Founder Shield vs
Marsh McLennan Agency: How Do They Compare for Intellectual Property Insurance?
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
Read the Founder Shield profile
Read the Founder Shield Intellectual Property Insurance page
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
Read the Marsh McLennan Agency profile
Read the Marsh McLennan Agency Intellectual Property Insurance page
What Is Intellectual Property Insurance?
Intellectual property insurance comes in two separate parts: defense, when you're accused of infringing a patent, trademark or copyright, and enforcement, when you pursue someone who copied yours. A defense-only quote doesn't pay for your own lawsuit, so ask for each part you need. 11,12,13,14,15
Key Differences in Intellectual Property Insurance
Defending a claim and pursuing an infringer
Founder Shield describes two IP components: defense costs and judgments when the insured is accused of infringement, and enforcement funding, subject to underwriter approval, to pursue an infringer and recover lost income. Marsh McLennan Agency lists intellectual-property liability among its executive/professional offerings, but the reviewed overview does not say whether it includes enforcement as well as defense. A company seeking funding to assert its own patent or copyright should ask MMA specifically about offensive coverage instead of treating the product label as proof. 6 10
Carrier role and underwriting detail
Founder Shield is a brokerage and says it places this coverage with third-party carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, selected for the client’s industry; the issuer is not named until placement. MMA also describes arranging this line through an adviser, while its overview supplies no carrier or policy details. Ask each placement team for the proposed insurer, any enforcement sublimit or approval condition, and exclusions for the specific patents or works at issue. 7 3 10
What to Confirm in Intellectual Property 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 Intellectual Property Compared
Founder Shield vs Marsh McLennan Agency: Intellectual Property Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Founder Shield Intellectual Property Insurance | Marsh McLennan Agency intellectual property (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 Intellectual Property 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 intellectual property for the audience stated on the cited product page. 10Company-reported. intellectual property 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 Intellectual Property 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 IP coverage at companies holding one or more patents, businesses vulnerable to competitor infringement claims, and companies at risk of accidentally infringing another party's IP. 6Company-reported. Intellectual Property Insurance product page. | Organizations seeking executive/professional liability solutions; the source does not specify covered IP claims or terms. 10Company-reported. intellectual property 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 two components: defense coverage (legal costs and judgments if the policyholder is accused of infringement) and enforcement coverage (funding, with underwriter approval, to sue an infringer and recoup lost income). 6Company-reported. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage. | The cited product page describes intellectual-property liability as a named executive and professional product; the overview does not itemize covered IP claims. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 10Company-reported. intellectual property 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 | Confirm in your quote. | 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 Intellectual Property 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. intellectual property 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
Intellectual Property Pages for Founder Shield and Marsh McLennan Agency
Other Coverage Lines Compared for Founder Shield vs Marsh McLennan Agency
Other Intellectual Property Insurance Provider Comparisons
Sources for Founder Shield vs Marsh McLennan Agency
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.
- Intellectual Property Insurance. Founder Shield; What Is Intellectual Property Insurance?; Who Needs Intellectual Property Insurance Coverage?; What Does Intellectual Property 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; Intellectual property (IP) is named within the executive and professional liability policy suite. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Sources for the Intellectual Property Insurance Guide
- Small Business Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Other types of business liability insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Intellectual property insurance (UK guidance). UK Intellectual Property Office; About IP and insurance > types of products; exclusions/excess/co-insurance; claims process and legal representation. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Intellectual property insurance. CFC; Opening; Defense; Pursuit of infringers; Contractual indemnity; US-facing product offering. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Intellectual Property Insurance application form — US. CFC Underwriting Limited; Sections 1–2 pp.1–2; Section 3 pp.3–4; Section 4 p.4; Section 6.1 p.5; Section 6.2 p.6. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- IP Infringement Insurance Application. Intellectual Property Insurance Services Corporation; p.1 specimen request; Section 1 pp.2–4; Defense Section 2 pp.5–6; Enforcement Section 3 pp.7–9. Accessed 2026-09-16.





