Founder Shield vs 
HUB International Workers’ Compensation Insurance
HUB publishes specific claim exclusions for workers' comp; Founder Shield describes an A-rated-carrier vetting standard instead.
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 HUB International?
HUB International is a North American insurance brokerage that arranges business insurance, employee benefits and related risk services through local offices and specialist practices. Smaller commercial accounts may be sent to Insureon for an online quote; other programs are handled by HUB advisors, with policy terms set by the insurers they use. 8,9,10
What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Workers’ compensation insurance addresses medical care, rehabilitation and lost wages for employees’ work-related injuries or illnesses. Not every worker, contractor or owner is automatically covered, and not every injury qualifies — check who's included and what's compensable under your state's rules. 12,13,14
Key Differences in Workers’ Compensation Insurance
What the Reviewed Pages Say About Exclusions
HUB's page names specific circumstances that can exclude a claim: an injury that originated outside the workplace, was self-inflicted, resulted from a fight the employee started, relates to a felony, was claimed after termination or layoff, or occurred while the employee was under the influence. Founder Shield's page does not list exclusions; it instead describes what the policy covers (medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation, death benefits and an optional employer-liability add-on). 11 6
How Each Broker Picks a Carrier
Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Workers' Compensation Insurance, 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.
HUB's page does not name an issuing insurer or describe a carrier-selection standard; it says coverage requirements and options vary by state and that HUB helps clients navigate them. 11
Eligibility Framing
HUB frames eligibility around state mandates, saying coverage is required in 49 states and the District of Columbia with Texas as the exception. Founder Shield instead frames eligibility around industry segment, naming construction, restaurants, hospitality, professional offices, healthcare and retail as common buyers. 11 6
What to Confirm in Workers’ Compensation Insurance Quotes
- Ask HUB which of its listed exclusions apply in the buyer's state, since exclusion language can vary by policy and jurisdiction. 11
- Ask Founder Shield which AM Best-rated carrier it is proposing and confirm the rating directly with AM Best. 3
- Neither offering discloses a specific insurer upfront; request the issuing carrier's name before binding either quote. 11 3
- Ask each whether misclassification of employees versus contractors has been reviewed, since HUB names this as a specific service area. 11
Offering Details
Founder Shield vs HUB International Workers’ Compensation Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Founder Shield Workers' Compensation Insurance | HUB International Workers' Compensation Insurance Brokerage |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Workers' Compensation Insurance 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. | HUB brokers workers' compensation insurance and helps clients navigate state regulations and coverage options rather than underwriting the coverage itself. 11Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23; the page does not name an issuing insurer. |
| Issuing Insurer | Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Workers' Compensation Insurance, 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 workers' compensation page does not name an issuing insurer or state fund; HUB places this coverage with insurers or funds that vary by client and state. 11Not found in reviewed sources. Checked the workers' compensation product page on 2026-09-23; no carrier is disclosed there. |
| Who It’s For | Founder Shield's page says most states require workers' compensation as soon as a company hires its first employee, and highlights construction, restaurants/hospitality, professional offices, healthcare and retail as buyer segments. 6Company-reported. Workers' Compensation Insurance product page. | HUB says workers' compensation insurance is required of all businesses in 49 states and the District of Columbia, noting Texas does not mandate coverage. 11Company-reported. Product-page state-requirement statement as read 2026-09-23; specific state rules and exceptions were not independently verified here. |
| Coverage Features | Founder Shield lists medical expenses, a portion of lost wages, rehabilitation costs, death benefits, and an optional employer-liability add-on as what the policy covers. 6Company-reported. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage. | HUB says workers' compensation covers medical bills, disability payments, rehabilitation and recovery costs, partial missed wages, and funeral or survivor benefits for injuries and illnesses sustained in the course of employment, plus an employer's legal defense fees and settlements for related workplace-injury lawsuits. 11Company-reported. Product-page coverage description; the issued policy and state law control an actual claim. HUB lists exclusions that can apply to workers' compensation claims, including injuries that originated outside the workplace, were self-inflicted, resulted from a fight the employee started, relate to a felony, were claimed after termination or layoff, or occurred while the employee was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 11Company-reported. Product-page exclusions list; actual claim outcomes depend on the specific policy and state law. |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | HUB describes helping clients address worker misclassification liability and distinguishing employees from contractors as part of its workers' compensation brokerage, alongside broader risk-reduction guidance. 11Company-reported. Product-page misclassification-liability section; a company-reported advisory service. |
| How to Apply | You request Founder Shield Workers' Compensation Insurance 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 HUB International Comparisons
Other Workers’ Compensation Insurance 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.
- Workers' Compensation Insurance. Founder Shield; What Is Workers’ Comp Insurance?; Who Needs Workers’ Comp Insurance Coverage?; What Does Workers’ Comp 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.
HUB International
- About Us. HUB International; Opening description; 1998 formation of HUB International Limited; 2022 Insureon acquisition; headquarters and employee/office counts. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Contact Us. HUB International; Business Solutions paths for Commercial Insurance Solutions versus Small Commercial Insurance Solutions via Insureon; office search. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Insurance for Technology Companies. HUB International; Technology Company Insurance & Risk Management: startup, software, hardware and digital-media introduction; Business Coverage and People Protection lists; technology-client count. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Workers' Compensation Insurance Brokers. HUB International; What is workers' compensation insurance?; Is Workers' Comp Required?; What's Covered; Misclassification Liability section; coverage exclusions list; state-requirement statement. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guide
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Opening definition; mandatory coverage except Texas opt-in; exclusive remedy; monopolistic state funds; self-insurance note. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Small Business Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Typically covers medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and lost wages; check with your state insurance department; ask these questions / who qualifies as a covered employee (contractors, part-time staff, interns); payroll and type-of-work rating factors. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- DWC employer information. California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers’ Compensation; Opening trade-off and California requirement; basic benefits including medical care, temporary and permanent disability, supplemental job displacement, return-to-work supplement and death benefits; out-of-state employer note. Accessed 2026-09-16.
