---
title: "Founder Shield vs Lockton Employment Practices Liability Insurance"
description: "Lockton describes typical EPL features including third-party and standalone wage-and-hour; Founder Shield places A-rated EPLI for startups."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/employment-practices"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/employment-practices)

# Founder Shield vs Lockton Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Lockton describes typical EPL features including third-party and standalone wage-and-hour; Founder Shield places A-rated EPLI for startups.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Founder Shield and Lockton for Employment Practices Liability 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

Lockton designs EPL programs as broker and says a typical placed policy can include third-party harassment, punitive damages where insurable, immigration claims, and separate wage-and-hour coverage because those claims are usually excluded. Founder Shield places EPLI with A-rated carriers for first-hire startups and high-turnover employers and lists core employment claims without that wage-and-hour split. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?")

## 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 Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Employment practices liability insurance addresses claims alleging workplace wrongdoing, such as discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. [12](https://www.iii.org/article/employment-practices-liability-insurance "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")

## Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance

### What a “Typical” Placement Includes

Lockton and Founder Shield both broker EPL rather than underwrite it. Lockton's product page describes features it says a typical placed policy covers: defense for employee claims and official investigations, third-party discrimination or harassment, punitive damages where insurable, and immigration-related employment claims, plus a separate wage-and-hour product because those claims are typically excluded from EPL. Founder Shield lists defense, settlements and judgments for wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, and does not describe third-party, punitive, immigration or standalone wage-and-hour on its EPLI page. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")

### Who Should Consider the Line

Lockton says any organization that engages people for hire, regardless of size, industry, location, union status or independent contractors, faces employment risk. Founder Shield targets a narrower set: first-hire startups, high-turnover retail and hospitality, professional services, technology companies and nonprofits with volunteers. Founder Shield also states it places only with AM Best A- or better carriers; Lockton's EPL page does not name markets. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?")

### Claims Counsel and Intake

Lockton's Professional & Executive Risk Claims team puts insurance and claims counsel inside the broking team from the start so an EPL strategy exists before a claim. Founder Shield's application path is a website or advisor request, after which the placement team approaches carriers; its reviewed pages do not describe an in-house EPL claims counsel model. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") [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?")

## What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes

- Ask Lockton whether wage-and-hour is a separate policy, what sublimit applies, and whether third-party and immigration endorsements are on the quote. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance")
- Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier is quoting and whether D&O will sit with EPLI because officers can be sued. [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/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")
- Confirm punitive-damages insurable-interest wording on the Lockton form; Founder Shield's page does not address punitive damages. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance")
- Ask how each broker's claims counsel will work with panel counsel if a charge is filed. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance | Lockton Employment Practices Liability (EPL) 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 Employment Practices Liability 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..)<br><br>Founder Shield says EPLI is often purchased standalone but is sometimes packaged with Directors & Officers coverage, since employee-related suits frequently name corporate officers personally. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: EPLI product page..) | Lockton designs EPL insurance programs for clients as their risk advisor and broker; it does not underwrite the coverage it places. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: EPL product page as read 2026-09-23..) |
| Issuing Insurer | Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability 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 EPL page does not name the insurance carriers Lockton places employment practices liability coverage with. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: EPL product page checked 2026-09-23..) |
| Who It’s For | Founder Shield markets EPLI to startups hiring their first employees, retail and hospitality businesses with high turnover, professional-services firms, technology companies, and non-profits with volunteers. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: EPLI product page..) | Lockton says any organization that engages people for hire, regardless of size, industry, location, union participation or use of independent contractors, faces employment-related risk and should consider EPL insurance. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: EPL product page as read 2026-09-23..) |
| Coverage Features | Founder Shield lists defense costs, settlements and judgments, and claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation as what EPLI responds to. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage..) | Lockton says a typical EPL policy it places covers legal defense costs for employee claims and official employment investigations, third-party discrimination or harassment claims from non-employees, punitive damages where insurable, and immigration-related employment claims. It separately offers standalone wage-and-hour coverage for claims like misclassification and unpaid overtime, since wage-and-hour claims are typically excluded from EPL policies. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: EPL product page as read 2026-09-23. Describes typical policy features Lockton places, not a specimen form for any one client..) |
| How to Apply | You request Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability 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's Professional & Executive Risk Claims team integrates insurance and claims counsel within the broking team from the start of the engagement, which Lockton says is meant to prepare the claims strategy before an EPL claim arises. [11](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability "Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: EPL 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 Employment Practices Liability Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices): Employment practices liability insurance can help defend your business against covered claims of discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination.
- [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 D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/directors-officers)
- [Founder Shield vs Lockton Employee Health Benefits](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-lockton/employee-health-benefits)
- [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 Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-foundershield/employment-practices)
- [Alliance Risk vs Lockton Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-lockton/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-foundershield/employment-practices)
- [Amelia Risk vs Lockton Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-lockton/employment-practices)
- [Beazley vs Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-foundershield/employment-practices)
- [Beazley vs Lockton Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-lockton/employment-practices)

## 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. [Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://foundershield.com/coverage/employment-practices-liability-insurance/). Founder Shield; What Is EPL Insurance?; Who Needs EPL Insurance Coverage?; What Does EPL 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. [Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance](https://global.lockton.com/us/en/products-services/employment-practices-liability). Lockton; What is EPL insurance?; Who should purchase EPL insurance?; What can I expect in a typical EPL insurance policy?; What is Wage and Hour coverage?; Claims management. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide

12. [Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://www.iii.org/article/employment-practices-liability-insurance). Insurance Information Institute; Opening; What EPLI covers; Steps to limit employment liability risk. 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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