Cowbell vs 
The Hartford Tech E&O Insurance
Cowbell’s surplus Prime Tech blends E&O and cyber up to $5M; The Hartford underwrites FailSafe as its own Tech E&O suite, separate from cyber.
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 The Hartford?
The Hartford is the brand of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., whose subsidiaries underwrite property-and-casualty insurance and employee benefits. Small-business buyers can start online or by phone or work through independent agents, while the issuing company and state eligibility still have to be confirmed on a quote. 5,6,7
What Is Technology Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance?
Technology errors and omissions (E&O) insurance addresses claims that a technology product or service caused a customer or other third party a financial loss. It doesn't extend to cyber incidents, bodily injury or professional services outside the quoted product. 9,10,11
Key Differences in Tech E&O Insurance
Combined Surplus Policy Versus a Carrier E&O Suite
Cowbell markets Prime Tech as a non-admitted professional-indemnity product that combines Technology E&O with cyber in one policy. The Hartford’s FailSafe Technology Liability Product Suite is the carrier’s own technology E&O product, aimed at companies whose products or services can cause a customer’s pure financial loss. The Hartford distinguishes FailSafe from its separate cyber liability coverage for attacks and data leaks; Cowbell builds those associated cyber costs into Prime Tech. 2 8
Feature Lists
Cowbell lists delay in delivery, negligence, misrepresentation, breach of warranty or contract, product failures, software copyright disputes, duty to defend, privacy-related regulatory defense, contractual indemnity and no exclusions for guarantees, consequential damages or breach of warranties. The Hartford lists errors-and-omissions liability, security liability, data-privacy and network-security liability, personal-injury liability, intellectual-property liability and media liability. Personal-injury and media liability appear on FailSafe’s list; Cowbell’s reviewed PDFs do not use those labels. 2 8
Who Is Named and What Cost Is Published
Cowbell targets technology businesses up to $1 billion in revenue, including SaaS, IT consultants and hardware resellers, with $5 million published limits, sold through agents on a surplus basis, without naming the insurer. The Hartford names software and IT specialists (including federal IT contractors), hardware and electronics manufacturers and telecommunications providers, and reports a company range of about $500 to $1,000 per year per employee without publishing standard coverage limits. 2 8
What to Confirm in Tech E&O Insurance Quotes
- Ask whether you would hold one combined Cowbell form or FailSafe plus a separate Hartford cyber policy. 2 8
- Compare intellectual-property, media and personal-injury agreements on FailSafe with Cowbell’s copyright and IP-infringement wording. 8 2
- Get admitted versus surplus status, the issuing paper, and actual limits; Cowbell publishes $5 million maxima, The Hartford does not publish standard limits. 2 8
- Treat The Hartford’s per-employee range as a company-reported cost signal, not a FailSafe limit. 8
Offering Details
Cowbell vs The Hartford Tech E&O Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Cowbell Prime Tech / Prime Tech Plus | The Hartford FailSafe Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Cowbell markets Prime Tech as a non-admitted professional-indemnity product that combines Technology Errors & Omissions (E&O) with cyber coverage in one policy, and Prime Tech Plus as a follow-form excess layer that sits above a primary Tech E&O/cyber policy. 2,4Company-reported. Prime Tech and Prime Tech Plus overview PDFs. | The Hartford's FailSafe Technology Liability Product Suite is its technology errors and omissions (E&O) product, aimed at technology companies whose products or services can cause a customer's pure financial loss that traditional liability policies usually don't cover. 8Company-reported. Technology E&O product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| Issuing Insurer | Neither reviewed PDF names the specific issuing insurer for Prime Tech or Prime Tech Plus; both state coverage, terms and availability vary by state and are subject to underwriting approval without naming a carrier. 2,4Not publicly disclosed. Disclaimer paragraphs of both PDFs, read on 2026-09-23. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Who It’s For | Cowbell targets Prime Tech and Prime Tech Plus at technology businesses with up to $1B in revenue, listing example segments such as SaaS/app service providers, IT consultants, data analytics, hardware resellers, and web design or web services firms. 2,4Company-reported. Risk Appetite sections of both PDFs. | The Hartford names buyer types for Tech E&O: software and IT specialists (custom/packaged software developers, website designers, computer consultants, systems integrators, federal IT contractors), hardware and electronics manufacturers, and telecommunications providers (local/long-distance carriers, internet/application service providers, website hosting). 8Company-reported. Technology E&O product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| Coverage Features | Cowbell lists Prime Tech coverage for delay in delivery, negligence, misrepresentation, breach of warranty/contract, product failures, and software copyright disputes, plus associated cyber-related costs like cyber extortion, data restoration, social engineering, and business interruption. 