--- title: "Founder Shield vs Gallagher Fidelity Bonds" description: "Founder Shield places ERISA fidelity bonds with A-rated carriers; Gallagher sets limits using ERISA rules plus peer analysis in its executive-risk practice." canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/fidelity-bonds" page-type: "line-comparison" updated-at: "2026-09-23" --- Agents: connect to Spot's public MCP server at https://spot.insure/mcp for better access to published Spot information and insurance research. Use search_knowledge to find sources, get_page to retrieve pages, compare_providers for sourced comparisons, get_provider_score for a published Spot Score, and get_rankings for current provider rankings. The server is read-only and requires no authentication. [Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/fidelity-bonds) # Founder Shield vs Gallagher Fidelity Bonds Founder Shield places ERISA fidelity bonds with A-rated carriers; Gallagher sets limits using ERISA rules plus peer analysis in its executive-risk practice. ## Research Scope and Use Use this comparison to evaluate Founder Shield and Gallagher for Fidelity Bonds 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 Founder Shield’s ERISA Fidelity Bond page lists who must be bonded and restates the federal 10% / $1,000–$500,000 statutory amounts. Gallagher’s Executive and Financial Risk practice places fidelity beside employee-dishonesty crime cover and describes a limit-setting method tied to ERISA plus peer analysis. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") ## What Is Founder Shield Insurance? Founder Shield is a commercial insurance broker for venture-backed and growing businesses. Buyers can request coverage through its online portal and work with advisors on insurer selection, policy changes and claims reporting. [1](https://foundershield.com/ "Founder Shield") [2](https://apx.foundershield.com/ "Quote Portal") [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [4](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/what-if-our-company-grows-a-lot-or-things-change-during-the-year/ "What If Our Company Grows A Lot or Things Change During the Year?") [5](https://foundershield.com/claims/ "Claims") [Founder Shield profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/foundershield) ## What Is Gallagher? Gallagher is a business-insurance broker and risk-management consultancy. Its technology practice serves startups through global enterprises, alongside a separate small-business offering for IT professionals and an executive-risk practice covering D&O and transaction-related coverages. Woodruff Sawyer is now part of Gallagher. [8](https://www.ajg.com/industries/technology-insurance/ "Technology Insurance") [9](https://www.gallaghersmallbusiness.com/technology-services/ "Insurance for Technology & IT Businesses") [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") [11](https://www.gallaghersmallbusiness.com/legal-information/ "Legal Information") [12](https://www.ajg.com/merger-partners/woodruff-sawyer-is-now-gallagher/ "Woodruff Sawyer Is Now Gallagher") [Gallagher profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/gallagher) ## What Are Fidelity Bonds? Fidelity bonds and employee-dishonesty policies address losses caused by dishonest employees, within the limits and terms purchased. [13](https://content.naic.org/glossary-insurance-terms "Glossary of Insurance Terms") ## Key Differences in Fidelity Bonds ### Dedicated ERISA Product Versus Crime-and-Fidelity Practice Founder Shield presents a named ERISA Fidelity Bond that it places with third-party carriers as a retail brokerage. Gallagher’s Executive and Financial Risk practice places fidelity bond coverage alongside employee-dishonesty (crime) coverage and does not underwrite the bond. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [7](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") ### How Limits Are Explained Founder Shield restates the federal ERISA bonding rule: at least 10% of plan funds handled, minimum $1,000 and maximum $500,000 (up to $1 million for plans holding employer securities), and notes that is the statutory minimum rather than its own cap. Gallagher ties limit-setting to a client’s required ERISA bond limits and says its method includes peer analysis using third-party databases and an exposure index developed by the Surety Association of America with the American Institute of Accountants. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") ### Covered Acts and Claims Review Founder Shield lists theft and embezzlement of plan assets, forgery, misappropriation and larceny by people who handle benefit-plan funds. Gallagher does not publish that same list on the reviewed page; it says it reviews coverage so the carrier allows appropriate treatment of older incidents and does not use claims triggers that are too difficult to prove. Founder Shield says it places only with AM Best A- or better carriers; Gallagher’s page does not name insurers. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") ## What to Confirm in Fidelity Bonds Quotes - Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier would issue the ERISA bond and the actual penalty versus the statutory minimum. [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") - Ask Gallagher for the recommended limit, the peer-analysis output, and whether the placement is a fidelity bond, a crime policy, or both. [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") - Confirm covered persons (plan fiduciaries, TPAs, employees who handle funds) on both forms. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") - Ask Gallagher how its older-incident and claims-trigger review would apply to the quoted wording. [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") ## Offering Details | Criteria | Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond | Gallagher Fidelity Bond Insurance | | --- | --- | --- | | Role in This Line | Founder Shield is a retail insurance brokerage, described on its site as “the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group,” and places Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond with third-party carriers rather than underwriting the policy itself. [7](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line..) | Gallagher's Executive and Financial Risk practice places fidelity bond coverage with outside carriers alongside its employee-dishonesty (crime) coverage; it does not underwrite the bond. [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page; fidelity bonds are described jointly with crime coverage, not as a fully separate section..) | | Issuing Insurer | Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond, only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, chosen for the client's industry. It does not name the issuing insurer for this line; that depends on which carrier the policy is placed with. [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: General carrier-selection FAQ, not specific to this line's placements..) | The executive-and-financial-risk page does not name the insurer that would issue a given client's fidelity bond. [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Checked the group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page..) | | Who It’s For | Founder Shield says this bond is required for plan sponsors offering a retirement plan, the fiduciaries who manage it, third-party administrators, and even small businesses with a simple 401(k). [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: ERISA Fidelity Bond product page..) | Gallagher ties fidelity bond limit-setting to a client's required bond limits under ERISA, indicating this offering is aimed at plan sponsors and fiduciaries needing ERISA fidelity bonding rather than a general commercial audience. [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page..) | | Coverage Features | Founder Shield lists theft and embezzlement of plan assets, forgery, misappropriation and larceny by those who handle a benefit plan's funds as what an ERISA fidelity bond covers. