What Is Founder Shield Insurance?
Founder Shield is a broker for venture-backed startups: you apply online in under 15 minutes, and an advisor shops its 200+ carrier markets to build a program that changes as your products and locations change. It doesn't insure you itself, so ask which insurer carries each policy. 1,2,3,4,5
What Is Marsh McLennan Agency?
Marsh McLennan Agency provides business insurance and employee health and benefits, alongside retirement, wealth, and private-client services across the United States and Canada. Its US small-business page lists six common coverage types and directs buyers to request a personalized quote by phone; the insurer and terms for a specific placement must be confirmed in the proposal. 8,9
What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?
D&O insurance can help pay covered defense costs and losses from claims against company leaders over management decisions. If your organization has a board or executives, check whether the company itself is insured and whether legal bills reduce the limit. 11,12,13
What Are the Key Differences Between Founder Shield and Marsh McLennan Agency D&O Insurance?
Typical market layer versus a quote
Founder Shield describes a typical market base layer of $5 million to $10 million across Side A, B and C, while clarifying that it does not publish a specific limit it offers and actual limits are quoted. MMA also leaves limits placement-specific and describes arranging D&O through advisers. Neither range is a promised offer; ask both for the carrier, limit, retention and whether limits are shared with other management lines. 6 10
Brokerage and coverage structure
Founder Shield places D&O with third-party carriers and describes Side A for directors when the company cannot indemnify, Side B reimbursement and Side C entity coverage. MMA describes defense costs for civil and criminal actions and investigations arising from alleged wrongful acts. Ask both brokers to map individual and entity protection to the proposed wording and name the insurer before comparing the programs. 6 10
What Should You Confirm in Founder Shield and Marsh McLennan Agency D&O Insurance Quotes?
Founder Shield and Marsh McLennan Agency Review Scores for 2026
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
Founder Shield Review Score
Review Score
1 rated source
Founder Shield has too little independent customer feedback for a reliable verdict. One positive Trustpilot review does not establish a service track record.[1][4]
Read Founder Shield reviewsMarsh McLennan Agency Review Score
Review Score
2 rated sources
There are almost no public customer reviews of Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA). Trustpilot shows 3.2 out of 5, but from a single review, and BBB shows an A grade with four complaints closed in three years.[8][9][1]
Read Marsh McLennan Agency reviewsFounder Shield vs Marsh McLennan Agency D&O Insurance Compared
Founder Shield vs Marsh McLennan Agency: D&O Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Founder Shield Directors & Officers Insurance | Marsh McLennan Agency directors officers (official overview) |
|---|---|---|
| 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. 7Company-reported. About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line. | Marsh McLennan Agency describes arranging directors officers for the audience stated on the cited product page. 10Company-reported. directors officers marketed by marsh-mclennan-agency; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| 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. 3Company-reported. General carrier-selection FAQ, not specific to this line's placements. | Confirm in your quote. |
| 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. 6Company-reported. Directors & Officers Insurance product page. | Corporate executives, board members, and their organizations, as described by the source. 10Company-reported. directors officers marketed by marsh-mclennan-agency; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| 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. 6Company-reported. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage. | The cited product page describes D&O for alleged wrongful acts by directors or officers, including described defense costs for civil and criminal actions and investigations. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 10Company-reported. directors officers marketed by marsh-mclennan-agency; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| 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. 6Company-reported. General market description on the product page, not a stated Founder Shield minimum or maximum. | The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. 10Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred. |
| 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. 7,3Company-reported. About-us and carrier-selection pages describe the general placement process, not a line-specific application form. | The page invites organizations to contact a Marsh McLennan Agency adviser or specialist to discuss placement. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. 10Company-reported. directors officers marketed by marsh-mclennan-agency; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
Related Pages for Founder Shield vs Marsh McLennan Agency D&O
D&O Insurance Pages for Founder Shield and Marsh McLennan Agency
Other Coverage Lines Compared for Founder Shield vs Marsh McLennan Agency
Other D&O Insurance Provider Comparisons
Sources for Founder Shield vs Marsh McLennan Agency D&O Insurance
Sources About Founder Shield
- Founder Shield. Founder Shield; Opening broker description; Specialized Practices; Smart Tech, Smarter People; quote and sign-in links. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Startup Insurance. Founder Shield; What Coverage Does your Startup Need?; Why Startups Choose Founder Shield; Industries We Serve; Essential Policies to Consider section. 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.
- Terms of Service. Founder Shield; Opening agreement; License Status; Representations and Disclaimers Related to Products or Services; Fees and Charges; Void Where Prohibited. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Directors & 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.
- About Us. Founder Shield; “Founder Shield is the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group”; company history and mission. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Sources About Marsh McLennan Agency
- Who We Are. Marsh McLennan Agency; Lines 193-195: ‘a business of Marsh’ and company-listed service lines across US and Canada. This does not establish the legal entity for an account, corporate ownership chart, or insurer role. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Small Business Insurance Solutions. Marsh McLennan Agency; Lines 205-207: small-business audience and call invitation; lines 224-249 list six coverage categories and short descriptions; line 264 is an embedded form whose function is not stated. No form submitted. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Executive and Professional Liability | MMA. Marsh McLennan Agency; Directors and Officers section; claims for alleged wrongful acts and defense costs. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Sources for the D&O Insurance Guide
- Glossary of Business Insurance Terms. The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- The Chubb Primary Directors & Officers and Entity Securities Liability Insurance. Chubb Group of Insurance Companies; hosted by eperils; I.A–C p.1; I.C p.1; I and III.A–B pp.1–2; VI Reporting pp.3–4. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Private Company Directors and Officers Liability Coverage. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America; I.A–C p.1; I.C p.1; Header p.1 and VI.A pp.6–7. Accessed 2026-09-16.






