Founder Shield vs 
Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fidelity Bonds
Founder Shield’s ERISA bond is for retirement-plan sponsors; Heffernan lists employee-dishonesty bonds for home care and financial-institution bonds for family offices.
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. 1,2,3,4,5
What Is Heffernan Insurance Brokers?
Heffernan Insurance Brokers is an independent, Walnut Creek–headquartered retail brokerage that arranges business insurance, employee benefits, and related services. Its technology practice markets to mid- and late-stage companies, including venture-funded and pre-IPO firms. 8,9,10
What Are Fidelity Bonds?
Fidelity bonds and employee-dishonesty policies address losses caused by dishonest employees, within the limits and terms purchased. 14
Key Differences in Fidelity Bonds
Benefit-Plan Bond Versus Two Specialty Listings
Founder Shield’s product is an ERISA Fidelity Bond placed with outside carriers, aimed at plan sponsors, fiduciaries who manage a retirement plan, third-party administrators, and small businesses with a simple 401(k). Heffernan arranges fidelity-type bonds inside two practices: home-care Employee Dishonesty Bond and a Fidelity/financial institution bond for family offices and financial firms. 6 7 11 12
What Each Page Says Is Covered
Founder Shield lists theft and embezzlement of plan assets, forgery, misappropriation and larceny by those who handle plan funds, and restates ERISA’s 10% / $1,000–$500,000 (or $1 million with employer securities) bonding rule. Heffernan’s two pages name the products but do not describe insuring agreements, exclusions or claim triggers, and they do not publish a penalty amount. 6 11 12
Carriers and How You Apply
Founder Shield says it places only with AM Best A- or better carriers matched by industry, and you request the bond through its website or an advisor. Heffernan’s reviewed pages do not name an underwriter for either bond and do not describe an application path beyond the specialty-practice listings. 3 7 11 12
What to Confirm in Fidelity Bonds Quotes
- Ask Founder Shield for the issuing carrier, the bond penalty and whether the plan holds employer securities. 6 3
- Ask Heffernan which of the two listed products applies and whether an ERISA bond is needed in addition. 11 12
- Get covered positions and deductibles from both, since Heffernan publishes none and Founder Shield restates only the statutory floor. 6 11
- Confirm Heffernan’s claims path; its advocacy page does not describe fidelity-bond claims handling. 13
Offering Details
Founder Shield vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fidelity Bonds: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond | Heffernan Employee Dishonesty / Fidelity Bonds |
|---|---|---|
| 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. 7Company-reported. About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line. | Heffernan arranges fidelity-type bonds as one line within two specialty practices: an Employee Dishonesty Bond for home-care agencies and a Fidelity/financial institution bond for family offices and financial firms. It places these bonds with insurers rather than issuing them itself. 11,12Company-reported. Home Care and Family Office practice-page listings; no dedicated fidelity-bond product page was found. |
| 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. 3Company-reported. General carrier-selection FAQ, not specific to this line's placements. | The reviewed pages do not name the insurer or bond underwriter for either the home-care Employee Dishonesty Bond or the family-office fidelity bond. 11,12Not publicly disclosed. Home Care and Family Office pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| 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). 6Company-reported. ERISA Fidelity Bond product page. | Heffernan lists fidelity-type bonds for two named buyer segments: home care, home health, and hospice agencies, and family offices, trustees, financial advisors, private equity firms, and foundations. 11,12Company-reported. Direct practice-page listings; no minimum size or other eligibility criteria for the bond specifically were published. |
| 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. 6Company-reported. Product page; the issued bond and its terms control actual coverage. | Heffernan uses two different bond product names for its two client segments: "Employee Dishonesty Bond" for home-care agencies and "Fidelity/financial institution bond" for family offices and financial firms. Neither page describes the bond's insuring agreement, exclusions, or claim triggers. 11,12Company-reported. Home Care and Family Office pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| 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. 6Company-reported. Product page describing the ERISA statutory bonding requirement. | Neither the home-care nor the family-office page publishes a bond penalty amount, limit, or deductible for the fidelity coverage. 11,12Not found in reviewed sources. Home Care and Family Office pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Heffernan's published claims-advocacy services list workers' compensation, general liability, auto, and property claims support; fidelity or crime-bond claims handling is not described on that page. 13Not found in reviewed sources. Claims Advocacy page as read on 2026-09-23; does not establish that fidelity-bond claims receive no support, only that this page does not describe it. |
| 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. 7,3Company-reported. About-us and carrier-selection pages describe the general placement process, not a line-specific application form. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
Full Comparison
More Founder Shield vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Comparisons
Other Fidelity Bonds Comparisons
Sources
Founder Shield
- Founder Shield. Founder Shield; Opening broker description; Specialized Practices; Smart Tech, Smarter People; quote and sign-in links. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Quote Portal. Founder Shield; Public landing screen, Create Account and Sign In links. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- 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.
- 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.
- Claims. Founder Shield; Our Approach; How We Support Claims Management, steps 1–5; Make a claim link. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- 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.
- About Us. Founder Shield; “Founder Shield is the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group”; company history and mission. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Heffernan Insurance Brokers
- Our Story. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Company Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Pre-IPO and venture-funded heading; mid to late stage specialization; global expansion copy; self-insurance strategies; Key Markets list; Why Heffernan broker history; Joseph Talmadge practice leader; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Forward-Thinking Business Insurance: basic coverages (general liability, commercial property and auto, workers’ compensation); corporate and executive protection (EPL, D&O, fiduciary responsibility, cyber, kidnap and ransom); alternative risk capabilities; claims, loss control and risk-management services; industry practice links including Technology and Claims Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Home Care Business Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; We offer comprehensive coverage for: ... Crime - Third Party Theft, Employee Dishonesty Bond, Cyber & Identity Theft, Medical Billing E&O, Property Coverage and more. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Family Office. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Coverage for Family Offices, Trustees & Financial Firms: ... Trustee liability insurance, Property and auto insurance, Fiduciary liability insurance, Fidelity/financial institution bond, Cyber liability insurance, Crime insurance, General liability insurance. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Claims Advocacy. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Services We Offer: Workers' Compensation Claims Expertise; Medical Triage Services; General Liability, Auto & Property Claims Support; Online Risk Management & HR Support; Streamlined Vendor Compliance. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Fidelity Bonds Guide
- Glossary of Insurance Terms. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Fidelity; Surety Bond. Accessed 2026-09-16.
