Cowbell vs 
USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Cowbell distributes Zurich Select Plus EPL via wholesalers; USI brokers EPL for janitorial and staffing clients and reviews existing EPL under ExecuSafe.
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 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. 5,6,7
What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Employment practices liability insurance addresses claims alleging workplace wrongdoing, such as discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. 10
Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Platform Module Versus Broker Review
Cowbell distributes Zurich-underwritten Select Plus EPL. USI brokers employment practices liability, placing it individually or reviewing it as part of ExecuSafe. Cowbell requires an appointed Zurich E&S wholesaler on its API. USI directs business-services and ExecuSafe inquiries to published email addresses or a local office. 4 3 8 9
Industry Lists
Cowbell lists retail, hospitality and manufacturing among target industries for private companies under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets. USI’s Business Services practice that lists EPL targets building and maintenance, repair, janitorial, staffing and printing companies; ExecuSafe is framed for small- and medium-sized businesses generally. 4 8 9
Services USI Names
USI’s Business Services practice says it offers classification and exposure reviews, claim advocacy and contract review across lines including EPL, and ExecuSafe checks existing EPL coverage for gaps. Cowbell’s FAQs define EPL and claim frequency; they do not describe classification reviews, claim advocacy or contract review as Cowbell-delivered EPL services. USI’s pages do not name an EPL insurer; Cowbell names Zurich admitted paper. Neither side publishes EPL limits. 8 9 4 3
What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes
- Ask USI whether it would place Zurich Select Plus through a wholesaler or a different market, and which insurer would issue. 8 3
- If you are in janitorial or staffing, ask how USI’s business-services book treats EPL versus Cowbell’s retail/hospitality/manufacturing targeting. 8 4
- Compare claim advocacy USI lists with Zurich’s claims handling on Select Plus. 8 4
- Get limits and retentions from both quotes. 8 4
Offering Details
Cowbell vs USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Employment Practices Liability | USI Employment Practices Liability Brokerage |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Employment practices liability (EPL) is one module within Cowbell's distribution of Zurich's Select Plus management liability product; Cowbell operates the platform, Zurich underwrites. Zurich's own page names this module 'Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability,' broader than the plain 'EPL' shorthand Cowbell's FAQ uses. 4,3Company-reported. Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section. | USI brokers employment practices liability (EPL) coverage, which responds to claims like wrongful termination, discrimination or harassment; it places EPL individually or reviews it as part of a management liability program under ExecuSafe. 8,9Company-reported. Business Services catalogue and ExecuSafe article. |
| Issuing Insurer | Cowbell and Zurich both say the Select Plus modules, including EPL, 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 EPL module. 4,3Company-reported. Management liability page intro; Zurich page intro and footer. | Neither page names the insurer USI uses for EPL placements. 8Not publicly disclosed. Pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Who It’s For | Cowbell targets this EPL module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50M in assets, across industries such as retail, hospitality, and manufacturing. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list. | USI's Business Services practice, which lists EPL, targets building and maintenance, repair service, janitorial, staffing and printing companies; its ExecuSafe review targets small- and medium-sized businesses generally. 8,9Company-reported. Company description of client segments for each source. |
| Coverage Features | Cowbell describes EPL as covering claims related to employment practices, including discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, and other employment-related issues. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'. Cowbell says EPL claims are the most common type of management liability claim overall, most frequently alleging discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, or retaliation for a legally protected activity such as filing a complaint or whistleblowing. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the most common management liability claim?'. | USI lists employment practices liability among the coverages it places for business-services clients, and its ExecuSafe review looks for gaps in a client's existing EPL coverage as part of a broader management liability check. 8,9Company-reported. 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 EPL limit or retention amounts. 4,3Not publicly disclosed. Cowbell page and Zurich page, both read on 2026-09-23. | Neither page publishes EPL limit or retention figures. 8Not publicly disclosed. Pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | USI's Business Services practice says it offers classification and exposure reviews, claim advocacy and contract review across its coverage lines including EPL, and its ExecuSafe process specifically checks existing EPL coverage for gaps. 8,9Company-reported. Combines the general Business Services service list with the ExecuSafe-specific review step. |
| How to Apply | This EPL 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?'. | USI directs business-services inquiries to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local office, and ExecuSafe/management-liability inquiries to Select.Business@usi.com. 8,9Company-reported. Contact instructions on each page. |
Full Comparison
More Cowbell vs USI Insurance Services Comparisons
Other Employment Practices Liability 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 'Employment Practices and Third-Party Discrimination Liability'; FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?' and 'What is the most common management liability claim?' (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?' (EPL definition); FAQ 'What is the most common management liability claim?' (EPL claim types); Target industries list. Accessed 2026-09-23.
USI Insurance Services
- The Power of ONE. USI Insurance Services; History, client-count, nationwide office, and P&C / benefits / personal risk / retirement description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Insurance. USI Insurance Services; Technology practice client types, seed-to-IPO range, and listed insurance placement lines including PrivaSafe. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commissions and Fees. USI Insurance Services; Licensed-producer authority, insurer-paid commission default, contingent compensation, and client request right. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Business Services. USI Insurance Services; USI advises clients...and provides solutions for...Employment Practices Liability... Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From 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.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening; What EPLI covers; Steps to limit employment liability risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
