What Is Cowbell Insurance?
Cowbell suits small and midsize businesses seeking cyber options by company size, with technology E&O and Zurich management-liability options also available; firms needing broad commercial coverage should compare a full-service broker. Some security services cost extra. 1,2,3
Zurich U.S. Business Insurance: Products, Access, and Claims
Zurich U.S. serves Middle Market businesses and large or national accounts with commercial property-casualty and specialty insurance. Buyers can explore product lines and work through an agent or broker; the insurer named on a quote or policy identifies which Zurich company underwrites that coverage. 5,6
What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?
Fiduciary liability can protect your company and plan fiduciaries when participants claim mishandling of an employee benefit plan. If you sponsor a retirement or health plan, check who is insured and whether both administration errors and fiduciary-breach claims are addressed. 9,10,11
Key Differences in Fiduciary Liability Insurance
Size limits and distribution route
Cowbell targets its fiduciary module to private companies with fewer than 250 employees and $50 million in assets, and makes it available only through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers using Cowbell’s platform. Zurich says its fiduciary policies can be standalone or packaged for public and private companies, without stating the same thresholds in the reviewed claim. A business can check Cowbell’s size criteria before approaching a wholesaler; a larger or public company should ask Zurich which separate offering applies. 4 7
Covered plans and issuer
Cowbell describes protection for fiduciary-duty claims connected to employee benefit plans such as 401(k)s and health plans. It says Zurich underwrites the Select Plus module, though the exact Zurich issuing entity is not stated for this module. Zurich describes a standalone or packaged policy route and plan-administration claims. Buyers should verify the issuing company, covered plan types, and whether the Cowbell platform access route changes the available form. 4 8 7
What to Confirm in Fiduciary Liability Insurance Quotes
Review Scores
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
Cowbell
Review Score
1 rated source
Cowbell has one public rating we could find: 1.0 out of 5 on SourceForge from three reviews in 2023. That's too few and too old to say much.[8]
Read Cowbell reviewsZurich U.S.
Review Score
No reviews found
The available Zurich review evidence is mixed and comes from distinct populations: a car-rental-business editorial rating, broad global and U.S. review-platform snapshots, and a BBB business-profile grade. These are not a representative measure of every Zurich commercial policy or claim.[1][4][5][6][7]
Read Zurich U.S. reviewsOffering Details
Cowbell vs Zurich U.S.: Fiduciary Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Cowbell / Zurich Select Plus Fiduciary Liability | Zurich Fiduciary Liability Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 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. 4,3Company-reported. Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Issuing Insurer | Cowbell and Zurich both say the Select Plus modules, including fiduciary liability, 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. 4,3Company-reported. Management liability page intro; Zurich page intro and footer. | Confirm in your quote. |
| 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. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list. | Confirm in your quote. |
| 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. 4Company-reported. FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'. | Zurich’s Fiduciary Liability Select addresses claims and investigations involving administration of employee savings, pension and health/welfare plans. 8Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; fiduciary liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. Zurich says it offers stand-alone and packaged fiduciary policies for public and private companies. 7Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; fiduciary liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. Zurich lists current advancement of defense costs and no restrictions to panel-counsel lists as coverage-solution features. 8Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; fiduciary liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. |
| Limits and Retentions | Neither the Cowbell page nor Zurich's own Select Plus page, both read in full, publishes fiduciary-liability limit or retention amounts. 4,3Not publicly disclosed. Cowbell page and Zurich page, both read on 2026-09-23. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Risk Services | Both Cowbell and Zurich describe the Select Plus product generally as backed by 'the reputable Zurich Claims service'; neither reviewed page describes a fiduciary-specific service such as plan-compliance consulting. 4,3Not publicly disclosed. Management liability page intro; Zurich page intro, both read on 2026-09-23. | Zurich says qualified multinational fiduciary customers can structure global programs with locally admitted policies tied to a U.S. master policy. 7Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; fiduciary liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. |
| How to Apply | This fiduciary 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?'. | Confirm in your quote. |
Full Comparison
More Cowbell vs Zurich U.S. Comparisons
Other Fiduciary 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 'Fiduciary 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?' (Fiduciary Liability definition); Target industries list; FAQ on access and account size. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Zurich U.S.
- About Us | Zurich U.S. | Commercial Insurance. Zurich U.S.; About Zurich U.S.; customer and industry description; FAQ on U.S. product focus. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Agents and Brokers | Zurich U.S. Zurich U.S.; Agent/broker route and locator. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Fiduciary Liability Insurance | Zurich U.S. Zurich U.S.; Fiduciary products, exposures, customers, services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Management Liability Insurance | Zurich U.S. Zurich U.S.; Management liability, D&O, crime, fiduciary, EPLI. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Fiduciary Liability Insurance Guide
- Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements. U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Q2 pp.2–3. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Fiduciary Liability. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America; II.D,J–L pp.2–3; II.A p.1; II.V p.5; Header p.1; II.M p.3; I p.1; III.A.6–8 pp.5–6; II.M.2 p.3; III.B.1 p.6. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Travelers; What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance? Accessed 2026-09-16.
