Cowbell vs The Hartford: How Do They Compare for Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Cowbell distributes Zurich-underwritten fiduciary coverage for qualifying private firms through appointed wholesalers; The Hartford includes fiduciary among its Private Choice options for private companies and nonprofits.

Cowbell limits its fiduciary module to private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets; The Hartford also lists nonprofits, public companies and financial institutions. ^1,^2,³

What Are the Key Differences Between Cowbell and The Hartford Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Cowbell distributes fiduciary through Zurich Select Plus. ¹ ² ³

Two Carriers, Two Package Names

Cowbell’s fiduciary offering is Zurich paper delivered on the Cowbell platform as a Select Plus module. The Hartford underwrites fiduciary liability itself as one of five options in Private Choice Premier, and also as a separate fiduciary line in its financial-institutions management and professional products. ¹ ² ³

Who Can Buy

Cowbell aims at private companies with fewer than 250 employees and under $50 million in assets. The Hartford says fiduciary is available to nonprofit organizations, publicly traded companies, and privately held companies in its management-liability lineup—without those Cowbell size figures. ¹ ³

How Each Explains the Cover

Cowbell defines the module as claims from breaches of fiduciary duties related to employee benefit plans. The Hartford says the insurance helps protect a business from claims of fiduciary mismanagement, using an example of a staff member whose medical bills were not paid as the employer’s benefit plans required. ¹ ³

Distribution

Cowbell’s module is sold only to appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through an API. The Hartford’s reviewed management-liability page presents the cover as part of its own quote-oriented product family rather than a wholesale-only Cowbell feed. ¹ ³

What Should You Confirm in Cowbell and The Hartford Fiduciary Liability Insurance Quotes?

Ask The Hartford whether you would be on Private Choice Premier or the financial-institutions fiduciary line. ³
Confirm issuer legal names: Zurich on Cowbell’s side; The Hartford entity that would write your policy. ² ³
Check eligibility if you are a nonprofit or public company, which The Hartford lists and Cowbell’s size FAQ does not. ³ ¹
Get limits and retentions; Cowbell’s pages do not publish them, and The Hartford’s reviewed management-liability page does not either. ¹ ³

Cowbell vs The Hartford Fiduciary Liability Insurance Compared

Cowbell vs The Hartford: Fiduciary Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Fiduciary Liability	The Hartford Fiduciary Liability Insurance
Who It’s For	Cowbell targets this fiduciary 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, such as manufacturing and technology. ¹Company-reported. FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list.	The Hartford's fiduciary liability coverage is available to nonprofit organizations, publicly traded companies and privately-held companies as part of its management-liability lineup. ³Company-reported. Management liability product page as read 2026-09-23.
Coverage Features	Cowbell describes fiduciary liability as protecting against claims arising from breaches of fiduciary duties related to employee benefit plans, such as a company's 401(k) or health plan. ¹Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'.	The Hartford says fiduciary liability insurance helps protect a business from claims of fiduciary mismanagement, giving as an example a staff member's claim after their medical bills weren't paid in accordance with the employer's benefit plans. ³Company-reported. Management liability product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls.
Role in This Line	Fiduciary liability 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 'Fiduciary Liability' as one of the four modules a buyer can combine. ^1,²Company-reported. Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section.	The Hartford's fiduciary liability coverage is one of five options in its Private Choice Premier management-liability package; it also offers a separate fiduciary liability line within its financial-institutions management and professional liability products. ³Company-reported. Management liability product page as read 2026-09-23.