Founder Shield vs The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance

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. ⁷Company-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. ⁶Company-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. ¹¹Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23.

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. ¹¹Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23.

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. ⁶Company-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. ¹¹Company-reported. EPLI product page footnotes as read 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford November 26, 2025).

Founder Shield lists defense costs, settlements and judgments, and claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation as what EPLI responds to. ⁶Company-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. ¹¹Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

The Hartford's EPLI footnote states a $25,000 limit applies to Spectrum business written in Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company. ¹¹Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23. Applies specifically to Spectrum-program business at that writing company; other products/limits are not addressed.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

The Hartford says it gives employers access to hartfordhelp.com, a proprietary site with web-based training on topics like sexual harassment and wrongful termination, current articles on employment-practices trends, and model employment policies and handbooks; this program requires purchase of increased EPL limits and may not be available in all states. ¹¹Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23.

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. ^7,3Company-reported. About-us and carrier-selection pages describe the general placement process, not a line-specific application form.

Not described in the reviewed sources.