---
title: "Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers: Employment Practices Liability Insurance"
description: "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."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-heffernan/employment-practices"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-25"
comparison-pair: "cowbell-vs-heffernan"
provider-a: "cowbell"
provider-b: "heffernan"
coverage-line: "employment-practices"
---

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

## Agent Guide

**What this page is:** Focused comparison of Cowbell and Heffernan Insurance Brokers for Employment Practices 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 Employment Practices Liability Insurance questions about Cowbell versus Heffernan Insurance Brokers. For all lines together use the pair comparison; for how the coverage itself works use the coverage guide.

**Questions this page answers:**
- Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers for Employment Practices Liability Insurance: how do they differ?
- Which is better for Employment Practices Liability Insurance, Cowbell or Heffernan Insurance Brokers?
- What does Cowbell or Heffernan Insurance Brokers publish about Employment Practices Liability Insurance (limits, eligibility, claims, add-ons)?

**Key facts:**
- Line: Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Providers: Cowbell and Heffernan Insurance Brokers.
- Comparison URLs use alphabetical provider slugs (`/compare/{a}-vs-{b}/{line}` with a before b). A reversed pair redirects permanently to the alphabetical one.

**Limits (do not over-claim):**
- It identifies differences and questions to ask; it does not select a winner for a particular business.
- 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; last updated 2026-09-25.

**Related pages:**
- [Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-heffernan) — all coverage lines for this pair
- [Employment Practices Liability Insurance guide](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices) — how this coverage works
- [Cowbell profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cowbell) — provider profile
- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan) — provider profile

# 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 Zurich-backed EPL covers private retail, hospitality and manufacturing companies under 250 employees through wholesale brokers, while Heffernan brokers EPL directly for home-care agencies and family offices.

## Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Employment Practices Liability Insurance Summary

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](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [2](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [4](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") [5](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") [7](https://www.heffins.com/employment-practices-liability-101-what-you-need-know/ "Employment Practices Liability 101: What You Need to Know")

## 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](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [2](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [4](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") [5](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office")

### 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](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus") [1](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage")

### 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](https://www.heffins.com/employment-practices-liability-101-what-you-need-know/ "Employment Practices Liability 101: What You Need to Know") [1](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")

## 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](https://www.heffins.com/employment-practices-liability-101-what-you-need-know/ "Employment Practices Liability 101: What You Need to Know")
- Ask your broker whether it can reach an appointed Zurich wholesaler for Cowbell, and which Zurich company would issue. [1](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [2](https://www.zurichna.com/insurance/excess-and-surplus/small-business-management-liability "Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus")
- Home-care agencies and family offices: ask Heffernan what those practices include beyond EPL. [4](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") [5](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") [1](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")
- Get limits in writing from both; neither publishes them. [1](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [7](https://www.heffins.com/employment-practices-liability-101-what-you-need-know/ "Employment Practices Liability 101: What You Need to Know")

## Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Employment Practices Liability Compared

| 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. [1](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..) | 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](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [4](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") [5](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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. [1](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. [1](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?'..) | 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. [7](https://www.heffins.com/employment-practices-liability-101-what-you-need-know/ "Employment Practices Liability 101: What You Need to Know") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [2](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 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. [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Business Insurance Brokerage page listing; no policy form or dedicated EPL product page was found..) |

## About Cowbell and Heffernan Insurance Brokers

- [Cowbell company profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cowbell) · [Cowbell customer reviews](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cowbell/reviews)
- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers company profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan) · [Heffernan Insurance Brokers customer reviews](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan/reviews)
- [What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices)

## Related Pages for Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers

- [Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-heffernan): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices): EPLI can address covered workplace claims from applicants and workers; claim timing, defense arrangements, limits and exclusions shape your protection.
- [Cowbell Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/cowbell/employment-practices)
- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan/employment-practices)

## Sources for Cowbell vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers

### Sources About Cowbell

1. [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.
2. [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.

### Sources About Heffernan Insurance Brokers

3. [Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Corporate and executive protection, such as employment practices liability, directors and officers liability, fiduciary responsibility, cyber liability, and kidnap and ransom are also available through our comprehensive business insurance programs.. Accessed 2026-09-23.
4. [Home Care Business Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; We offer comprehensive coverage for: Workers' Compensation Insurance, General and Professional Liability, Employment Practice Liability, Business/Owned Auto, Non-owned and Hired Auto, and more. Accessed 2026-09-23.
5. [Family Office](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Coverage for Family Offices, Trustees & Financial Firms: Family office liability, D&O, Professional liability, Employment practices liability insurance, Workers' compensation, Employee benefits, Trustee liability, Property and auto, Fiduciary liability, Fidelity/financial institution bond, Cyber, Crime, General liability, Excess liability. Accessed 2026-09-23.
6. [Claims Advocacy](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/claims-advocacy/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Services We Offer: Workers' Compensation Claims Expertise; Medical Triage Services; General Liability, Auto & Property Claims Support; Online Risk Management & HR Support; Streamlined Vendor Compliance. Accessed 2026-09-23.
7. [Employment Practices Liability 101: What You Need to Know](https://www.heffins.com/employment-practices-liability-101-what-you-need-know/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; May 18, 2016 article by Tanner Fornesi, Assistant Vice President, Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Wage and Hour coverage, 100% Hammer Clause, Immigration Claim Endorsement. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Updated 2026-09-25. 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/employment-practices.md)
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- [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)