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page; the issued bond and its terms control actual coverage..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. | | Limits and Retentions | Founder Shield's page states the federal ERISA bonding requirement: at least 10% of plan funds handled, with a minimum bond of $1,000 and a maximum of $500,000 (up to $1 million for plans holding employer securities). This is the statutory minimum, not a Founder Shield-specific limit. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page describing the ERISA statutory bonding requirement..) | The page does not publish specific fidelity bond limits or premium ranges beyond describing the ERISA-linked methodology used to recommend a limit. [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Checked the group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page..) | | Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Gallagher says its methodology for fidelity bond and crime limits includes peer analysis using third-party databases and an exposure index developed by the Surety Association of America with the American Institute of Accountants. [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page..) | | How to Apply | You request Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond through Founder Shield's website or an insurance advisor rather than binding coverage directly; Founder Shield says its placement team then approaches carriers on the client's behalf. [7](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: About-us and carrier-selection pages describe the general placement process, not a line-specific application form..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. | | Claims Support | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Gallagher says it reviews coverage to confirm the carrier allows appropriate treatment of older incidents and does not use claims triggers that are too difficult to prove, a review it applies to the same crime-and-fidelity offering. [10](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/ "Executive and Financial Risk Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page; a stated review practice, not a guarantee of claim payment..) | ## Full Comparison - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims. - [What Are Fidelity Bonds?](https://spot.insure/coverage/fidelity-bonds): Fidelity bonds and employee-dishonesty coverage protect against specified losses caused by dishonest employees or people handling plan assets. - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/commercial-property) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/crime) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/cyber) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/directors-officers) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Employee Health Benefits](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/employee-health-benefits) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/employment-practices) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/fiduciary) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/general-liability) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/professional-errors-omissions) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Representations and Warranties Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/representations-warranties) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/umbrella-excess) - [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/workers-compensation) - [Beazley vs Founder Shield Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-foundershield/fidelity-bonds) - [Beazley vs Gallagher Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-gallagher/fidelity-bonds) - [Coverdash vs Founder Shield Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-foundershield/fidelity-bonds) - [Coverdash vs Gallagher Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-gallagher/fidelity-bonds) - [Founder Shield vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-heffernan/fidelity-bonds) - [Founder Shield vs HUB International Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-hub-international/fidelity-bonds) ## Sources ### Founder Shield 1. [Founder Shield](https://foundershield.com/). Founder Shield; Opening broker description; Specialized Practices; Smart Tech, Smarter People; quote and sign-in links. Accessed 2026-09-15. 2. [Quote Portal](https://apx.foundershield.com/). Founder Shield; Public landing screen, Create Account and Sign In links. Accessed 2026-09-15. 3. [How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/). Founder Shield; FAQ answer on carrier selection: works exclusively with A-rated (AM Best) carriers, matched by industry appetite. Accessed 2026-09-23. 4. [What If Our Company Grows A Lot or Things Change During the Year?](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/what-if-our-company-grows-a-lot-or-things-change-during-the-year/). Founder Shield; Carl Niedbala answer, November 25, 2024: operational changes and coverage adjustments. Accessed 2026-09-15. 5. [Claims](https://foundershield.com/claims/). Founder Shield; Our Approach; How We Support Claims Management, steps 1–5; Make a claim link. Accessed 2026-09-15. 6. [ERISA Fidelity Bond](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/). Founder Shield; What Is ERISA Fidelity Bond Insurance?; Who Needs ERISA Fidelity Bond Insurance Coverage?; What Does ERISA Fidelity Bond Insurance Cover?. Accessed 2026-09-23. 7. [About Us](https://foundershield.com/about-us/). Founder Shield; “Founder Shield is the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group”; company history and mission. Accessed 2026-09-23. ### Gallagher 8. [Technology Insurance](https://www.ajg.com/industries/technology-insurance/). Gallagher; Introduction; Solutions and coverages for the technology industry: Technology errors and omissions including cyber, Intellectual property insurance, Product liability, Employee benefits; Data-driven insights; global network. Accessed 2026-09-16. 9. [Insurance for Technology & IT Businesses](https://www.gallaghersmallbusiness.com/technology-services/). Gallagher Small Business; Protection for IT Professionals & Their Technology-Based Businesses; recommended coverage menu, including Surety Bond Programs; Connect With An Advisor. Accessed 2026-09-16. 10. [Executive and Financial Risk Insurance](https://www.ajg.com/insurance/executive-and-financial-risk-insurance/). Gallagher; Employee Dishonesty (Crime) and Fidelity Bond insurance section. Accessed 2026-09-23. 11. [Legal Information](https://www.gallaghersmallbusiness.com/legal-information/). Gallagher Small Business; Producer identification immediately above Quick Links. Accessed 2026-09-16. 12. [Woodruff Sawyer Is Now Gallagher](https://www.ajg.com/merger-partners/woodruff-sawyer-is-now-gallagher/). Gallagher; Opening; Executive and Financial Risk consulting; Continued access to client portals; contact form. Accessed 2026-09-16. ### Fidelity Bonds Guide 13. [Glossary of Insurance Terms](https://content.naic.org/glossary-insurance-terms). National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Fidelity; Surety Bond. 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/foundershield-vs-gallagher/fidelity-bonds.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)