---
title: "Founder Shield vs Lockton D&O Insurance"
description: "Founder Shield vets D&O carriers against an AM Best rating floor; Lockton instead leans on a claims team embedded directly in its broking practice."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# Founder Shield vs Lockton D&O Insurance

Founder Shield vets D&O carriers against an AM Best rating floor; Lockton instead leans on a claims team embedded directly in its broking practice.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Founder Shield and Lockton for D&O Insurance 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 says it places D&O only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, while Lockton highlights a Professional & Executive Risk Claims team integrated into its D&O broking from the start of the relationship rather than a carrier-rating filter. [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O 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 Lockton?

Lockton is a privately held insurance brokerage that arranges commercial risk, employee benefits and retirement programs. US pages describe a technology practice and intermediary placement with insurers, not Lockton as the policy’s insurer. [8](https://global.lockton.com/us/en "Lockton United States") [9](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/technology "Technology") [10](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/terms-of-business "US Terms of Business")

[Lockton profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/lockton)

## What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?

Directors and officers liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging wrongful acts in managing an organization. [12](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms "Glossary of Business Insurance Terms")

## Key Differences in D&O Insurance

### Two Different Broker Selling Points

Founder Shield leads with a carrier-quality filter it applies before approaching any insurer, saying it places D&O only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best. [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") Lockton instead leads with a service commitment for after the policy is placed:

Lockton says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team integrates experienced insurance and claims counsel within the broking team from the start of the relationship, rather than treating claims advocacy as a separate profit center. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23..)

One broker is selling you on who it will approach; the other is selling you on what happens once a claim lands.

### Who Can Be Covered

Lockton's page lists an unusually broad set of insureds a program it places can extend to, including trustees, committee members, volunteers and even spouses or estates. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") Founder Shield instead names categories of buyer — public and private companies, venture-backed companies, and businesses owing more than $1 million to creditors — rather than listing who within an organization the policy can cover. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance")

### What Neither Side Names

Founder Shield says it places business only with A-rated carriers but doesn't name a specific insurer on its D&O page. [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") Lockton's D&O page has the same gap, describing program design and coverage precision without naming who would underwrite the resulting policy. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance")

## What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes

- Ask Founder Shield which specific carrier it selected and confirm the AM Best rating at binding, since ratings can change. [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?")
- Ask Lockton which insurers it typically places D&O with, since its page describes the process but not a carrier. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance")
- Confirm actual limits with both brokers directly; Founder Shield cites only a general market range of $5-10 million in combined coverage. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance")
- Ask each broker how claims advocacy works in practice, since Lockton names a specific integrated team that Founder Shield's pages don't describe for this line. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Founder Shield Directors & Officers Insurance | Lockton Directors & Officers (D&O) 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 Directors & Officers Insurance 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..) | Lockton designs and places D&O programs rather than underwriting them, saying effective coverage requires market intelligence, coverage-design precision and staying ahead of emerging risks like AI-related litigation and event-driven claims. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23..) |
| Issuing Insurer | Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Directors & Officers 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. [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 D&O page does not name the insurers Lockton places D&O coverage with. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: D&O product page checked 2026-09-23..) |
| Who It’s For | Founder Shield targets D&O at public and private businesses, venture-backed companies (it says almost every institutional term sheet requires the coverage), and businesses owing more than $1 million to creditors. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Directors & Officers Insurance product page..) | Lockton says D&O coverage it places can extend beyond directors and officers to trustees, employees, independent contractors, staff, committee members, volunteers, the corporate entity, majority-owned subsidiaries, spouses/domestic partners, and estates/heirs. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23. Describes who can typically be covered under a program Lockton structures, not a guarantee for any specific client..) |
| Coverage Features | Founder Shield describes a three-part structure: Side A pays individual directors/officers directly when the company cannot or will not indemnify them, Side B reimburses the company for indemnification it pays, and Side C provides entity coverage for the company itself. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage..) | Lockton explains a traditional D&O program in three parts it says it can structure: Side A (direct coverage to individual directors/officers when the company can't indemnify them), Side B (reimbursing the company for indemnifying its D&Os), and Side C (entity coverage, generally limited to securities claims for public companies but broader for private and nonprofit organizations). [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23. General educational description of program structure, not a specimen policy form..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Founder Shield's page describes a typical market base layer of $5 million to $10 million in combined A-B-C coverage, but does not publish a specific limit Founder Shield itself offers; actual limits are set on the quote. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: General market description on the product page, not a stated Founder Shield minimum or maximum..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | You request Founder Shield Directors & Officers 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](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. | Lockton says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team integrates experienced insurance and claims counsel within the broking team from the start of the relationship, rather than treating claims advocacy as a separate profit center. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance "D&O Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page as read 2026-09-23..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Founder Shield vs Lockton](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers): Directors and officers insurance can help pay for covered claims against company leaders over decisions they make in running the business.
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Cargo and Transit Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/cargo-transit)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/commercial-property)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/crime)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/cyber)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Employee Health Benefits](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/employee-health-benefits)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/employment-practices)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/fiduciary)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/general-liability)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Product Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/product-liability)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Representations and Warranties Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/representations-warranties)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/workers-compensation)
- [Alliance Risk vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-foundershield/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs Lockton D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-lockton/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-foundershield/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Lockton D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-lockton/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs Founder Shield D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-foundershield/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs Lockton D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/directors-officers)

## 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. [Directors & Officers Insurance](https://foundershield.com/coverage/directors-and-officers-insurance/). Founder Shield; What Is D&O Insurance; Who Needs D&O Insurance Coverage; What Does D&O 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.

### Lockton

8. [Lockton United States](https://global.lockton.com/us/en). Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
9. [Technology](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/technology). Lockton; Industry introduction; cyber liability heading; dedicated technology team; listed services including claims advocacy, contract review, directors and officers liability, and international program design; 24/7 service model. Accessed 2026-09-16.
10. [US Terms of Business](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/terms-of-business). Lockton; Opening entity definition; Surplus Lines; Use of a Particular Insurer; Compensation Disclosure; servicing, claims handling and renewal language in Confidentiality section; Intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [D&O Insurance](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/d-and-o-insurance). Lockton; What is D&O insurance?; Side A/B/C coverage components; Who can be covered under a D&O program?; Claims management. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### D&O Insurance Guide

12. [Glossary of Business Insurance Terms](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms). The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices Liability Insurance. 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.

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