Founder Shield vs HUB International

Founder Shield is a commercial insurance broker: it helps businesses choose coverage and arrange policies with insurers. Its terms say it does not insure the risk or decide whether a claim is covered. ^1,2

Founder Shield operates within The Baldwin Group, which lists it among its acquired firms. Founder Shield describes itself as the group’s innovation arm. ^3,4

The terms name The Baldwin Group Specialty Solutions, LLC as the contracting company, but the License Status section identifies Foundershield LLC as the producer. The reviewed records do not resolve which entity would appear on a new engagement; ask for its legal name and applicable license. ^2,5,24

New York’s Department of Financial Services reported a $36,600 fine against Foundershield LLC for late filing of excess-line documents for recording and stamping during January 2019–March 2023. The consent order was approved on June 26, 2025. The notice concerns filing compliance, not a finding about claims payments. ²⁴

HUB International Limited describes itself as a full-service insurance broker and financial-services firm. Its website terms say HUB’s subsidiaries are licensed as insurance brokers or agents in various U.S. states and Canadian provinces. The reviewed product pages market brokerage of policies issued by insurers, not HUB as a risk-bearing carrier for those policies. ^32,33,37

HUB’s About Us timeline states that in 2022 it acquired Insureon for digital delivery of small-business commercial insurance. Insureon and TechInsurance say they are part of HUB; Insureon says it operates as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC, doing business as SPG Insurance Solutions. TechInsurance describes itself as part of Insureon rather than as a separate HUB retail office. ^{32,62,63,64,65}

Founder Shield focuses on venture-backed and high-growth businesses, from early funding rounds through an initial public offering. Its practices include technology, life sciences, financial services, retail and transportation. ^1,6

HUB’s San Francisco Mission Street office says its brokers work across commercial lines, personal lines and high-net-worth, and employee benefits, and names Bay Area industries including technology, venture capital, healthcare and life sciences, real estate and construction. The same page says the team helps startups navigate risk. That is office marketing, not a published eligibility list. ^29,30

HUB’s technology-company page addresses fast-growing startups and established software, hardware or digital-media businesses. It lists a technology-specific mix that includes professional liability/technology E&O, cyber, D&O and other management liability, transactional/warranty insurance, workers’ compensation, employee benefits and key-person coverages. The page also claims more than 5,000 technology companies currently insured; that figure is company-reported and was not independently counted here. ³⁸

HUB’s contact page says it supports small businesses through partner Insureon and directs companies with 50 employees or fewer or under $5 million in annual revenue to start with an online quote. Larger or other commercial needs are directed to HUB commercial-insurance teams or a local office search. Those thresholds are HUB’s routing rules, not a regulatory definition of small business. ³⁶

The Get a Quote link opens a portal with Create Account and Sign In options. Registration offers Google, Microsoft, or an email address and password. ^7,8

Founder Shield advertises an application that takes under 15 minutes. That is an application-time claim, not a guaranteed time to receive insurer terms or put coverage in force. ⁶

To buy coverage, Founder Shield’s FAQ says you approve a proposal, select a payment method and choose the desired start date. Its team then follows up on documents needing electronic signatures and handles the insurer’s paperwork. ⁹

On hubinternational.com, commercial buyers are asked to contact a broker, connect with a specialist, or use Contact Us. Small-commercial inquiries meeting HUB’s stated size tests go to Insureon for an online quote. Product pages such as general liability, D&O, cyber and workers’ compensation use “Contact Us” or “Connect With a Broker” rather than an on-site bind flow. Privacy policy language refers to automation for insurance quoting, without documenting a public HUB retail e-commerce checkout for mid-market programs. ^{36,39,40,41,38,34}

Founder Shield’s certificate FAQ directs customers to email the team. For a request tied to a contract, it asks for the other party’s legal name and address, required wording, and the insurance requirements from the contract so the team can assess endorsement needs. ¹⁸

Founder Shield asks clients to report changes such as a new product, a different business model, a new office or entry into another territory. Its team says it will evaluate those changes and adjust coverage. ¹⁹

Founder Shield describes a platform for applications and renewals, with ongoing advisor support. Its renewal guide suggests starting 60–90 days before expiration and preparing updated business information and claims history. That is planning guidance, not a promised renewal-service deadline. ^1,20

Founder Shield’s terms direct cancellation requests to client support and warn that some insurers retain a minimum earned premium—a portion you cannot recover by cancelling early. Check the proposal’s cancellation terms. ²

HUB describes ongoing servicing through local account teams (ProEx notes local policy review and certificates of insurance), a Risk Management Information System for claims administration, certificate tracking and carrier/TPA data, and employee-benefits work that includes multi-year cost planning and renewal support. RMIS is described as available in various tiers. None of those pages publish a standard service-level agreement or fee for those tools. ^44,61,58

Founder Shield’s pricing FAQ says quotes generally cover one year, unless stated otherwise, and include the fees and charges for that policy period. It describes full payment, carrier installments and financing through premium-finance companies, depending on the policy and payment arrangement. ²²

Founder Shield discloses compensation through commissions, fees or interest and invites questions about the amount and nature of that compensation. Its terms say customer charges will be disclosed in advance. ²

The Baldwin Group’s January 2026 disclosure also describes client fees, commissions tied to volume or profitability, compensation for affiliated placement services, and referral fees from providers such as premium-finance companies. These are possible group arrangements, not a finding that each applies to your Founder Shield policy. ²³

HUB’s How We Get Paid page says it is compensated primarily through insurer-paid commissions included in premium, and also through contingent income, guaranteed supplemental commissions, and, on some complex programs, client-paid fees disclosed in a proposal, sometimes in addition to commission. It owns wholesale brokerages that may earn a second commission when HUB retail uses them. It may receive fees for de-identified data under insurer consulting agreements, premium-finance administration, interest on fiduciary accounts, and policy or claims administration. Strategic Carriers may pay enhanced compensation, part of which may incentivize employees to prioritize those markets. No schedule of commission percentages or standard fees is published. ³⁵