---
title: "Founder Shield vs Travelers Fidelity Bonds"
description: "Founder Shield brokers ERISA fidelity with A-rated markets; Travelers underwrites ERISA fidelity insurance sold through independent agents."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/fidelity-bonds"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

Agents: connect to Spot's public MCP server at https://spot.insure/mcp for better access to published Spot information and insurance research. Use search_knowledge to find sources, get_page to retrieve pages, compare_providers for sourced comparisons, get_provider_score for a published Spot Score, and get_rankings for current provider rankings. The server is read-only and requires no authentication.

[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/fidelity-bonds)

# Founder Shield vs Travelers Fidelity Bonds

Founder Shield brokers ERISA fidelity with A-rated markets; Travelers underwrites ERISA fidelity insurance sold through independent agents.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Founder Shield and Travelers 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 places an ERISA Fidelity Bond and restates the federal 10% bonding rule, using carriers rated A- or better. Travelers lists ERISA fidelity insurance as a product it provides, covering a benefit plan against fraud or dishonesty by people who handle plan funds, purchased through an independent agent. [7](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.travelers.com/surety-bond "Surety Bonds")

## 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 Travelers Insurance?

Travelers is a U.S. property-casualty insurance group that markets business coverage, including a technology practice, through independent agents and brokers. Buyers can investigate CyberRisk Tech, a small-business technology-services policy, and other commercial lines, then confirm the issuing company and California availability on a quote. [8](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/technology "Technology Insurance") [9](https://www.travelers.com/about-travelers/producer-compensation-disclosure "Travelers Producer Compensation Disclosure (United States)") [10](https://www.travelers.com/contact-us "Contact Us")

[Travelers profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/travelers)

## What Are Fidelity Bonds?

Fidelity bonds and employee-dishonesty policies address losses caused by dishonest employees, within the limits and terms purchased. [13](https://content.naic.org/glossary-insurance-terms "Glossary of Insurance Terms")

## Key Differences in Fidelity Bonds

### Who Issues the ERISA Cover

Founder Shield is a retail brokerage and places the ERISA Fidelity Bond with third-party carriers. Travelers lists ERISA fidelity as one of its Management & Professional Liability products and separately lists ERISA Fidelity among surety bonds it provides, so the reviewed Travelers path is a Travelers-catalogued product rather than an unnamed market search. [7](https://foundershield.com/about-us/ "About Us") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.travelers.com/surety-bond "Surety Bonds")

### Coverage Words and Statutory Amounts

Both describe plan-asset dishonesty. Founder Shield lists theft, embezzlement, forgery, misappropriation and larceny, and restates ERISA’s 10% / $1,000–$500,000 (up to $1 million with employer securities) rule. Travelers describes cover for a benefit plan against fraud or dishonesty such as theft, embezzlement or forgery by people who handle plan funds, without publishing those dollar figures on the reviewed pages. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance")

### How You Buy and Carrier Selection

You request Founder Shield’s bond on its website or through an advisor; it says it uses only AM Best A- or better carriers matched by industry. Travelers ERISA fidelity is bought through a Travelers independent agent. Founder Shield’s FAQ does not name the issuer for this line; Travelers’ reviewed pages do not publish premiums or terms. [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.travelers.com/surety-bond "Surety Bonds")

