Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs 
RiskCube Employment Practices Liability Insurance
RiskCube lists startup EPLI on a catalogue card; Heffernan places EPL for home-care, family offices and general business.
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. 1,2,3
What Is RiskCube Insurance?
RiskCube offers startup insurance brokerage through RiskCube Insurance Services, LLC, with a platform for comparing quotes and managing policies. Its published services emphasize vendor requirements, certificates and renewals; California product eligibility and applicable fees require confirmation. 8,9,10
What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Employment practices liability insurance addresses claims alleging workplace wrongdoing, such as discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. 13
Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Startup Catalogue Versus Multi-Practice Brokerage
RiskCube and Heffernan both place EPLI rather than underwrite it. RiskCube Insurance Services, LLC is described as an independent brokerage on its catalogue (CA License #6017028, NPN 21694336) and frames EPLI as critical for startups hiring first employees or scaling a team rapidly. Heffernan lists EPL in corporate and executive protection for general business, home-care agencies, and family offices and financial firms. Neither names the issuing insurer. 11 3 4 5
One-Paragraph Cover Versus 2016 Endorsements
RiskCube's catalogue says EPLI covers claims from current or former employees alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment or retaliation. Heffernan's 2016 article goes further into modular structure: wage-and-hour coverage, a 100% hammer clause, an immigration claim endorsement, and then-common $100,000 wage-and-hour sublimits. That article is not a current product spec, and RiskCube's card does not mention those endorsements. 11 7
Contact Form Versus Brokerage Contact
RiskCube's EPLI "Learn more" URL is a general contact form, not a dedicated application or timeline, and the reviewed pages do not publish limits. Heffernan also describes no EPL-specific online quote; buyers use the general business-insurance route. Heffernan's claims-advocacy page does not list employment-related claims. 12 11 3 6
What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes
- Ask RiskCube which carrier would issue EPLI and for a specimen form. 12
- Ask Heffernan for current wage-and-hour, hammer-clause and immigration terms. 7
- Confirm whether your company is a first-hire startup (RiskCube's catalogue) or a home-care or family-office account (Heffernan). 11 4
- Get written limits from both; RiskCube does not publish them. 11
Offering Details
Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs RiskCube Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Heffernan Employment Practices Liability Insurance | RiskCube Employment Practices Liability Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Heffernan places employment practices liability (EPL) coverage as part of its corporate and executive-protection lineup within its general business-insurance brokerage. It shops and places the policy with insurers rather than underwriting it. 3Company-reported. Business Insurance Brokerage page listing; no policy form or dedicated EPL product page was found. | RiskCube lists Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) as one line in its startup catalogue, sold through RiskCube Insurance Services, LLC, which the catalogue page describes as an "Independent brokerage." RiskCube does not underwrite the policy itself. 11Company-reported. Catalogue-level description; no EPLI-specific product page exists to confirm additional role detail. |
| Issuing Insurer | The reviewed pages do not name the insurer or insurers that issue EPL policies Heffernan places. 3Not publicly disclosed. Business Insurance Brokerage page as read on 2026-09-23. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Who It’s For | EPL appears in three separate parts of Heffernan's site: the general business-insurance page, the home-care agency practice, and the family-office/financial-firm practice, indicating it is offered to a range of business types rather than one narrow niche. 3,4,5Company-reported. Direct practice-page listings; the pages do not publish a minimum size or industry restriction for EPL specifically. | RiskCube's catalogue says EPLI is "critical for startups hiring their first employees or scaling a team rapidly," framing it around early hiring growth rather than company size generally. 11Company-reported. Catalogue marketing description, not an underwriting eligibility rule. |
| Coverage Features | In a 2016 article, Heffernan advisor Tanner Fornesi says EPL policies are modular and recommends buyers specifically request wage-and-hour coverage, a 100% hammer clause (so the insurer, not the policyholder, bears settlement costs above an offer the policyholder declines), and an immigration claim endorsement. 7Company-reported. 2016 educational article about EPL coverage generally, not a current Heffernan product specification; endorsement availability depends on the carrier and current market terms. | RiskCube's catalogue describes EPLI as covering claims from current or former employees alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment or retaliation. 11Company-reported. One-paragraph catalogue card; no policy form or endorsement list was found for this line. |
| Limits and Retentions | The same 2016 article says wage-and-hour EPL sublimits were then commonly $100,000, with some carriers offering $150,000 to $250,000 for additional premium. 7Company-reported. Market commentary in a 2016 article, not a current quote or a limit Heffernan guarantees today. | The reviewed EPLI catalogue card and contact-form page do not publish limit, retention or premium ranges for this line. 11,12Not publicly disclosed. Public pages checked on 2026-09-23; amounts may appear only on an individual quote. |
| How to Apply | The reviewed pages describe no EPL-specific application or online quote process; buyers reach the coverage through Heffernan's general business-insurance brokerage contact route. 3Not found in reviewed sources. Business Insurance Brokerage page as read on 2026-09-23. | Unlike RiskCube's technology E&O and key person life insurance lines, the catalogue's "Learn more" link for EPLI (riskcubeai.com/insurance/epli) redirects to a general contact form rather than a dedicated page describing an EPLI-specific application flow, timeline or required intake information. 12Not found in reviewed sources. Checked on 2026-09-23; the URL may change to a dedicated page later. |
| Claims Support | Heffernan's published claims-advocacy services cover workers' compensation, general liability, auto, and property claims; the page does not list employment-related claims handling as part of that service. 6Not found in reviewed sources. Claims Advocacy page as read on 2026-09-23; does not establish that EPL claims receive no support, only that this page does not describe it. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
Full Comparison
More Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs RiskCube Comparisons
Other Employment Practices Liability Insurance Comparisons
Sources
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; Corporate and executive protection, such as employment practices liability, directors and officers liability, fiduciary responsibility, cyber liability, and kidnap and ransom are also available through our comprehensive business insurance programs. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Home Care Business Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; We offer comprehensive coverage for: Workers' Compensation Insurance, General and Professional Liability, Employment Practice Liability, Business/Owned Auto, Non-owned and Hired Auto, and more. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Family Office. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Coverage for Family Offices, Trustees & Financial Firms: Family office liability, D&O, Professional liability, Employment practices liability insurance, Workers' compensation, Employee benefits, Trustee liability, Property and auto, Fiduciary liability, Fidelity/financial institution bond, Cyber, Crime, General liability, Excess liability. 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.
- Employment Practices Liability 101: What You Need to Know. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; May 18, 2016 article by Tanner Fornesi, Assistant Vice President, Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Wage and Hour coverage, 100% Hammer Clause, Immigration Claim Endorsement. Accessed 2026-09-23.
RiskCube
- Startup Business Insurance. RiskCube; Solution; Compare/Buy/Manage; Who we insure; footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Licenses & Disclosures. RiskCube; Property & Casualty Producer/Broker Licenses; February 11, 2026 version. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Disclosures & Compensation. RiskCube; Sections 1–5; February 11, 2026 version. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Startup Insurance Coverage. RiskCube; Employment Practices Liability card: "EPLI covers claims from current or former employees alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Critical for startups hiring their first employees or scaling a team rapidly."; footer "CA License #6017028 ... Independent brokerage · NPN 21694336". Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Contact RiskCube. RiskCube; The catalogue's Employment Practices Liability "Learn more" link resolves to a general contact form, not a dedicated EPLI product page. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening; What EPLI covers; Steps to limit employment liability risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
