Cowbell vs 
TechInsurance D&O Insurance
Cowbell’s D&O is a Zurich Select Plus module; TechInsurance arranges D&O standalone or as a GL/BOP endorsement and cites a $133 median monthly premium.
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. 1,2,3
What Is TechInsurance?
TechInsurance is a small-business insurance agency and brokerage with a technology focus, offering online quote comparison and agent assistance through the Insureon organization. 5,6
What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?
Directors and officers liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging wrongful acts in managing an organization. 8
Key Differences in D&O Insurance
Endorsement Option Versus a Management-Liability Module
TechInsurance says D&O can be purchased as a standalone policy or as an endorsement to a general liability policy or business owner’s policy. Cowbell’s D&O is one module inside Zurich’s Select Plus management liability product, not described as a GL or BOP endorsement. That changes whether D&O sits on its own form or rides another commercial policy. 7 4 3
A Median Premium Versus Unpublished Terms
TechInsurance says D&O policyholders pay a median of $133 per month, with premium depending on limits, deductible, jurisdiction, industry risk, headcount, revenue, claims history and IPO potential. Neither Cowbell nor Zurich publishes D&O limit, retention or premium amounts on the Select Plus pages. 7 3
Claims-Made Wording and Who Can Buy
TechInsurance says D&O is a claims-made policy and that criminal acts such as fraud or embezzlement are excluded, and it structures coverage into Side A, Side B and Side C. Cowbell’s reviewed pages describe wrongful-act protection for personal and company assets without stating claims-made status or Side A/B/C labels. TechInsurance targets companies with an active board, including employers with employees or stockholders, venture-backed startups and nonprofits; Cowbell’s module is for private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets and is wholesaler-API only. 7 4
What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes
- Ask TechInsurance whether the quote is standalone D&O or an endorsement, and who issues it; the reviewed page does not name the insurer. 7
- Confirm Cowbell’s employee and asset screens and wholesaler path. 4
- Ask TechInsurance how the $133 median relates to your limit, deductible and IPO potential. 7
- Confirm claims-made retroactive date and criminal-act exclusions on the TechInsurance form. 7
Offering Details
Cowbell vs TechInsurance D&O Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Private Company D&O | TechInsurance Directors and Officers Insurance (D&O) |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Private Company D&O is one module within Cowbell's distribution of Zurich's Select Plus management liability product; Cowbell gives Zurich-appointed E&S wholesalers platform access, and Zurich underwrites the module. Zurich's own page labels this module 'Private Management and Company Liability' rather than plain 'D&O.' 4,3Company-reported. Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section. | TechInsurance arranges directors and officers (D&O) insurance, a type of management liability insurance, and says it can be purchased as a standalone policy or as an endorsement to a general liability policy or business owner's policy. 7Company-reported. D&O product page. |
| Issuing Insurer | Cowbell and Zurich both say the Select Plus modules, including D&O, are offered 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 D&O module. 4,3Company-reported. Management liability page intro; Zurich page intro and footer. | The reviewed page does not name the issuing insurer for a D&O policy. 7Not publicly disclosed. D&O product page as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Who It’s For | Cowbell targets this D&O module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50M in assets, in industries such as technology, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and retail. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list. | TechInsurance targets D&O at companies with an active board, naming employers with employees or stockholders, venture-backed startups (where investor term sheets often require the coverage), and nonprofits (where most states require a board of directors) as examples. 7Company-reported. D&O product page, Who needs D&O insurance coverage? section. |
| Coverage Features | Cowbell describes D&O liability as protecting the personal assets of directors and officers and the company's financial assets against claims alleging wrongful acts in their capacity as directors and officers. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'. | TechInsurance says D&O covers legal costs when directors, board members or officers are sued over employment practices, fund mismanagement, failure to follow corporate bylaws, regulatory non-compliance, or IP infringement or libel tied to their decisions, and structures coverage into Side A (personal protection), Side B (company reimbursement) and Side C (entity coverage, mainly for public-company securities claims). 7Company-reported. D&O product page; general policy description, not a specific policy form. TechInsurance says D&O is a claims-made policy, meaning coverage applies only if the policy is active when a claim is made, and that criminal acts by directors or officers, such as fraud or embezzlement, are excluded. 7Company-reported. D&O product page, How does directors and officers insurance work? and exclusions sections. |
| Limits and Retentions | Neither the Cowbell page nor Zurich's own Select Plus page, both read in full, publishes D&O limit or retention amounts. 4,3Not publicly disclosed. Cowbell page and Zurich page, both read on 2026-09-23. | TechInsurance says D&O policyholders pay a median of $133 per month, with the exact premium depending on policy limits, deductible, legal jurisdiction, industry risk, headcount, revenue, claims history and IPO potential. 7Company-reported. D&O product page cost section; a company-reported median from TechInsurance's own book of business, not a published rate table. |
| Risk Services | Cowbell frames D&O coverage as a way to help attract and retain directors and officers by giving them personal-asset protection, and says the product covers legal fees, settlements, and other defense costs for the company and its management. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'Why does my company need management liability coverage?'. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | This D&O module is accessed only by appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through the Cowbell platform's API; it is not sold directly to businesses. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'How can I access the Zurich Select Plus management liability product through Cowbell?'. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
Full Comparison
More Cowbell vs TechInsurance Comparisons
Other D&O Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Cowbell
- Cowbell. Cowbell; What We Do; Assess, Insure, Respond and Improve; U.S. navigation; footer legal disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- 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.
- Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus. Zurich North America; Intro on the Zurich/Cowbell collaboration; module name 'Private Management and Company Liability'; 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.
- Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises. Cowbell; FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?' (D&O definition); FAQ 'Why does my company need management liability coverage?' (Protection for Directors and Officers, Legal Expense Coverage, Attracting and Retaining Talent bullets); Target industries list. Accessed 2026-09-23.
TechInsurance
- About TechInsurance. TechInsurance; Opening description; one-application process; History of TechInsurance, 2011 and 2022 entries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Contact Us. TechInsurance; FAQs: How does TechInsurance work? (agent assistance obtaining surety bonds); agent or broker role; application; finding quotes; updating address; certificates. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Directors and Officers Insurance (D&O) Quotes Online. TechInsurance; What does directors and officers insurance cover? (employment practices, mismanaged funds, corporate bylaws, regulatory compliance, IP infringement); What does side A, B, and C mean in D&O insurance?; How much does directors and officers insurance cost?; How do you get a certificate of insurance? (standalone or endorsement). Accessed 2026-09-23.
D&O Insurance Guide
- Glossary of Business Insurance Terms. The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
