---
title: "Founder Shield vs Marsh Fidelity Bonds"
description: "Founder Shield places a named ERISA fidelity bond; Marsh treats employee fidelity as part of commercial crime, not a separate product line."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/fidelity-bonds"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# Founder Shield vs Marsh Fidelity Bonds

Founder Shield places a named ERISA fidelity bond; Marsh treats employee fidelity as part of commercial crime, not a separate product line.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Founder Shield and Marsh for Fidelity Bonds 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’s ERISA Fidelity Bond is placed with third-party carriers for plan sponsors, with statutory bonding amounts restated on the product page. Marsh bundles fidelity with commercial crime; MMA lists commercial crime/fidelity as one practice item, and Marsh says employee fidelity losses are about half of its crime-policy notifications. [7](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [13](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime 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 Marsh?

Marsh is a global insurance broker and risk advisor. In the United States it places coverage through core Marsh teams and through Marsh McLennan Agency for many middle-market buyers, including technology, cyber, property, casualty and benefits programs. [8](https://www.marsh.com/en/home.html "Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments") [9](https://www.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh/Documents/PDF/US-en/us-client-compensation-guide.pdf "Compensation guide for US clients") [10](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/marsh-mclennan-agency.html "Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA)") [11](https://www.marsh.com/en/industries/technology.html "Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management")

[Marsh profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/marsh)

## What Are Fidelity Bonds?

Fidelity bonds and employee-dishonesty policies address losses caused by dishonest employees, within the limits and terms purchased. [14](https://content.naic.org/glossary-insurance-terms "Glossary of Insurance Terms")

## Key Differences in Fidelity Bonds

### Named ERISA Bond Versus Crime Bundle

Founder Shield places Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond with third-party carriers rather than underwriting it. Marsh’s reviewed pages do not sell fidelity as a separate product line; they bundle it with commercial crime, and MMA lists commercial crime/fidelity together in executive and professional liability. [7](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [13](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance")

### What Each Firm Says the Cover Addresses

Founder Shield says the bond is required for plan sponsors, fiduciaries, TPAs and even small businesses with a 401(k), and lists theft, embezzlement, forgery, misappropriation and larceny of plan assets. Marsh describes employee white-collar fraud—trusted staff exploiting systems for personal gain—as one of the risks a commercial crime policy addresses, and says those fidelity losses make up about half of the crime-policy notifications in its data. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance")

### Placement Path

You request Founder Shield’s bond through its website or an advisor; its team then approaches carriers rated A- or better by AM Best. You engage a Marsh or MMA crime and fidelity specialist, because fidelity is placed together with commercial crime rather than through a separate application in the reviewed pages. Founder Shield does not name the issuing insurer for this line; Marsh’s reviewed pages also do not name a specific insurer. [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?") [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance") [13](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance")

