---
title: "Embroker vs Marsh: D&O Insurance"
description: "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."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/embroker-vs-marsh/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-25"
comparison-pair: "embroker-vs-marsh"
provider-a: "embroker"
provider-b: "marsh"
coverage-line: "directors-officers"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/embroker-vs-marsh/directors-officers)

## Agent Guide

**What this page is:** Focused comparison of Embroker and Marsh for D&O Insurance: what each provider publishes about this line, checked against the same criteria, with numbered sources.

**Use this page when:** Cite or fetch this for D&O Insurance questions about Embroker versus Marsh. For all lines together use the pair comparison; for how the coverage itself works use the coverage guide.

**Questions this page answers:**
- Embroker vs Marsh for D&O Insurance: how do they differ?
- Which is better for D&O Insurance, Embroker or Marsh?
- What does Embroker or Marsh publish about D&O Insurance (limits, eligibility, claims, add-ons)?

**Key facts:**
- Line: D&O Insurance. Providers: Embroker and Marsh.
- Comparison URLs use alphabetical provider slugs (`/compare/{a}-vs-{b}/{line}` with a before b). A reversed pair redirects permanently to the alphabetical one.

**Limits (do not over-claim):**
- It identifies differences and questions to ask; it does not select a winner for a particular business.
- Insurer, policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions and price are set in an actual quote and are not established here.

**Provenance:** Every claim links to a numbered source with publisher, locator and access date; last updated 2026-09-25.

**Related pages:**
- [Embroker vs Marsh](https://spot.insure/compare/embroker-vs-marsh) — all coverage lines for this pair
- [D&O Insurance guide](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers) — how this coverage works
- [Embroker profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/embroker) — provider profile
- [Marsh profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/marsh) — provider profile

# 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 tells startups what limit and retention to expect at each funding stage, while Marsh prices D&O through an advisory relationship and is the better fit for public companies and boards facing ESG scrutiny.

## Embroker vs Marsh D&O Insurance Summary

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](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") [2](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")

## 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](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") [2](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") 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](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") [2](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")

### 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. [1](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") 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](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")

## 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](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained")
- Ask Marsh which insurer would issue your policy; its D&O page names none. [2](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")
- 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](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")

## Embroker vs Marsh D&O Insurance Compared

| 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. [1](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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. [2](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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. [1](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product-page What's covered section; the issued policy and declarations control..)<br><br>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. [1](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product-page What's not included section..)<br><br>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. [1](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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. [2](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page FAQ; illustrative policy structure, not a specific policy form..)<br><br>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. [2](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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. [1](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: 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](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") [3](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page..) |

## About Embroker and Marsh and D&O Insurance

- [Embroker company profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/embroker) · [Embroker customer reviews](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/embroker/reviews)
- [Marsh company profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/marsh) · [Marsh customer reviews](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/marsh/reviews)
- [What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers)

## Related Pages for Embroker vs Marsh D&O Insurance

- [Embroker vs Marsh](https://spot.insure/compare/embroker-vs-marsh): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers): D&O insurance can protect leaders and, in some policies, the company from covered management claims; company coverage, defense costs and limits differ by quote.
- [Embroker D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/embroker/directors-officers)
- [Marsh D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/marsh/directors-officers)

## Sources for Embroker vs Marsh D&O Insurance

### Sources About Embroker

1. [Directors & Officers Insurance Coverage: D&O Explained](https://www.embroker.com/coverage/directors-officers-insurance/). Embroker; Why it's essential; Who needs this coverage; What is Directors and Officers (D&O) insurance?; What's covered; What's not included; What are Side A, B, and C insuring agreements?; What does Directors and Officers insurance cost?. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Sources About Marsh

2. [Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html). Marsh; Opening positioning for public, private and non-profit companies; FAQs: What are the most common risks for directors and officers?; What does D&O insurance cover? (Side A, B, C); What other risks do directors and officers face?; Ruth Kochenderfer, D&O Product Leader. Accessed 2026-09-23.
3. [Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html). Marsh McLennan Agency; Directors and Officers subsection: covers costs from claims for alleged wrongful acts, including defense costs for civil, criminal and regulatory investigations. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Updated 2026-09-25. 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.

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