Cowbell vs
Simply Business
Introduction
This comparison pairs technology or cyber businesses and middle-market or larger organizations through Cowbell with small businesses through Simply Business. Their coverage catalogues share cyber. If one of those lines fits your business, compare the proposed forms and quote routes side by side; listed lines do not establish equal policy terms or eligibility. 1 23
Coverage Comparison
| Coverage | Cowbell | Simply Business |
|---|---|---|
| Business owner’s policy | Not listed | Listed 32 |
| Commercial property | Not listed | Listed 33,32Offered as part of a BOP, rather than as a standalone policy. |
| Crime | Listed 18,19Cowbell offers a crime module in Zurich Select Plus for small and medium private companies, available through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers. | Not listed |
| Cyber liability | Listed 11,12,13,14,15Cowbell offers standalone and excess cyber products through its insurance-agency business. | Listed 35Add-on for select buyers purchasing another business policy; phone quote route. |
| Directors and officers | Listed 18,19Cowbell offers Zurich Select Plus D&O for small and medium private companies, available through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers. | Not listed |
| Employment practices liability | Listed 18,19Cowbell offers Zurich Select Plus employment practices coverage for small and medium private companies, available through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers. | Not listed |
| Fiduciary liability | Listed 18,19Cowbell offers Zurich Select Plus fiduciary liability for small and medium private companies, available through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers. | Not listed |
| General liability | Not listed | Listed 29 |
| Management liability | Listed 18,19Cowbell provides access to Zurich management liability for private businesses with fewer than 250 employees and under $50 million in assets through Zurich-appointed wholesalers. | Not listed |
| Professional errors and omissions (E&O) | Not listed | Listed 31 |
| Technology errors and omissions (E&O) | Listed 16,17Cowbell markets combined technology errors and omissions and cyber coverage, plus follow-form excess, for technology businesses with revenue up to $1 billion. | Not listed |
| Tools, equipment and inland marine | Not listed | Listed 34 |
| Workers’ compensation | Not listed | Listed 30 |
A listing may be arranged through an insurer or partner. “Not listed” means this catalogue has no separate offering recorded; ask the provider whether it can quote the coverage and request the policy terms.
Current Spot Scores
Each score uses the rubric for that provider’s documented role. Providers with more than one role may have a score for each.
Cowbell
Managing general agentCarrier & MGA
6.3/ 10Assessed provider: Cowbell. Scope: Cowbell US cyber and specialty program-administration activity at the named-entity level, centered on Cowbell Insurance Agency LLC as producer/general-agent/MGA activity. Palomar Specialty Insurance Company and Chaucer Specialty Insurance Company are separate external carrier-paper relationships and are not treated as Cowbell-owned risk-bearing entities; Cowbell Cyber, Inc. is brand/operator context.
Simply Business
BrokerBroker
No Spot Score
Assessment subject unavailable
Review Scores
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
Cowbell
Review Score
1 rated source
Cowbell has one public rating we could find: 1.0 out of 5 on SourceForge from three reviews in 2023. That's too few and too old to say much.[8]
Read Cowbell reviewsSimply Business
Review Score
4 rated sources
Customers disagree about Simply Business. Trustpilot shows 4.3 out of 5 from 1,901 reviews, but BBB customers give it 1.95 from 20 reviews and ConsumerAffairs shows 1.0.[6][10][7]
Read Simply Business reviewsKey Differences Between Cowbell and Simply Business
Business Fit and Coverage
The catalogues share cyber; other listed lines appear in the comparison table. For the overlap, match the policy forms, limits, exclusions and endorsements before treating the products as alternatives. A shared line name does not establish equal protection or eligibility.
Small and midsize businesses can compare Cowbell cyber options, while middle-market firms can consider broader programs; Prime 100 targets up to $100 million revenue and Prime 250/Tech up to $1 billion. 10,11,12,13,16Company-reported. Published U.S. product appetites; eligibility is subject to underwriting and product-specific class restrictions.
Simply Business says it serves small businesses and solopreneurs and lists examples such as contractors, cleaning businesses, LLCs and sole proprietors. These examples describe its stated audience, not guaranteed insurer eligibility or availability. 23,28,24Company-reported. Company-described U.S. audience; eligibility varies by insurer, state and business details.