## What to Confirm in Fidelity Bonds Quotes

- Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier would issue the bond and what penalty it uses relative to the statutory 10% / $1,000–$500,000 (or $1 million) figures on its page. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [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 Marsh which commercial crime/fidelity wording is on the quote, since the reviewed pages treat fidelity as part of crime rather than a separate product. [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance") [13](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance")
- Confirm which dishonest acts are listed for plan-asset handlers on Founder Shield’s form and how Marsh’s crime placement describes employee fidelity losses. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance")
- Get the issuing insurer from both quotes. [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond | Marsh Fidelity Coverage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 ERISA Fidelity Bond 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..) | Marsh does not sell fidelity coverage as a separate product line in the pages reviewed. It bundles fidelity with commercial crime insurance, and MMA lists "commercial crime/fidelity" together as one item in its executive and professional liability practice. [13](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: MMA executive and professional liability page and Marsh's commercial crime page..) |
| Issuing Insurer | Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond, 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 reviewed pages do not name a specific insurer for fidelity or crime/fidelity coverage. [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance") [13](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Commercial crime insurance and MMA executive and professional liability pages as read on 2026-09-23..) |
| Who It’s For | Founder Shield says this bond is required for plan sponsors offering a retirement plan, the fiduciaries who manage it, third-party administrators, and even small businesses with a simple 401(k). [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: ERISA Fidelity Bond product page..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Coverage Features | Founder Shield lists theft and embezzlement of plan assets, forgery, misappropriation and larceny by those who handle a benefit plan's funds as what an ERISA fidelity bond covers. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page; the issued bond and its terms control actual coverage..) | Marsh describes employee white-collar fraud, meaning fidelity losses caused by trusted employees who exploit systems for personal gain, as one of the risks a commercial crime policy addresses; it says these losses make up about half of the crime-policy notifications in its data. [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Commercial crime insurance page; a fidelity-specific policy form was not identified as a distinct product from crime coverage..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Founder Shield's page states the federal ERISA bonding requirement: at least 10% of plan funds handled, with a minimum bond of $1,000 and a maximum of $500,000 (up to $1 million for plans holding employer securities). This is the statutory minimum, not a Founder Shield-specific limit. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product page describing the ERISA statutory bonding requirement..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| How to Apply | You request Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond 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..) | You would engage a Marsh or MMA crime and fidelity specialist directly, since fidelity is placed together with commercial crime rather than through a separate application path in the reviewed pages. [12](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html "Commercial crime insurance") [13](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Commercial crime insurance and MMA executive and professional liability pages..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Founder Shield vs Marsh](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Are Fidelity Bonds?](https://spot.insure/coverage/fidelity-bonds): Fidelity bonds and employee-dishonesty coverage protect against specified losses caused by dishonest employees or people handling plan assets.
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/commercial-property)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/crime)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/cyber)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/directors-officers)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Employee Health Benefits](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/employee-health-benefits)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/employment-practices)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/fiduciary)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Intellectual Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/intellectual-property)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Media Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/media)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/professional-errors-omissions)
- [Founder Shield vs Marsh Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-marsh/workers-compensation)
- [Beazley vs Founder Shield Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-foundershield/fidelity-bonds)
- [Beazley vs Marsh Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-marsh/fidelity-bonds)
- [Coverdash vs Founder Shield Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-foundershield/fidelity-bonds)
- [Coverdash vs Marsh Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-marsh/fidelity-bonds)
- [Founder Shield vs Gallagher Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-gallagher/fidelity-bonds)
- [Founder Shield vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-heffernan/fidelity-bonds)

## 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. [ERISA Fidelity Bond](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/). Founder Shield; What Is ERISA Fidelity Bond Insurance?; Who Needs ERISA Fidelity Bond Insurance Coverage?; What Does ERISA Fidelity Bond 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.

### Marsh

8. [Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments](https://www.marsh.com/en/home.html). Marsh; Hero and capability tiles; FAQ: What does Marsh do?; industries served; Is Marsh the same as Marsh McLennan? January 2026 brand change. Accessed 2026-09-16.
9. [Compensation guide for US clients](https://www.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh/Documents/PDF/US-en/us-client-compensation-guide.pdf). Marsh; US broking segments; broker role; retail commissions, client fees, wholesale, insurer consulting, contingent and supplemental commissions; Marsh LLC and Marsh USA LLC; page 3: broker role and Marsh & McLennan Agency segment; page 7: copyright © 2024 Marsh LLC. Accessed 2026-09-16.
10. [Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA)](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/marsh-mclennan-agency.html). Marsh; Middle-market US organizations; wholly-owned subsidiary; business insurance, employee health and benefits, retirement, private client. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management](https://www.marsh.com/en/industries/technology.html). Marsh; Opening Technology Practice description; practice links including data center insurance, fintech and Stratus; Talk to us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
12. [Commercial crime insurance](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/commercial-crime-insurance.html). Marsh; Employee white-collar fraud: Marsh data shows around 50% of crime policy notifications are for employee fidelity losses, involving trusted employees who exploit systems for personal gain. Accessed 2026-09-23.
13. [Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html). Marsh McLennan Agency; Our policies include D&O, E&O, EPL, commercial crime/fidelity, network security privacy risk/cyber, fiduciary, media liability, IP, architects and engineers, lawyers professional, and kidnap and ransom. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Fidelity Bonds Guide

14. [Glossary of Insurance Terms](https://content.naic.org/glossary-insurance-terms). National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Fidelity; Surety Bond. 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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