-insurance "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")

## Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance

### Underwriter Versus Broker

Cowbell distributes Zurich Select Plus; Zurich underwrites the EPL module, which Cowbell and Zurich say is written on Zurich admitted paper. Gallagher’s Executive and Financial Risk practice places EPL with outside carriers and advises on limits and program design; it does not underwrite. [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://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance")

The Cowbell module is accessed only by appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through Cowbell’s API. Gallagher’s reviewed materials do not describe that wholesale-API path. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance")

### How Size Enters the Picture

Cowbell targets private companies under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets. Gallagher says its EPL exposure modeling accounts for employee count, employee type and mix, and location of operations, reflecting that EPL claim size correlates with organization size and diversity. Gallagher’s reviewed materials do not publish Cowbell’s 250-employee / $50 million screen. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance")

### Coverage Descriptions

Cowbell describes EPL as covering discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment and other employment-related issues. Zurich names the module “Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability.” Gallagher describes EPL as responding to claims such as sexual harassment and wrongful termination, protecting against both class actions and single-plaintiff claims. [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://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance")

### Risk-Advisory Services

Gallagher says it uses client data and predictive models, plus benchmarking and contract analysis, to guide EPL limits advice, and maintains EPL and wage-and-hour loss databases, including historical losses exceeding $1 million from a database it says it began in 1997. Cowbell’s reviewed FAQs do not describe comparable EPL loss databases for this module. Neither side publishes EPL limit figures. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")

## What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes

- Ask Gallagher which carriers it would approach, versus Zurich admitted paper on Select Plus. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") [3](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus")
- Confirm Select Plus eligibility if you exceed 250 employees or $50 million in assets. Gallagher’s modeling is not described as using those cutoffs. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance")
- Ask how Gallagher would treat class-action and single-plaintiff claims on the placed form. Cowbell’s FAQ does not use that split. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")
- Get actual limits and the named insurer from both quotes. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Employment Practices Liability | Gallagher Employment Practices Liability (EPL) 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..) | Gallagher's Executive and Financial Risk practice places EPL insurance with outside carriers and advises on limits and program design; it does not underwrite the policy. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice 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..) | The executive-and-financial-risk page does not name the insurer that would issue a given client's EPL policy. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Checked the group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page..) |
| 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..) | Gallagher says its EPL exposure modeling accounts for an organization's employee count, employee type and mix, and location of operations, reflecting that EPL claim size correlates with organization size and diversity. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice 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?'..) | Gallagher describes EPL coverage as responding to claims such as sexual harassment and wrongful termination, protecting against both class actions and single-plaintiff claims. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page; a service description, not a specific policy's insuring agreement or exclusions..) |
| 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..) | The page does not publish specific EPL limits or premium ranges; it describes only the benchmarking process used to recommend limits. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Checked the group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page..) |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Gallagher says it uses client data and predictive models, plus benchmarking and contract analysis, to guide EPL limits advice, and maintains its own EPL and Wage and Hour loss databases, including a review of historical losses exceeding $1 million drawn from a database it says it began building in 1997. [7](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page; Gallagher's own analytical tools, not independently audited..) |
| 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?'..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |

## Full Comparison

- [Cowbell vs Gallagher](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-gallagher): 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 Gallagher Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-gallagher/crime)
- [Cowbell vs Gallagher Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-gallagher/cyber)
- [Cowbell vs Gallagher D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-gallagher/directors-officers)
- [Cowbell vs Gallagher Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-gallagher/fiduciary)
- [Cowbell vs Gallagher Tech E&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-gallagher/technology-errors-omissions)
- [Alliance Risk vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Alliance Risk vs Gallagher Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-gallagher/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Gallagher Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-gallagher/employment-practices)
- [Beazley vs Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Beazley vs Gallagher Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-gallagher/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.

### Gallagher

5. [Technology Insurance](https://www.ajg.com/industries/technology-insurance/). Gallagher; Introduction; Solutions and coverages for the technology industry: Technology errors and omissions including cyber, Intellectual property insurance, Product liability, Employee benefits; Data-driven insights; global network. Accessed 2026-09-16.
6. [Insurance for Technology & IT Businesses](https://www.gallaghersmallbusiness.com/technology-services/). Gallagher Small Business; Protection for IT Professionals & Their Technology-Based Businesses; recommended coverage menu, including Surety Bond Programs; Connect With An Advisor. Accessed 2026-09-16.
7. [Executive and Financial Risk Insurance](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/). Gallagher; Employment Practices Liability (EPL) insurance section. Accessed 2026-09-23.
8. [Legal Information](https://www.gallaghersmallbusiness.com/legal-information/). Gallagher Small Business; Producer identification immediately above Quick Links. Accessed 2026-09-16.
9. [Woodruff Sawyer Is Now Gallagher](https://www.ajg.com/merger-partners/woodruff-sawyer-is-now-gallagher/). Gallagher; Opening; Executive and Financial Risk consulting; Continued access to client portals; contact form. Accessed 2026-09-16.

### Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide

10. [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.

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