---
title: "Cowbell vs Lockton Crime Insurance"
description: "Cowbell’s Zurich crime module is wholesaler-only; Lockton brokers Crime and Fidelity with a dedicated Professional & Executive Risk claims team."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-lockton/crime"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-lockton/crime)

# Cowbell vs Lockton Crime Insurance

Cowbell’s Zurich crime module is wholesaler-only; Lockton brokers Crime and Fidelity with a dedicated Professional & Executive Risk claims team.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Cowbell and Lockton 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 on admitted paper through appointed E&S wholesalers for private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets. Lockton places Crime and Fidelity for nonprofit, private and public organizations, notes financial institution bonds as a distinct product, and says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team handles those 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") [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity 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 Lockton?

Lockton is a privately held insurance brokerage that arranges commercial risk, employee benefits and retirement programs. US pages describe a technology practice and intermediary placement with insurers, not Lockton as the policy’s insurer. [5](https://global.lockton.com/us/en "Lockton United States") [6](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/technology "Technology") [7](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/terms-of-business "US Terms of Business")

[Lockton profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/lockton)

## 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

### Distribution Platform Versus Crime and Fidelity Brokerage

Cowbell distributes Zurich’s Select Plus crime module; Zurich underwrites it on admitted paper and Cowbell operates the platform. Lockton places Crime and Fidelity to address theft, fraud, forgery and embezzlement by employees or third parties and describes that as a brokered program, not a Lockton-issued policy. [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://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance")

### Claims Advocacy and Product Split

Lockton says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team, which keeps insurance and claims counsel inside the broking team rather than as a separate profit center, handles Crime and Fidelity claims. Cowbell’s reviewed pages describe Select Plus claims backing only at the whole-product level and do not describe crime-specific risk-control or claims advocacy. Lockton also notes that financial institutions are often required to carry a financial institution bond, distinct from general crime coverage; Cowbell’s module is not described that way. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance") [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")

### Appetite and Access

Cowbell targets private companies under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets and sells only through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers via API. Lockton says crime coverage is relevant to nonprofit, private and public organizations of any sector, calls small businesses particularly exposed because they often lack fraud-prevention and auditing resources, and does not name the insurers it uses. Lockton lists employee theft, forgery or alteration, theft on or off premises, computer fraud, counterfeit currency and social-engineering impersonation. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance")

## What to Confirm in Crime Insurance Quotes

- Confirm Cowbell access only through an appointed Zurich E&S wholesaler. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")
- Ask Lockton whether you need a financial institution bond or a general crime and fidelity program. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance")
- Ask how Lockton’s Professional & Executive Risk Claims team would handle a crime claim versus Zurich’s Select Plus claims path. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance") [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")
- Check Cowbell’s employee and asset caps if you are quoting that module. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Crime Coverage | Lockton Crime and Fidelity Insurance Brokerage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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..) | Lockton places Crime and Fidelity insurance to protect businesses against financial losses from theft, fraud, forgery and embezzlement by employees or third parties; it describes this as a brokered program, not a policy Lockton underwrites. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Crime and Fidelity product page as read 2026-09-23..) |
| 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 page does not name the insurers Lockton places crime and fidelity coverage with. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Crime and Fidelity page checked 2026-09-23..) |
| 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..) | Lockton says crime coverage is relevant to nonprofit, private and public organizations of any sector, and calls out small businesses as particularly exposed because they often lack fraud-prevention and auditing resources. It also notes financial institutions are frequently required to carry a financial institution bond, distinct from general crime coverage. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Crime and Fidelity product page as read 2026-09-23..) |
| 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?'..) | Lockton lists the claim types a crime and fidelity program is meant to address: employee theft, forgery or alteration of negotiable instruments, theft on or off premises, computer fraud, counterfeit currency, and social engineering (impersonation) fraud involving customers, vendors or employees. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page as read 2026-09-23; a capability/claim-type list, not a specimen policy..) |
| 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..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| 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..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| 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?'..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Claims Support | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Lockton says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team, which integrates insurance and claims counsel within the broking team rather than treating claims advocacy as a separate profit center, handles Crime and Fidelity claims. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance "Crime and Fidelity Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page as read 2026-09-23. Describes Lockton's advocacy role, not an insurer's claim-paying obligation..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Cowbell vs Lockton](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-lockton): 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 Lockton Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-lockton/cyber)
- [Cowbell vs Lockton D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-lockton/directors-officers)
- [Cowbell vs Lockton Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-lockton/employment-practices)
- [Cowbell vs Lockton Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-lockton/fiduciary)
- [Alliance Risk vs Cowbell Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-cowbell/crime)
- [Alliance Risk vs Lockton Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-lockton/crime)
- [Beazley vs Cowbell Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-cowbell/crime)
- [Beazley vs Lockton Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/crime)
- [CFC vs Cowbell Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cfc-vs-cowbell/crime)
- [CFC vs Lockton Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/cfc-vs-lockton/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.

### Lockton

5. [Lockton United States](https://global.lockton.com/us/en). Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
6. [Technology](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/technology). Lockton; Industry introduction; cyber liability heading; dedicated technology team; listed services including claims advocacy, contract review, directors and officers liability, and international program design; 24/7 service model. Accessed 2026-09-16.
7. [US Terms of Business](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/terms-of-business). Lockton; Opening entity definition; Surplus Lines; Use of a Particular Insurer; Compensation Disclosure; servicing, claims handling and renewal language in Confidentiality section; Intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
8. [Crime and Fidelity Insurance](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/crime-and-fidelity-insurance). Lockton; What is Crime and Fidelity Insurance?; Who needs to purchase Crime and Fidelity Insurance?; Types of Crime and Fidelity claims; Claims management. 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-lockton/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)