You can compare Cowbell’s distinct admitted Prime 100/100 Pro, non-admitted Prime 250/Prime One and follow-form excess Prime Plus programs; their revenue fit, limits, coverage and jurisdiction differ. 9,11,12,13,14,15Company-reported. Current U.S. broker-resource catalogue and product overviews. Product descriptions are illustrative and actual forms control.
Roles and Quote Access
Your policy’s named insurer remains responsible for coverage; Cowbell is an insurance platform and agency that may act as a general agent. Cowbell Insurance Agency LLC identifies itself as a US P&C producer. 1,5,2Company-reported. Cowbell's current U.S. website and producer disclosure; the exact role can vary by product and placement.
Simply Business describes its U.S. service as an online commercial-insurance marketplace and licensed producer connecting business customers with insurers. Its June 30, 2026 Terms identify Simply Business, LLC and Harborway Insurance Agency, LLC d/b/a Harborway Insurance as licensed producers, with Harborway a Simply Business subsidiary; the Terms say Harborway policies are underwritten by Spinnaker Insurance Company. Other site policies are underwritten by third-party providers, so the selected issuer depends on the offer and policy. These roles and license statements are company-reported. The contact-page footer says Simply Business, LLC is licensed in all U.S. states and D.C.; for California it says the company operates under the name Simply Business Insurance Agency, LLC and displays License #0M20593. The footer also lists Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas operating names; it gives no other license identifiers. No regulator lookup was performed or required for this candidate. 23,24,36,25Company-reported. U.S. commercial insurance distribution described by the company. Simply Business, LLC, Simply Business, Inc., Harborway Insurance Agency, LLC, the stated parent and each policy issuer are distinct. The Inc./LLC relationship remains unresolved.
Buyers work through an insurance agent or broker; appointed agents use Cowbell’s platform to quote, bind and issue eligible products, and no direct-buyer quote path was documented. 8,1,9,11Company-reported. Current public U.S. buyer and broker paths. This does not establish that every listed agent can access every Cowbell product.
The company advertises online quotes and weekday phone access to licensed agents. Its Terms say a quote is not guaranteed and Simply Business cannot bind a risk without panel-member approval; a quote or online purchase path does not establish that every applicant can bind online. 25,24Company-reported. Published U.S. quote and service channels. Binding depends on panel-member approval and the individual offer.
Use these routes to plan who will assemble the submission and whether you can complete the purchase online or need an agent or broker. Ask Cowbell and Simply Business to confirm the route for your state, coverage and business details; an online quote path alone does not show that a risk can be bound. 8 25
Policy Service and Claims
Cowbell pairs cyber coverage with risk ratings, policyholder insights, security connectors, training and resiliency support; included access may be limited or trial-based, while some services require a subscription. 22,11,15Company-reported. Current U.S. resiliency-services catalogue and cyber product overviews. Eligibility, third-party terms and whether a service is bundled depend on the policy and service agreement.
The company describes account access for policy documents, certificates, account updates and adding coverage; help material routes some changes to an agent or insurer. Not every policy change is described as self-service. 25,26,24Company-reported. Company-described post-purchase service paths; available tasks may depend on policy and insurer.
Cowbell says its in-house cyber claims team and response panel are available 24/7; have your policy number, incident date, details and contact ready. The issuing insurer and policy determine coverage and payment. 21,11,14Company-reported. Cowbell's current U.S. cyber claims-services page and product overviews; company-reported service description, not an independently measured outcome.
The Terms say third-party insurers underwrite site policies and each provider handles claims on its own policies; the Help Center directs policyholders to identify and contact the insurer. This establishes a published route, not agency assistance after notice or claim outcomes. 24,26Company-reported. General site-policy claim responsibility. Harborway/Spinnaker applies only to the named Harborway placement relationship.
Compare the practical handoffs for documents, policy changes, renewal questions and claim notices. A listed support route describes access to help, not a claim outcome or a guarantee of service speed.
