Gallagher vs 
Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fidelity Bonds
Gallagher’s executive-risk team sizes ERISA fidelity with peer analysis; Heffernan lists home-care dishonesty bonds and family-office financial institution bonds.
What Is Gallagher?
Gallagher is a business-insurance broker and risk-management consultancy. Its technology practice serves startups through global enterprises, alongside a separate small-business offering for IT professionals and an executive-risk practice covering D&O and transaction-related coverages. Woodruff Sawyer is now part of Gallagher. 1,2,3,4,5
What Is Heffernan Insurance Brokers?
Heffernan Insurance Brokers is an independent, Walnut Creek–headquartered retail brokerage that arranges business insurance, employee benefits, and related services. Its technology practice markets to mid- and late-stage companies, including venture-funded and pre-IPO firms. 6,7,8
What Are Fidelity Bonds?
Fidelity bonds and employee-dishonesty policies address losses caused by dishonest employees, within the limits and terms purchased. 12
Key Differences in Fidelity Bonds
ERISA-Focused Practice Versus Named Segments
Gallagher’s Executive and Financial Risk practice places fidelity bond coverage with outside carriers alongside employee-dishonesty crime cover, and ties limit-setting to ERISA required bond limits. 3 9 10
Services Around the Placement
Gallagher says its methodology includes peer analysis using third-party databases and an exposure index from the Surety Association of America with the American Institute of Accountants, and that it reviews wording on older incidents and claims triggers. 3 11
What to Confirm in Fidelity Bonds Quotes
- Ask Gallagher whether the quote is an ERISA fidelity bond, a crime policy, or both, and for the peer-analysis limit. 3
- Ask Heffernan which of the two listed products applies and which carrier would write it. 9 10
- Compare covered persons and deductibles; both public pages leave those off. 3 9
- Ask Heffernan who would handle a fidelity claim, given the advocacy page does not list that line. 11
Offering Details
Gallagher vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fidelity Bonds: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Gallagher Fidelity Bond Insurance | Heffernan Employee Dishonesty / Fidelity Bonds |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Gallagher's Executive and Financial Risk practice places fidelity bond coverage with outside carriers alongside its employee-dishonesty (crime) coverage; it does not underwrite the bond. 3Company-reported. Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page; fidelity bonds are described jointly with crime coverage, not as a fully separate section. | Heffernan arranges fidelity-type bonds as one line within two specialty practices: an Employee Dishonesty Bond for home-care agencies and a Fidelity/financial institution bond for family offices and financial firms. It places these bonds with insurers rather than issuing them itself. 9,10Company-reported. Home Care and Family Office practice-page listings; no dedicated fidelity-bond product page was found. |
| Issuing Insurer | The executive-and-financial-risk page does not name the insurer that would issue a given client's fidelity bond. 3Not publicly disclosed. Checked the group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page. | The reviewed pages do not name the insurer or bond underwriter for either the home-care Employee Dishonesty Bond or the family-office fidelity bond. 9,10Not publicly disclosed. Home Care and Family Office pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Who It’s For | Gallagher ties fidelity bond limit-setting to a client's required bond limits under ERISA, indicating this offering is aimed at plan sponsors and fiduciaries needing ERISA fidelity bonding rather than a general commercial audience. 3Company-reported. Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page. | Heffernan lists fidelity-type bonds for two named buyer segments: home care, home health, and hospice agencies, and family offices, trustees, financial advisors, private equity firms, and foundations. 9,10Company-reported. Direct practice-page listings; no minimum size or other eligibility criteria for the bond specifically were published. |
| Coverage Features | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Heffernan uses two different bond product names for its two client segments: "Employee Dishonesty Bond" for home-care agencies and "Fidelity/financial institution bond" for family offices and financial firms. Neither page describes the bond's insuring agreement, exclusions, or claim triggers. 9,10Company-reported. Home Care and Family Office pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Limits and Retentions | The page does not publish specific fidelity bond limits or premium ranges beyond describing the ERISA-linked methodology used to recommend a limit. 3Not publicly disclosed. Checked the group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page. | Neither the home-care nor the family-office page publishes a bond penalty amount, limit, or deductible for the fidelity coverage. 9,10Not found in reviewed sources. Home Care and Family Office pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Gallagher says its methodology for fidelity bond and crime limits includes peer analysis using third-party databases and an exposure index developed by the Surety Association of America with the American Institute of Accountants. 3Company-reported. Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page. | Heffernan's published claims-advocacy services list workers' compensation, general liability, auto, and property claims support; fidelity or crime-bond claims handling is not described on that page. 11Not found in reviewed sources. Claims Advocacy page as read on 2026-09-23; does not establish that fidelity-bond claims receive no support, only that this page does not describe it. |
| Claims Support | Gallagher says it reviews coverage to confirm the carrier allows appropriate treatment of older incidents and does not use claims triggers that are too difficult to prove, a review it applies to the same crime-and-fidelity offering. 3Company-reported. Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page; a stated review practice, not a guarantee of claim payment. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
Full Comparison
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Sources
Gallagher
- Technology Insurance. Gallagher; Introduction; Solutions and coverages for the technology industry: Technology errors and omissions including cyber, Intellectual property insurance, Product liability, Employee benefits; Data-driven insights; global network. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Insurance for Technology & IT Businesses. Gallagher Small Business; Protection for IT Professionals & Their Technology-Based Businesses; recommended coverage menu, including Surety Bond Programs; Connect With An Advisor. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Executive and Financial Risk Insurance. Gallagher; Employee Dishonesty (Crime) and Fidelity Bond insurance section. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Legal Information. Gallagher Small Business; Producer identification immediately above Quick Links. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Woodruff Sawyer Is Now Gallagher. Gallagher; Opening; Executive and Financial Risk consulting; Continued access to client portals; contact form. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Heffernan Insurance Brokers
- Our Story. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Company Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Pre-IPO and venture-funded heading; mid to late stage specialization; global expansion copy; self-insurance strategies; Key Markets list; Why Heffernan broker history; Joseph Talmadge practice leader; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Forward-Thinking Business Insurance: basic coverages (general liability, commercial property and auto, workers’ compensation); corporate and executive protection (EPL, D&O, fiduciary responsibility, cyber, kidnap and ransom); alternative risk capabilities; claims, loss control and risk-management services; industry practice links including Technology and Claims Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Home Care Business Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; We offer comprehensive coverage for: ... Crime - Third Party Theft, Employee Dishonesty Bond, Cyber & Identity Theft, Medical Billing E&O, Property Coverage and more. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Family Office. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Coverage for Family Offices, Trustees & Financial Firms: ... Trustee liability insurance, Property and auto insurance, Fiduciary liability insurance, Fidelity/financial institution bond, Cyber liability insurance, Crime insurance, General liability insurance. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Claims Advocacy. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Services We Offer: Workers' Compensation Claims Expertise; Medical Triage Services; General Liability, Auto & Property Claims Support; Online Risk Management & HR Support; Streamlined Vendor Compliance. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Fidelity Bonds Guide
- Glossary of Insurance Terms. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Fidelity; Surety Bond. Accessed 2026-09-16.
