Cowbell vs 
Heffernan Insurance Brokers: How Do They Compare for Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Cowbell distributes Zurich-written EPL to private companies under 250 employees through firms Zurich appoints to distribute the module. Heffernan Insurance Brokers places EPL for a range of business types and an older article discusses wage-and-hour limits within the policy.
Cowbell’s EPL, written by Zurich, is for private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets and reaches you only through a wholesale broker; Heffernan is a broker you can call directly, with EPL in its home-care, family-office and general business programs. 1,2,3,4,5,7
What Are the Key Differences Between Cowbell and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Wholesale-Only Module vs a Broker You Contact Directly
Cowbell distributes Zurich Select Plus, where Zurich underwrites the EPL module; only appointed Zurich wholesalers can access it, so your own broker has to go through one. Cowbell targets private retail, hospitality and manufacturing companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets. Heffernan is a broker you contact directly, listing EPL in its general business, home-care agency and family-office practices with no published size band. Choose Cowbell if you are a small private retailer, restaurant or manufacturer whose broker has wholesale access; choose Heffernan if you run a home-care agency or family office, or are above Cowbell’s size caps. 1 2 3 4 5
Third-Party Discrimination Named vs No Current Form
Zurich’s module is called Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability, so claims from customers are in the name; Cowbell’s FAQs add discrimination, wrongful termination and harassment. Heffernan publishes no current coverage list for the EPL it places. You can check Cowbell’s scope before quoting; with Heffernan you need the form. 2 1 3
2016 Endorsement Advice vs No Endorsement Guidance
Heffernan’s 2016 article tells you to ask for wage-and-hour cover, a 100% hammer clause (the insurer can’t force a settlement on you) and an immigration endorsement, and put wage-and-hour sublimits then around $100,000. That advice is dated but still a useful checklist. Cowbell’s FAQs say nothing on any of the three. 7 1
What Should You Confirm in Cowbell and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes?
- Ask both whether the form includes wage-and-hour, a 100% hammer clause and immigration cover. 7
- Ask your broker whether it can reach an appointed Zurich wholesaler for Cowbell, and which Zurich company would issue. 1 2
- Home-care agencies and family offices: ask Heffernan what those practices include beyond EPL. 4 5 1
- Get limits in writing from both; neither publishes them. 1 7
Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Employment Practices Liability Compared
Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers: Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Employment Practices Liability | Heffernan Employment Practices Liability Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 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. 1Company-reported. FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list. | EPL appears in three separate parts of Heffernan's site: the general business-insurance page, the home-care agency practice, and the family-office/financial-firm practice, indicating it is offered to a range of business types rather than one narrow niche. 3,4,5Company-reported. Direct practice-page listings; the pages do not publish a minimum size or industry restriction for EPL specifically. |
| Coverage Features | Cowbell describes EPL as covering claims related to employment practices, including discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, and other employment-related issues. 1Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'. 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. 1Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the most common management liability claim?'. | In a 2016 article, Heffernan advisor Tanner Fornesi says EPL policies are modular and recommends buyers specifically request wage-and-hour coverage, a 100% hammer clause (so the insurer, not the policyholder, bears settlement costs above an offer the policyholder declines), and an immigration claim endorsement. 7Company-reported. 2016 educational article about EPL coverage generally, not a current Heffernan product specification; endorsement availability depends on the carrier and current market terms. |
| 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. 1,2Company-reported. Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section. | Heffernan places employment practices liability (EPL) coverage as part of its corporate and executive-protection lineup within its general business-insurance brokerage. It shops and places the policy with insurers rather than underwriting it. 3Company-reported. Business Insurance Brokerage page listing; no policy form or dedicated EPL product page was found. |