What to Confirm in Quotes
Request quotes for the same business details, coverage lines, limits, deductibles or retentions and policy period. Ask Cowbell and Simply Business to name the producer and issuing insurer for each proposed policy, confirm who can bind it, and itemize any customer fees or intermediary compensation. For the overlapping cyber, compare the actual insuring agreement, exclusions, sublimits and endorsements. Also confirm who handles account changes and receives claim notices. 11 23 2 24
Compare Services
What each provider documents about the services you may need
| Criteria | Cowbell | Simply Business |
|---|---|---|
| Business role | Your policy’s named insurer remains responsible for coverage; Cowbell is an insurance platform and agency that may act as a general agent. Cowbell Insurance Agency LLC identifies itself as a US P&C producer. 1,5,2Company-reported. Cowbell's current U.S. website and producer disclosure; the exact role can vary by product and placement. Cowbell identifies Zurich as a $60 million Series C investor and partner, while Zurich describes Cowbell as its technology collaborator for Select Plus. The reviewed sources do not describe Cowbell as a Zurich subsidiary or say that Zurich underwrites every Cowbell product. 4,19,3Company-reported. Ownership and commercial relationship characterization in Cowbell's 26 July 2024 financing announcement and current Zurich Select Plus page; no capitalization table was available. | Simply Business describes its U.S. service as an online commercial-insurance marketplace and licensed producer connecting business customers with insurers. Its June 30, 2026 Terms identify Simply Business, LLC and Harborway Insurance Agency, LLC d/b/a Harborway Insurance as licensed producers, with Harborway a Simply Business subsidiary; the Terms say Harborway policies are underwritten by Spinnaker Insurance Company. Other site policies are underwritten by third-party providers, so the selected issuer depends on the offer and policy. These roles and license statements are company-reported. The contact-page footer says Simply Business, LLC is licensed in all U.S. states and D.C.; for California it says the company operates under the name Simply Business Insurance Agency, LLC and displays License #0M20593. The footer also lists Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas operating names; it gives no other license identifiers. No regulator lookup was performed or required for this candidate. 23,24,36,25Company-reported. U.S. commercial insurance distribution described by the company. Simply Business, LLC, Simply Business, Inc., Harborway Insurance Agency, LLC, the stated parent and each policy issuer are distinct. The Inc./LLC relationship remains unresolved. |
| Application process | Buyers work through an insurance agent or broker; appointed agents use Cowbell’s platform to quote, bind and issue eligible products, and no direct-buyer quote path was documented. 8,1,9,11Company-reported. Current public U.S. buyer and broker paths. This does not establish that every listed agent can access every Cowbell product. | The company advertises online quotes and weekday phone access to licensed agents. Its Terms say a quote is not guaranteed and Simply Business cannot bind a risk without panel-member approval; a quote or online purchase path does not establish that every applicant can bind online. 25,24Company-reported. Published U.S. quote and service channels. Binding depends on panel-member approval and the individual offer. |
| Servicing and renewals | Cowbell pairs cyber coverage with risk ratings, policyholder insights, security connectors, training and resiliency support; included access may be limited or trial-based, while some services require a subscription. 22,11,15Company-reported. Current U.S. resiliency-services catalogue and cyber product overviews. Eligibility, third-party terms and whether a service is bundled depend on the policy and service agreement. Ask your agent how to request changes or cancel; Cowbell directs policyholders to agents for cancellations and agents to Cowbell for endorsements. Prime 100 renewal proposals start around 60 days before expiry; Prime 250 requires a signed application and underwriting. 20Company-reported. Current public FAQ for P100 and P250; other products and individual policy terms may use different servicing and renewal procedures. | Simply Business lists licensed-agent phone support Monday through Friday: sales 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Eastern Time and service 9 a.m.–6 p.m. These listed hours do not establish a response-time guarantee. 25Company-reported. Hours displayed on the current U.S. contact page; no actual wait-time observation is implied. The company describes account access for policy documents, certificates, account updates and adding coverage; help material routes some changes to an agent or insurer. Not every policy change is described as self-service. 25,26,24Company-reported. Company-described post-purchase service paths; available tasks may depend on policy and insurer. The Help Center FAQ says most customers opt into automatic renewal and gives 60-day notice and 30-day processing timing only for those who opt in. The same Help Center summary and June 30, 2026 Terms use broader automatic-renewal wording without the FAQ’s opt-in qualification. The public descriptions conflict; they do not establish which wording applies to every policy. 26,24Conflicting sources. Company-published descriptions reviewed 2026-09-29. FAQ detail, Help Center summary and Terms are inconsistent; no buyer-specific policy notice was reviewed. |
