---
title: "Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Crime Insurance"
description: "Cowbell’s Zurich crime module targets private companies under 250 employees; Heffernan lists crime only inside home-care packages."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-heffernan/crime"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Crime Insurance

Cowbell’s Zurich crime module targets private companies under 250 employees; Heffernan lists crime only inside home-care packages.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Cowbell and Heffernan Insurance Brokers for Crime 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 distributes Zurich Select Plus crime through appointed E&S wholesalers for private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets. Heffernan’s reviewed pages list Crime – Third Party Theft and an Employee Dishonesty Bond only inside home-care, home-health and hospice packages, not as a general commercial crime product. [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") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business 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 Heffernan Insurance Brokers?

Heffernan Insurance Brokers is an independent, Walnut Creek–headquartered retail brokerage that arranges business insurance, employee benefits, and related services. Its technology practice markets to mid- and late-stage companies, including venture-funded and pre-IPO firms. [5](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/ "Our Story") [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/technology/ "Technology Company Insurance") [7](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage")

[Heffernan Insurance Brokers profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan)

## What Is Crime Insurance?

Crime insurance addresses business losses from specified theft and fraud risks, such as robbery, forgery and embezzlement. [9](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/09-comm/commercialguide.cfm "Commercial Insurance Guide")

## Key Differences in Crime Insurance

### Select Plus Module Versus Home-Care Package Line

Cowbell’s crime coverage is a module in Zurich’s Select Plus management-liability product, with Zurich underwriting and Cowbell operating the platform. Heffernan arranges crime as “Crime – Third Party Theft” inside insurance packages for home care, home health and hospice businesses, and the reviewed sources do not describe a general commercial crime offering outside that home-care context. [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") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance")

### Buyer Types

Cowbell aims the module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets. Heffernan markets the home-care crime listing to home health providers, hospices, staffing agencies and registries, infusion therapy providers and personal care assistants, and says those programs cover all states and agency sizes. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance")

### Access, Paper and Nearby Coverages

Appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers buy Cowbell’s module through the API; it is not sold direct. Heffernan tells home-care businesses to start at least 30 days before working with clients and to request a free rate quote because rates vary by state. Cowbell and Zurich say Select Plus crime sits on Zurich admitted paper. Heffernan’s home-care page does not name an issuer and lists an Employee Dishonesty Bond separately from Crime – Third Party Theft, next to workers’ compensation, liability and cyber. Cowbell’s FAQ defines crime as theft, fraud and embezzlement by employees or third parties. [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") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance")

## What to Confirm in Crime Insurance Quotes

- If you are not a home-care, home-health or hospice operation, ask Heffernan whether crime is available outside that package. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance")
- Confirm the appointed Zurich E&S wholesaler and Zurich issuing entity on a Cowbell quote. [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")
- Ask Heffernan how Crime – Third Party Theft and the Employee Dishonesty Bond interact on one policy. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance")
- Check Cowbell’s employee and asset targets against your numbers. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Crime Coverage | Heffernan Home Care Crime Insurance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Crime coverage is one module within Cowbell's distribution of Zurich's Select Plus management liability product; Cowbell operates the platform, Zurich underwrites the module. Zurich's own page lists 'Crime Insurance' as one of the four modules a buyer can combine. [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..) | Heffernan arranges crime coverage, listed on its site as 'Crime – Third Party Theft,' as part of the insurance packages it builds for home care, home health and hospice businesses. This record only documents crime coverage in that home-care context; the reviewed sources do not describe a general commercial crime offering outside home care. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Home Care Business Insurance page's coverage list..) |
| Issuing Insurer | Cowbell and Zurich both say the Select Plus modules, including crime, 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 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 home care page does not name the insurer that would issue the crime or employee dishonesty coverage. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Checked the Home Care Business Insurance page on 2026-09-23. The issuing insurer would appear on the quote and declarations..) |
| Who It’s For | Cowbell targets this crime module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50M in assets, across the same target industries listed for the broader Select Plus product. [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..) | Heffernan markets this crime coverage to home health care and in-home health care providers, hospices, staffing agencies and registries, infusion therapy providers and personal care assistants, and says its home care programs cover all states and agency sizes. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Home Care Business Insurance page's client-type and coverage-area descriptions; 'all states' is a company statement, not independently verified state-by-state licensing..) |
| Coverage Features | Cowbell describes crime coverage as protecting against losses resulting from criminal acts such as theft, fraud, and embezzlement committed by employees or third parties. [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?'..) | Heffernan lists 'Crime – Third Party Theft' and a separate 'Employee Dishonesty Bond' among the coverages in its home care package, alongside workers' compensation, general and professional liability, and cyber and identity theft coverage. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Home Care Business Insurance page's coverage list; specific insuring agreements, exclusions and endorsements for the crime coverage are not published there..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Neither the Cowbell page nor Zurich's own Select Plus page, both read in full, publishes crime-coverage 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 home care page does not publish specific limits or bond amounts for the crime or employee dishonesty coverage; it discusses only general cost ranges for the overall home care insurance package. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Checked the Home Care Business Insurance page on 2026-09-23..) |
| Risk Services | Neither reviewed page describes crime-specific risk-control services such as employee-dishonesty prevention programs; both describe the Select Plus product's claims backing only at the whole-product level. [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: Management liability page and Zurich page, both read on 2026-09-23..) | Heffernan says its home care insurance specialists can walk clients through coverage and premium options, and it names a dedicated Home Care Practice Leader and regional practice leaders as points of contact. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Home Care Business Insurance page's workers'-compensation guidance and practice-leader contact sections..) |
| How to Apply | This crime 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?'..) | Heffernan tells home care businesses to begin the insurance application process at least 30 days before working with clients and to contact Heffernan for a free rate quote, since rates vary by state. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Home Care Business Insurance page's cost-and-timing section..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-heffernan): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Crime Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/crime): Crime insurance can help recover business losses from specified theft and fraud, including employee theft, forgery and payment fraud.
- [Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-heffernan/cyber)
- [Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-heffernan/employment-practices)
- [Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-heffernan/fiduciary)
- [Alliance Risk vs Cowbell Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cowbell/crime)
- [Alliance Risk vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-heffernan/crime)
- [Beazley vs Cowbell Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-cowbell/crime)
- [Beazley vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-heffernan/crime)
- [CFC vs Cowbell Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cfc-vs-cowbell/crime)
- [CFC vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cfc-vs-heffernan/crime)

## 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 'Crime Insurance'; 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.
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?' (Crime Coverage definition); Target industries list; FAQ on access and account size. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Heffernan Insurance Brokers

5. [Our Story](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
6. [Technology Company Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/technology/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Pre-IPO and venture-funded heading; mid to late stage specialization; global expansion copy; self-insurance strategies; Key Markets list; Why Heffernan broker history; Joseph Talmadge practice leader; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
7. [Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Forward-Thinking Business Insurance: basic coverages (general liability, commercial property and auto, workers’ compensation); corporate and executive protection (EPL, D&O, fiduciary responsibility, cyber, kidnap and ransom); alternative risk capabilities; claims, loss control and risk-management services; industry practice links including Technology and Claims Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
8. [Home Care Business Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Insurance for Home Care Businesses, Home Health, and Hospices: covering all states and agency sizes; 'We offer comprehensive coverage for' list including Crime – Third Party Theft and Employee Dishonesty Bond; Home Care Insurance Cost for Start-ups; practice-leader contacts. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Crime Insurance Guide

9. [Commercial Insurance Guide](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/09-comm/commercialguide.cfm). California Department of Insurance; Crime. 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-heffernan/crime.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)