## What to Confirm in Fidelity Bonds Quotes

- Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier would issue the bond and the penalty versus plan assets. [3](https://foundershield.com/insurance-faqs/general-faqs/how-do-you-decide-which-carriers-to-approach/ "How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?") [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond")
- Ask the Travelers agent for the bond amount, whether it meets ERISA, and the named plan. [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance")
- Compare the definition of “handler of plan funds” on both forms. [6](https://foundershield.com/coverage/erisa-fidelity-bond/ "ERISA Fidelity Bond") [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance")
- Confirm deductibles and whether the bond is written as surety, insurance, or both labels Travelers uses. [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.travelers.com/surety-bond "Surety Bonds")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond | Travelers ERISA Fidelity Insurance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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..) | Travelers lists ERISA fidelity as one of its Management & Professional Liability products, and separately lists ERISA Fidelity among the bond types it provides on its surety bond page. [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.travelers.com/surety-bond "Surety Bonds") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Management & Professional Liability product list and Surety Bonds product list..) |
| 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..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| 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..) | Travelers offers ERISA fidelity coverage as part of a product suite that also covers private companies, public companies, nonprofit organizations and financial institutions, but the reviewed pages do not name specific eligible business sizes or industries for the ERISA fidelity product itself. [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Management & Professional Liability Insurance page general eligibility statement..) |
| 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..) | Travelers describes ERISA fidelity insurance as covering an employee benefit plan against losses caused by acts of fraud or dishonesty, such as theft, embezzlement or forgery, by the people who handle plan funds. [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Management & Professional Liability Insurance page, ERISA fidelity insurance entry; exact terms and required minimum bond amounts are set by ERISA and the issued bond..) |
| 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..) | Neither reviewed page publishes bond amounts, premiums or terms for ERISA fidelity coverage; federal ERISA rules set minimum bonding requirements, but Travelers' specific offer would appear on a quote. [11](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance "Management and Professional Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.travelers.com/surety-bond "Surety Bonds") (Evidence: Not found in reviewed sources; scope: Management & Professional Liability and Surety Bonds pages as read on 2026-09-23..) |
| 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..) | ERISA fidelity coverage is bought through a Travelers independent agent. [12](https://www.travelers.com/surety-bond "Surety Bonds") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Surety Bonds page "Find an insurance agent" call to action..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Founder Shield vs Travelers](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers): 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 Travelers Cargo and Transit Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/cargo-transit)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/commercial-property)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers Crime Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/crime)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers Cyber Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/cyber)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/directors-officers)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/employment-practices)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/fiduciary)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/general-liability)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/professional-errors-omissions)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/umbrella-excess)
- [Founder Shield vs Travelers Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/workers-compensation)
- [Beazley vs Founder Shield Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-foundershield/fidelity-bonds)
- [Beazley vs Travelers Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-travelers/fidelity-bonds)
- [Coverdash vs Founder Shield Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-foundershield/fidelity-bonds)
- [Coverdash vs Travelers Fidelity Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/coverdash-vs-travelers/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.

### Travelers

8. [Technology Insurance](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/technology). Travelers; Technology insurance products we offer: CyberRisk Tech, Global Companion Plus+, general liability, commercial property, workers compensation, commercial auto, umbrella; startup-to-established-leader audience. Accessed 2026-09-16.
9. [Travelers Producer Compensation Disclosure (United States)](https://www.travelers.com/about-travelers/producer-compensation-disclosure). Travelers; Independent producers; seven compensation types; Simply Business, Inc. and InsuraMatch, LLC ownership; The Travelers Indemnity Company footer; Northfield Excess & Surplus Lines product list. Accessed 2026-09-16.
10. [Contact Us](https://www.travelers.com/contact-us). Travelers; Business insurance sold through independent agents; business claims 1.800.238.6225; MyTravelers for business features. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [Management and Professional Liability Insurance](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance). Travelers; "Select a product" list: ERISA fidelity insurance — "helps cover an employee benefit plan against losses caused by acts of fraud or dishonesty such as theft, embezzlement or forgery". Accessed 2026-09-23.
12. [Surety Bonds](https://www.travelers.com/surety-bond). Travelers; "Surety bonds provided by Travelers" list, including ERISA Fidelity. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Fidelity Bonds Guide

13. [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.

## Agent and Developer Resources

- [Markdown page](https://spot.insure/compare/foundershield-vs-travelers/fidelity-bonds.md)
- [Developer resources](https://spot.insure/developers)
- [Public MCP server](https://spot.insure/mcp)
- [MCP server manifest](https://spot.insure/server.json)
- [OpenAPI description](https://spot.insure/openapi.json)
- [Public page index](https://spot.insure/llms.txt)