Embroker vs Marsh: How Do They Compare for D&O Insurance?

Embroker sells standalone D&O policies online, while Marsh describes a three-part D&O program and addresses the exposures facing public-company directors and officers.

Embroker quotes D&O online and publishes limit and retention ranges for each funding stage. Marsh prices D&O through an advisory relationship, publishes no ranges, and flags ESG scrutiny of board diversity and executive pay as extra pressure on directors. ^1,²

What Are the Key Differences Between Embroker and Marsh D&O Insurance?

Answer Questions Online vs Work With an Adviser

Embroker prices D&O on its platform from your revenue, industry risk and claims history. Marsh's financial and professional liability practice prices it through an advisory relationship, with a broker shopping the placement for you. ¹ ² Choose Embroker if you are a venture-backed private company that wants a quick online quote sized to your funding stage; choose Marsh if you are a public company, nonprofit, or a board facing shareholder or ESG pressure that needs advice more than speed. ¹ ²

A Budget Number Before You Call

Marsh publishes no limit range. Embroker does:

For its startup package, Embroker publishes illustrative D&O/EPLI/fiduciary limit and retention ranges by funding stage, from roughly $1-2 million in limits with a $10-25k retention for companies raising up to $10 million, up to $8-10 million in limits with a $25-75k retention for companies raising $100-250 million. ¹Company-reported. Product-page cost table for the Embroker Startup Package; actual limits, retentions and premiums depend on underwriting.

That lets you sanity-check a quote before you sign; with Marsh, the first number you see is the proposal.

Which Claims Each Prepares You For

Embroker names the misconduct its policy responds to, such as misuse of company funds and breach of fiduciary duty. ¹ Marsh sorts risk by company type: public companies more often face shareholder securities suits, and private companies and nonprofits more often face employment-practices claims. It also warns that ESG scrutiny of board diversity and executive pay adds pressure, which Embroker's page doesn't raise. ²

What Should You Confirm in Embroker and Marsh D&O Insurance Quotes?

Ask Embroker whether its funding-stage table applies to you or whether underwriting would set a different limit and retention. ¹
Ask Marsh which insurer would issue your policy; its D&O page names none. ²
If a board member sits on a public company board, or ESG scrutiny is live for you, ask Marsh how that changes underwriting and price. ²

Embroker vs Marsh D&O Insurance Compared

Embroker vs Marsh: D&O Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	Embroker Directors and Officers Insurance	Marsh Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) Insurance
Who It’s For	Embroker markets D&O to any private or public company with a board of directors, startups that have received or are about to receive venture capital funding, and nonprofit corporations, saying VC and private equity investors commonly require it before funding. ¹Company-reported. Product-page eligibility and 'Why Do Startups Need D&O Insurance?' sections; not a guarantee of coverage for a particular company.	Marsh says public company directors and officers typically face more securities-lawsuit exposure from shareholders and regulators, while private and non-profit organizations more often face employment-practices claims from customers, vendors or regulators; directors and officers of all organization types can face cyber-related liability exposure. ²Company-reported. Marsh D&O page, common risks FAQ.
Coverage Features	Embroker lists coverage for misuse of company funds, misrepresentation of company assets, breach of fiduciary duty, failure to comply with workplace laws and lack of corporate governance. ¹Company-reported. Product-page What's covered section; the issued policy and declarations control. Embroker says the policy excludes lawsuits between members of the same company, criminal or deliberately fraudulent activity, prior-knowledge claims, and claims against directors actively engaged in antitrust violations. ¹Company-reported. Product-page What's not included section. Embroker structures its D&O policy with three insuring agreements: Side A covers individual directors and officers when the company cannot indemnify them, Side B reimburses the company for indemnifying its leaders, and Side C covers the company itself when it is sued for financial mismanagement. ¹Company-reported. Product-page 'What are Side A, B, and C insuring agreements?' section; specific policy structure, not a claim about every insurer's D&O form.	Marsh says D&O insurance typically has three coverage sides: Side A protects directors' and officers' personal assets when the organization cannot or will not indemnify them; Side B reimburses the organization for indemnifying directors and officers; Side C offers balance-sheet protection when the entity itself is named, generally limited to securities claims for public companies. ²Company-reported. Marsh D&O page FAQ; illustrative policy structure, not a specific policy form. Marsh says ESG-related stakeholder scrutiny, covering areas such as carbon emissions, renewable-energy use, labor practices, board diversity and executive compensation, can add regulatory, legislative or litigation pressure on directors and officers beyond traditional D&O exposures. ²Company-reported. Marsh D&O page, What other risks do directors and officers face? section.
Role in This Line	Embroker sells D&O as a standalone policy and offers to package it with cyber and workers' compensation; it also says EPLI, D&O and related coverages are sometimes bundled into a management liability program. ¹Company-reported. Product-page description; not a statement about the issuing insurer.	Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places D&O insurance for public, private and non-profit companies; MMA also places D&O coverage within its executive and professional liability practice for middle-market clients. ^2,³Company-reported. Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page.

Criteria

Embroker Directors and Officers Insurance

Marsh Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) Insurance

Who It’s For

Embroker markets D&O to any private or public company with a board of directors, startups that have received or are about to receive venture capital funding, and nonprofit corporations, saying VC and private equity investors commonly require it before funding. ¹Company-reported. Product-page eligibility and 'Why Do Startups Need D&O Insurance?' sections; not a guarantee of coverage for a particular company.

Marsh says public company directors and officers typically face more securities-lawsuit exposure from shareholders and regulators, while private and non-profit organizations more often face employment-practices claims from customers, vendors or regulators; directors and officers of all organization types can face cyber-related liability exposure. ²Company-reported. Marsh D&O page, common risks FAQ.

Coverage Features

Embroker lists coverage for misuse of company funds, misrepresentation of company assets, breach of fiduciary duty, failure to comply with workplace laws and lack of corporate governance. ¹Company-reported. Product-page What's covered section; the issued policy and declarations control.

Embroker says the policy excludes lawsuits between members of the same company, criminal or deliberately fraudulent activity, prior-knowledge claims, and claims against directors actively engaged in antitrust violations. ¹Company-reported. Product-page What's not included section.

Embroker structures its D&O policy with three insuring agreements: Side A covers individual directors and officers when the company cannot indemnify them, Side B reimburses the company for indemnifying its leaders, and Side C covers the company itself when it is sued for financial mismanagement. ¹Company-reported. Product-page 'What are Side A, B, and C insuring agreements?' section; specific policy structure, not a claim about every insurer's D&O form.

Marsh says D&O insurance typically has three coverage sides: Side A protects directors' and officers' personal assets when the organization cannot or will not indemnify them; Side B reimburses the organization for indemnifying directors and officers; Side C offers balance-sheet protection when the entity itself is named, generally limited to securities claims for public companies. ²Company-reported. Marsh D&O page FAQ; illustrative policy structure, not a specific policy form.

Marsh says ESG-related stakeholder scrutiny, covering areas such as carbon emissions, renewable-energy use, labor practices, board diversity and executive compensation, can add regulatory, legislative or litigation pressure on directors and officers beyond traditional D&O exposures. ²Company-reported. Marsh D&O page, What other risks do directors and officers face? section.

Role in This Line

Embroker sells D&O as a standalone policy and offers to package it with cyber and workers' compensation; it also says EPLI, D&O and related coverages are sometimes bundled into a management liability program. ¹Company-reported. Product-page description; not a statement about the issuing insurer.

Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places D&O insurance for public, private and non-profit companies; MMA also places D&O coverage within its executive and professional liability practice for middle-market clients. ^2,³Company-reported. Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page.