Founder Shield vs The Hartford: How Do They Compare for Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Founder Shield markets EPLI to startups hiring their first employees and says it may be packaged with D&O. The Hartford builds EPLI into its Business Owner's Policy for most classes, but not in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York.

The Hartford builds EPLI, with third-party claims and wage-and-hour defense costs, into most business owner's policies, but not in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York; Founder Shield is a broker that places EPLI for startups and high-turnover employers with insurers rated A- or better. ^4,^3,¹

What Are the Key Differences Between Founder Shield and The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Built Into Your BOP vs a Broker Shopping by Industry

The Hartford writes EPLI itself, built into most Business Owner's Policy (BOP) classes, but there's no built-in EPL in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York. On Spectrum business written by Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company, the built-in limit is $25,000, which covers little more than early defense costs. Founder Shield is a retail broker that places EPLI with outside insurers rated A- or better by AM Best, picked for your industry, and markets it to first-hire startups, high-turnover retail and hospitality, professional services, technology companies and volunteer nonprofits. It doesn't publish a default limit. Choose The Hartford if you're buying a BOP outside those four states and a small built-in limit is enough; choose Founder Shield if you're in one of those states or need a higher, standalone limit. ⁴ ² ³ ¹

Third-Party and Wage-and-Hour Defense vs Employee Claims Only

The Hartford says third-party EPLI is included for most businesses and its BOP EPLI includes Wage and Hour Defense Cost coverage. Founder Shield lists employee-side termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, and doesn't describe third-party or wage-and-hour cover. If customers could bring harassment claims against your staff, ask Founder Shield to show that cover on the quote. ⁴ ¹

What Should You Confirm in Founder Shield and The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes?

If you operate in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York, ask The Hartford whether any EPL product is available beyond the BOP built-in. ⁴
Ask The Hartford whether the quote is BOP-included, Private Choice Premier or Employers Premier Choice, and which Hartford company issues it. ⁴
Ask Founder Shield which insurer would issue the policy, the limit, and whether D&O is packaged with it. ³ ¹
Ask both to show third-party and wage-and-hour defense on the form. ⁴ ¹

Founder Shield vs The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Compared

Founder Shield vs The Hartford: Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	Founder Shield Employment Practices Liability Insurance	The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
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. ¹Company-reported. EPLI product page.	The Hartford's footnotes say there is no built-in EPL coverage in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York, and that the EPL program described on the page does not apply to EPL coverage written in California. Coverage and limits also vary by state and business class. ⁴Company-reported. EPLI product page footnotes as read 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford November 26, 2025).
Coverage Features	Founder Shield lists defense costs, settlements and judgments, and claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation as what EPLI responds to. ¹Company-reported. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.	The Hartford says its EPLI covers claims of discrimination (including age), retaliation, FMLA violations, wrongful discipline or termination, failure to promote, and harassment, and that third-party EPLI (claims from customers, vendors or business invitees, not just employees) is included for most businesses. Its BOP also automatically includes Wage and Hour Defense Cost coverage as part of the built-in EPLI. ⁴Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls.
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. ²Company-reported. About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line. 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. ¹Company-reported. EPLI product page.	The Hartford's EPLI is built into its Business Owner's Policy for most classes, is included in its Private Choice Premier package policy, and is also sold stand-alone as Employers Premier Choice. ⁴Company-reported. EPLI 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. ³Company-reported. General carrier-selection FAQ, not specific to this line's placements.	The Hartford names Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company as the writing company for the described $25,000 Spectrum EPL limit, though other EPLI products on the page (BOP-included, Private Choice Premier, Employers Premier Choice) are not each tied to a named writing company on this page. ⁴Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23.