| Claims assistance | Cowbell says its in-house cyber claims team and response panel are available 24/7; have your policy number, incident date, details and contact ready. The issuing insurer and policy determine coverage and payment. 21,11,14Company-reported. Cowbell's current U.S. cyber claims-services page and product overviews; company-reported service description, not an independently measured outcome. | The Terms say third-party insurers underwrite site policies and each provider handles claims on its own policies; the Help Center directs policyholders to identify and contact the insurer. This establishes a published route, not agency assistance after notice or claim outcomes. 24,26Company-reported. General site-policy claim responsibility. Harborway/Spinnaker applies only to the named Harborway placement relationship. |
| Customer focus | Small and midsize businesses can compare Cowbell cyber options, while middle-market firms can consider broader programs; Prime 100 targets up to $100 million revenue and Prime 250/Tech up to $1 billion. 10,11,12,13,16Company-reported. Published U.S. product appetites; eligibility is subject to underwriting and product-specific class restrictions. | Simply Business says it serves small businesses and solopreneurs and lists examples such as contractors, cleaning businesses, LLCs and sole proprietors. These examples describe its stated audience, not guaranteed insurer eligibility or availability. 23,28,24Company-reported. Company-described U.S. audience; eligibility varies by insurer, state and business details. |
| Fees and compensation | Cowbell lists several payment methods and financing for direct-billed policies; credit cards carry a disclosed 2.99% processing fee, and financing terms are shown before enrollment. 20Company-reported. Current U.S. direct-bill FAQ. Agency-billed policies use different payment routes, and policy invoices control account-specific instructions. Request your broker’s compensation disclosure and itemized premium because reviewed US sources do not publish Cowbell’s producer commissions or universal premiums. 2,20,5,10Not found in reviewed sources. Review of Cowbell's U.S. terms, FAQ, licensing page and current product overviews as of 15 September 2026; this is not a finding that compensation or other fees do not exist. | The Terms say Simply Business receives commission or other compensation from or through panel members and that customers may also incur separate processing, administrative, service, installment or cancellation fees. They give no amount or placement-specific applicability; the Terms say charges are disclosed before purchase. 24Company-reported. General disclosure dated 2026-06-30; no specific commission, fee schedule, premium or customer charge was reviewed. |
Sources
Cowbell Official Website
- Cowbell. Cowbell; What We Do; Assess, Insure, Respond and Improve; U.S. navigation; footer legal disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Terms And Conditions. Cowbell; Opening paragraphs identifying Cowbell Cyber, Inc. and its subsidiaries; Paid Services §3; footer producer disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Company. Cowbell; Technology That Signals Protection; Backed By Prominent Venture And Growth Investors; office locations; footer legal disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Our Next Era — Cowbell Closes $60M Series C Round. Cowbell; 26 July 2024 announcement describing Zurich as a Series C investor and partner. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- License Information. Cowbell; Cowbell Insurance Agency LLC producer and surplus-lines license lists for 50 states and the District of Columbia; footer availability qualification. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Business Name Search. California Department of Insurance; License search for Cowbell Insurance Agency. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Palomar Specialty Insurance Company — Company Profile. California Department of Insurance; Company information: NAIC 20338, California ID 1969-5, Unlimited-Normal status, property-and-casualty company, Oregon domicile. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Find An Agent. Cowbell; State selector and directory of appointed U.S. agents and brokers. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Broker Resources. Cowbell; Current U.S. sales enablement catalog listing Prime 100, Prime 100 Pro, Prime 250, Prime One, Prime Plus, Prime Tech and Prime Tech Plus materials. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Cowbell Overview. Cowbell; Our Products: cyber, Professional Indemnity, Zurich management liability and Cowbell Resiliency Services; product-level qualifications. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Prime 100 Product Overview. Cowbell; PDF pp. 1–4: admitted standalone cyber for businesses up to $100 million revenue; Palomar paper; coverage descriptions; US0001 1025 disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Prime 100 Pro Product Overview. Cowbell; PDF pp. 1–4: admitted cyber for businesses up to $100 million; enhanced options and $3 million limit; 47-state list; Palomar paper; US0001 0826 disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Prime 250 Product Overview. Cowbell; PDF pp. 1–4: non-admitted standalone cyber for businesses up to $1 billion; 50 states and D.C.; Palomar and Chaucer paper; illustrative-coverage disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Prime One Product Overview. Cowbell; PDF pp. 1–3: non-admitted cyber for advanced digital exposures, typically $250 million-plus revenue; selected risks up to $10 million; Chaucer Specialty; US0001 0426. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Prime Plus Product Overview. Cowbell; PDF pp. 1–2: non-admitted follow-form excess cyber for businesses up to $1 billion; up to $5 million excess limits; A-rated carriers; US0001 0226. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Prime Tech Product Overview. 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.
