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
Zurich U.S. Business Insurance: Products, Access, and Claims
Zurich U.S. serves Middle Market businesses and large or national accounts with commercial property-casualty and specialty insurance. Buyers can explore product lines and work through an agent or broker; the insurer named on a quote or policy identifies which Zurich company underwrites that coverage. 8,9
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. 12,13,14
Key Differences in Fiduciary Liability Insurance
Claim examples and plan scope
Founder Shield lists risky plan investments, poor investment advice, benefit-processing errors, and improper denial or change of benefits as fiduciary-liability scenarios. Zurich’s Fiduciary Liability Select addresses claims and investigations involving administration of savings, pension, and health or welfare plans. Both descriptions concern plan duties, while Founder Shield gives concrete investment and participant-service examples. Sponsors should ask Zurich whether those allegations and related investigation costs fit its form. 6 11
Carrier placement and global structure
Founder Shield places coverage with third-party carriers, choosing carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, but does not name the insurer for an individual policy. Zurich says qualified multinational fiduciary customers can arrange locally admitted policies tied to a U.S. master policy. A buyer comparing placement should request Founder Shield’s named issuer and ask Zurich which foreign entities and plans qualify for its global structure. 3 10
What to Confirm in Fiduciary Liability Insurance Quotes
Review Scores
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
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 reviewsZurich U.S.
Review Score
No reviews found
The available Zurich review evidence is mixed and comes from distinct populations: a car-rental-business editorial rating, broad global and U.S. review-platform snapshots, and a BBB business-profile grade. These are not a representative measure of every Zurich commercial policy or claim.[1][4][5][6][7]
Read Zurich U.S. reviewsOffering Details
Founder Shield vs Zurich U.S.: Fiduciary Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Founder Shield Fiduciary Liability Insurance | Zurich Fiduciary Liability 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 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. | Confirm in your quote. |
| 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. | Confirm in your quote. |
| 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. | Confirm in your quote. |
| 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. | Zurich’s Fiduciary Liability Select addresses claims and investigations involving administration of employee savings, pension and health/welfare plans. 11Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; fiduciary liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. Zurich says it offers stand-alone and packaged fiduciary policies for public and private companies. 10Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; fiduciary liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. Zurich lists current advancement of defense costs and no restrictions to panel-counsel lists as coverage-solution features. 11Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; fiduciary liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. |
| Risk Services | Confirm in your quote. | Zurich says qualified multinational fiduciary customers can structure global programs with locally admitted policies tied to a U.S. master policy. 10Company-reported. Zurich U.S. brand; exact underwriting company may vary by policy and state; fiduciary liability; United States. Company-reported product description; actual coverage, underwriting, limits and state availability are governed by issued policy terms. |
| 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. | Confirm in your quote. |
Full Comparison
More Founder Shield vs Zurich U.S. Comparisons
Other Fiduciary Liability Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Founder Shield
- Founder Shield. Founder Shield; Opening broker description; Specialized Practices; Smart Tech, Smarter People; quote and sign-in links. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- About Us. Founder Shield; “Founder Shield is the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group”; company history and mission. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Zurich U.S.
- About Us | Zurich U.S. | Commercial Insurance. Zurich U.S.; About Zurich U.S.; customer and industry description; FAQ on U.S. product focus. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Agents and Brokers | Zurich U.S. Zurich U.S.; Agent/broker route and locator. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Fiduciary Liability Insurance | Zurich U.S. Zurich U.S.; Fiduciary products, exposures, customers, services. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Management Liability Insurance | Zurich U.S. Zurich U.S.; Management liability, D&O, crime, fiduciary, EPLI. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Fiduciary Liability Insurance Guide
- 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.
- 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.
- Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Travelers; What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance? Accessed 2026-09-16.
