Founder Shield vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway: How Do They Compare for Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Founder Shield markets fiduciary liability to 401(k) and similar plan sponsors and the individuals handling plan funds; THREE lists the coverage as a BOP category. 6,10,9

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 Fiduciary Liability Insurance page

THREE small business insurance: coverage, issuer and buying routes

THREE markets a packaged commercial insurance product through a direct quote route and partner agents. Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company is named as issuer on THREE’s sample policy. 8,9

Read the THREE by Berkshire Hathaway profile

Read the THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Fiduciary Liability Insurance page

What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Fiduciary liability can protect your company and plan fiduciaries when participants claim mishandling of an employee benefit plan. If you sponsor a retirement or health plan, check who is insured and whether both administration errors and fiduciary-breach claims are addressed. 11,12,13

Read the full coverage guide

What Are the Key Differences Between Founder Shield and THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Plan Sponsor Audience and Package Structure

Founder Shield frames fiduciary liability around plan sponsors offering a 401(k) or similar plan and the individuals who handle plan funds or property. THREE lists Fiduciary Liability in its BOP. A company launching benefits can ask Founder Shield for a proposal for its plan and ask THREE to show whether the line is scheduled for that sponsor and plan. 6 10

Covered Plan Decisions and Package Listing

Founder Shield lists risky plan investments, poor investment advice, benefit-administration errors, and improper denial or change of benefits as example fiduciary claims. THREE lists Fiduciary Liability as a BOP category. A plan sponsor can compare those claim examples with the allegations and insured parties in the exact forms proposed to it, and identify the issuing insurer from the proposal. 6 10

What Should You Confirm in Founder Shield and THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Fiduciary Liability Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask Founder Shield which carrier is proposed and how the form treats investment, administration, and benefit-denial allegations. 6 3
  • Ask THREE for the policy form, issuing insurer, covered-plan definitions, and applicable limit. 10 9

Founder Shield and THREE by Berkshire Hathaway 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

7.4/ 10

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 reviews

THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Review Score

7.3/ 10

Review Score

2 rated sources

The inspected sources report separate measures: NerdWallet’s 4.0/5 editorial rating is excluded from the source-rating average; Trustpilot displayed 2.5/5 from five user posts and BBB displayed 4.8/5 from 265 reviews. Trustpilot and BBB include different purchase, service and agent/intermediary interactions, not a verified common policyholder cohort. BBB separately lists complaints. Any source-rating average weights eligible platforms equally and is not a pooled, representative customer-experience estimate or a claims-quality measure.[4][3][1][2]

Read THREE by Berkshire Hathaway reviews

Founder Shield vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Fiduciary Liability Compared

Founder Shield vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway: Fiduciary Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaFounder Shield Fiduciary Liability InsuranceTHREE Business Owners Policy
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 Fiduciary 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.

THREE presents Fiduciary Liability as a component of its combined Business Owners Policy rather than identifying it as a separate standalone policy on the reviewed product page. 10Company-reported. Company-described U.S. package structure. The page does not establish underwriting terms or that every listed category will be included for every applicant.

Issuing Insurer

Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Fiduciary 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 linked sample policy's declarations identify Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company as issuer. 9Company-reported. This is the issuer named on the public sample only; the sample does not establish the issuing entity for every state-specific quote or buyer's issued policy.

Who It’s For

Founder Shield markets fiduciary liability to plan sponsors offering a 401(k) or similar plan and to the individual fiduciaries who handle plan funds or property. 6Company-reported. Fiduciary Liability product page.

The reviewed product page does not state separate eligibility rules for Fiduciary Liability; the general quote and advisor route is not proof that a particular business qualifies for it. 10,8Not publicly disclosed. Eligibility and state availability remain unestablished for an individual risk until THREE returns its quote and applicable forms.

Coverage Features

Founder Shield lists claims of risky plan investments, poor investment advice, administrative errors in benefits processing, and improper denial or change of benefits as scenarios fiduciary liability responds to. 6Company-reported. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.

Founder Shield distinguishes fiduciary liability from D&O and general liability: it responds to breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims tied to ERISA plan administration, not general management or bodily-injury claims. 6Company-reported. Fiduciary Liability product page.

THREE's Business Owners Policy page lists Fiduciary Liability among its marketed coverage categories in the combined policy. This describes the product page, not whether the category appears in a particular quote or responds to a loss. 10,9Company-reported. Official THREE package marketing for Fiduciary Liability. The sample policy is state-selectable and does not establish that this item is included in every quote or issued policy.

Limits and Retentions

Confirm in your quote.

The reviewed public product page does not state a separate limit or deductible for Fiduciary Liability; THREE says the quote-specific insurance summary lists limits and deductibles. 10,9Not publicly disclosed. No number is inferred from the sample policy. The quote and issued declarations control the buyer-specific limit and deductible.

How to Apply

You request Founder Shield Fiduciary 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.

THREE directs small-business prospects to an online quote and says licensed Small Business Advisors can help with the process. 8Company-reported. This is the route for the overall THREE product. It does not show whether Fiduciary Liability will be offered for a particular business or whether a customer can bind that line without an issued policy.

Related Pages for Founder Shield vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

Fiduciary Liability Pages for Founder Shield and THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

Other Coverage Lines Compared for Founder Shield vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

Other Fiduciary Liability Insurance Provider Comparisons

Sources for Founder Shield vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

Sources About Founder Shield

  1. Founder Shield. Founder Shield; Opening broker description; Specialized Practices; Smart Tech, Smarter People; quote and sign-in links. Accessed 2026-09-15.
  2. 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.
  3. 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? Founder Shield; Carl Niedbala answer, November 25, 2024: operational changes and coverage adjustments. Accessed 2026-09-15.
  5. 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.
  6. Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Founder Shield; What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?; Who Needs Fiduciary Liability Insurance Coverage?; What Does Fiduciary Liability Insurance Cover? Accessed 2026-09-23.
  7. About Us. Founder Shield; “Founder Shield is the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group”; company history and mission. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Sources About THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

  1. Jargon-free small business insurance - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Lines 23, 39, 70–81 and 406–410: business location quote entry, single-policy description, issuer, business focus, online quote and licensed Small Business Advisor route. Quote entry inspected without submitting a form. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  2. The Policy: 3 Jargon-free pages - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; State-selectable sample policy: Summary (Declarations) identifies Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company as issuer and says the insurance summary lists limits and deductibles; sample policy text and state selection do not establish terms for a particular quote or issued policy. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  3. Business Owners Policy - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Product page: “No need for multiple policies” and one comprehensive policy; Business Liability, Property and Business Auto categories and the listed line names. Product page footer identifies Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE. Accessed 2026-09-30.

Sources for the Fiduciary Liability Insurance Guide

  1. Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements. U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Q2 pp.2–3. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Fiduciary Liability. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America; II.D,J–L pp.2–3; II.A p.1; II.V p.5; Header p.1; II.M p.3; I p.1; III.A.6–8 pp.5–6; II.M.2 p.3; III.B.1 p.6. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Travelers; What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance? Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated . 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. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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