2Company-reported. Prime Tech FAQ, 'What coverage is offered?' and 'other associated costs' lists. Cowbell says Prime Tech includes duty to defend, defense costs for privacy-related regulatory proceedings, contractual-indemnity coverage, expansive breach-of-contract coverage, broad intellectual-property infringement coverage, and no exclusions for guarantees, consequential damages, or breach of warranties. 2Company-reported. 'Prime Tech Coverage Benefits' list; illustrative, subject to the issued policy. | The Hartford lists FailSafe Technology E&O coverage features: errors and omissions liability, security liability, data privacy and network security liability, personal injury liability, intellectual property liability, and media liability. It distinguishes this from its separate cyber liability coverage, which addresses cyberattacks and data leaks specifically rather than broader product/service failures. 8Company-reported. Technology E&O product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls. |
| Limits and Retentions | Cowbell states Prime Tech offers limits up to $5M, and Prime Tech Plus (the excess layer) also offers limits up to $5M above the underlying primary policy. 2,4Company-reported. Product overview PDFs. | The Hartford says E&O coverage for technology businesses typically costs about $500 to $1,000 per year per employee; the page does not publish standard coverage limits, which depend on location, employee count, coverage limits chosen and lawsuit history. 8Company-reported. Company-reported cost range as of 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford September 19, 2024); not a coverage limit. |
| Risk Services | Cowbell says Prime Tech is 'powered by Cowbell Co-Pilot,' its AI-driven assistive underwriting tool, and that policyholders get the same Cowbell Resiliency Services, Cowbell Connectors, and complimentary Wizer cybersecurity-awareness training offered on its cyber products. 2Company-reported. Prime Tech PDF, page 2 (Cowbell Co-Pilot mention) and 'The Cowbell Advantage' list. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | Cowbell says Prime Tech is available on a surplus-lines basis in all 50 states and is distributed through agents rather than direct to businesses. 2Company-reported. 'Prime Tech Coverage Benefits' list, first bullet. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
Full Comparison
More Cowbell vs The Hartford Comparisons
Other Tech E&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; Product Overview; Risk Appetite; Prime Tech Coverage Benefits; Prime Tech FAQ (typical Tech E&O claims scenarios, coverage offered, associated costs). Accessed 2026-09-23.
- 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.
- Prime Tech Plus Product Overview. Cowbell; Product Overview; Seamless excess protection; Tailored for technology providers; Risk Appetite industry list. Accessed 2026-09-23.
The Hartford
- Legal Notice. The Hartford; The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. holding-company description; no representation that all products are available in all locations; P&C writing-company table as of December 31, 2025 including Hartford Fire (NAIC 19682) and Hartford Underwriters (NAIC 30104); life writing companies including Hartford Life and Accident (NAIC 70815). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- SaaS Insurance for Your Business. The Hartford; Audience list (software startups, SaaS, IT consulting); Get a Business Owner’s Policy; What Is Business Owner’s Policy Insurance?; general liability introduction and Get a Quote; Get Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Property Insurance for Your Business; Benefits of The Hartford’s WC Insurance for Employers and Employees; cyber insurance and data breach descriptions; Get a quote for cyber insurance; EPLI introduction and Private Choice Premier; add-ons (workers’ compensation, data breach, commercial auto); technology professional liability mention; small-business availability banner; industry-average premium footnote; footnote 2 state restrictions; footer product-availability disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Find a Local Insurance Agent. The Hartford; Small-business and midsize agent locators; FAQ that buyers can purchase without an agent by calling or quoting online; statement that agents may charge fees. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance | Technology E&O. The Hartford; What Is Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance?; How Does Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance Work; Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance Coverage feature list; Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance Cost; Types of Companies That Need Tech E&O Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Tech E&O Insurance Guide
- Insurance and Bonding Guidelines. Georgia Department of Administrative Services; Professional Liability / Errors and Omissions p.6; Technology Errors & Omissions (Cyber Liability) §9 pp.7–8. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance. The Hartford; What Is Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance?; differences between cyber liability and errors and omissions; How Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance Works With Contracts. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- DigiTech Enterprise Risk Management. Chubb; Coverage Synopsis > Third-Party Liability Coverage > Technology Errors and Omissions; Cyber, Privacy and Network Security Liability; footer product-summary disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