- Prime Tech Plus Product Overview. Cowbell; PDF pp. 1–3: Seamless excess protection: follow-form excess Technology E&O and cyber for technology businesses up to $1 billion; up to $5 million; A-rated paper; edition PRIME PLUS US0002 1025. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Management Liability Coverage For Small And Medium Enterprises. Cowbell; FAQs: How can I access… and What size accounts are targeted?; Cowbell Management Liability introduction; Zurich Select Plus description: admitted paper; private-company D&O, employment practices, fiduciary liability and crime modules. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Small And Midsize Business Management Liability. Zurich North America; Zurich Select Plus collaboration; admitted paper and Zurich Claims; modular suite: D&O, Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability, Fiduciary Liability and Crime modules; access for appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers; target under 250 employees and $50 million assets; access and target-account FAQs. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Frequently Asked Questions. Cowbell; Policy cancellation; direct- and agency-bill payment; 2.99% credit-card fee; premium financing; P100 and P250 renewals; endorsements; risk-engineering call. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Claims And Incident Response Services. Cowbell; Cowbell Claims Approach; incident-response panel; reporting channels; initial company, incident-date and contact information; claims assistance description. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Cowbell Resiliency Services. Cowbell; Cybersecurity services; policyholder access and trials; subscription services; service-provider and insurance-coverage qualifications. Accessed 2026-09-15.
Simply Business Official Website
- Our Small Business Insurance Story. Simply Business; Opening description and audience; digital marketplace, business types and U.S. service. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Terms of Service. Simply Business; Dated June 30, 2026; §1 lines 22–28; §8 lines 87–113; §10 lines 143–149; §19 line 211. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Contact Us. Simply Business; Opening contact details lines 20–31; licensed-agent phone hours lines 46–59; U.S. licensing and state-specific name disclosures in footer lines 108–111, including California License #0M20593. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Help Center. Simply Business; Claims, account servicing, agent-routed changes, renewal FAQ and Common Topics. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- How Simply Business Works. Simply Business; Common types lines 92–160; quote/purchase flow; estimate-method footnotes lines 198–200. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Business Insurance for Small Businesses. Simply Business; Small Business Insurance Coverage Options and policy links. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- General Liability Insurance for a Small Business. Simply Business; Coverage lines 51–75; audience lines 61–65, 153–155; application and examples elsewhere on page. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Small Business. Simply Business; Coverage and benefits lines 45–69; state/buyer qualifications lines 178–189. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Professional Liability Insurance Coverage. Simply Business; Coverage lines 45–100; buyer examples lines 101–158; online quote steps lines 237–260. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Business Owner’s Policy Insurance. Simply Business; Bundle lines 34–38, 218–243; add-on/exclusion discussion lines 226–243; buyer and quote sections. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Commercial Property Insurance. Simply Business; Lines 15–18 present physical-location cover as part of a BOP; lines 34–49 describe the package; lines 59–63 say it is offered as part of the BOP rather than as a standalone policy and link to a BOP quote. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Inland Marine Insurance. Simply Business; Equipment/inventory lines 15–18, 59–63; examples and quote workflow lines 97–140, 168–191. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Cyber Insurance. Simply Business; Claim types lines 88–105; select-buyer add-on/phone quote lines 171–175; route and last-updated lines 389–395. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Producer Compensation Disclosure (United States). Travelers; Ownership interest in a producer, lines 57–60: Travelers says it owns Simply Business, Inc.; relation to Simply Business, LLC not stated. Accessed 2026-09-29.




