---
title: "Cowbell vs USI Insurance Services Crime Insurance"
description: "Cowbell’s Zurich crime module is wholesaler-only for smaller private firms; USI brokers crime for business-services trades and reviews it in ExecuSafe."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/cowbell-vs-usi/crime"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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

# Cowbell vs USI Insurance Services Crime Insurance

Cowbell’s Zurich crime module is wholesaler-only for smaller private firms; USI brokers crime for business-services trades and reviews it in ExecuSafe.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Cowbell and USI Insurance Services 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. USI brokers crime for building, janitorial, staffing and similar business-services clients, either standalone or inside an ExecuSafe management-liability review. [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://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") [9](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/ "Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks")

## 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 USI Insurance Services?

USI Insurance Services is a U.S. insurance brokerage and consulting firm that arranges property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, and retirement programs. Its Technology practice says it works with software, hardware, and related companies from early seed stage through IPO, using a consultative process rather than a published self-serve quote. [5](https://www.usi.com/about-usi "The Power of ONE") [6](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/technology/ "Technology Insurance") [7](https://www.usi.com/commissions-fees/ "Commissions and Fees")

[USI Insurance Services profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/usi)

## What Is Crime Insurance?

Crime insurance addresses business losses from specified theft and fraud risks, such as robbery, forgery and embezzlement. [10](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/09-comm/commercialguide.cfm "Commercial Insurance Guide")

## Key Differences in Crime Insurance

### Zurich Module Versus Brokered Placement

Crime on Cowbell is a Select Plus module Zurich underwrites while Cowbell runs the platform. USI brokers crime covering employee theft and related fraud, either as a standalone placement or inside an ExecuSafe management-liability review. [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://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") [9](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/ "Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks")

### How You Buy

Appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers access Cowbell through the API; businesses cannot buy the module directly. USI directs business-services inquiries to a named inbox or a local office, and ExecuSafe inquiries to a separate Select Business inbox. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") [9](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/ "Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks")

## What to Confirm in Crime Insurance Quotes

- Confirm Cowbell wholesaler appointment. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises")
- Ask USI whether crime is a standalone placement or part of ExecuSafe. [9](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/ "Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks")
- Check Cowbell’s employee and asset targets and USI’s named trades against your company. [4](https://cowbell.insure/mgmt-liability/ "Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises") [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services")
- Ask how USI’s claim advocacy, described across Business Services lines, would apply to a crime loss. [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Crime Coverage | USI Crime 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..) | USI brokers crime insurance, which covers losses from employee theft and related fraud, either as a standalone placement or as part of a management liability review under ExecuSafe. [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") [9](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/ "Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Business Services catalogue and ExecuSafe article..) |
| 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..) | Neither page names the insurer USI uses for crime placements. [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Pages as read on 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..) | USI's Business Services practice, which lists crime coverage, says it targets building and maintenance, repair service, janitorial, staffing and printing companies, citing employee errors and misconduct as one of the risk exposures it addresses for them. [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Company description of client base..) |
| 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?'..) | USI lists crime among the coverages it places for business-services clients, and its ExecuSafe review checks a client's existing crime coverage as part of a broader management liability review. [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") [9](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/ "Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Catalogue listing plus the ExecuSafe review description; actual insuring agreements and exclusions are set by the issued 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..) | Neither page publishes crime coverage limit or retention figures. [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Pages as read on 2026-09-23..) |
| 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..) | USI's Business Services practice says it offers classification and exposure reviews, claim advocacy and risk control across its coverage lines including crime, and its ExecuSafe process specifically checks existing crime coverage for gaps. [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") [9](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/ "Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Combines the general Business Services service list with the ExecuSafe-specific review step..) |
| 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?'..) | USI directs business-services inquiries to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local office, and ExecuSafe/management-liability inquiries to Select.Business@usi.com. [8](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/ "Business Services") [9](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/ "Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Contact instructions on each page..) |

## Full Comparison

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

### USI Insurance Services

5. [The Power of ONE](https://www.usi.com/about-usi). USI Insurance Services; History, client-count, nationwide office, and P&C / benefits / personal risk / retirement description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
6. [Technology Insurance](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/technology/). USI Insurance Services; Technology practice client types, seed-to-IPO range, and listed insurance placement lines including PrivaSafe. Accessed 2026-09-16.
7. [Commissions and Fees](https://www.usi.com/commissions-fees/). USI Insurance Services; Licensed-producer authority, insurer-paid commission default, contingent compensation, and client request right. Accessed 2026-09-16.
8. [Business Services](https://www.usi.com/property-casualty/business-services/). USI Insurance Services; USI advises clients...and provides solutions for...Crime.... Accessed 2026-09-23.
9. [Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks](https://www.usi.com/executive-insights/executive-series-articles/supplemental/emerging-business/q3-2023/protect-against-management-liability-risks/). USI Insurance Services; Review existing management liability policies (if any) to uncover gaps in coverage...(including employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, and crime).. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Crime Insurance Guide

10. [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-usi/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)