---
title: "Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance"
description: "Heffernan places fiduciary through a family-office specialist; StartupInsurance.ai lets startups tick Fiduciary on an online quote and checks AI exclusions."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-startupinsurance/fiduciary"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance

Heffernan places fiduciary through a family-office specialist; StartupInsurance.ai lets startups tick Fiduciary on an online quote and checks AI exclusions.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Heffernan Insurance Brokers and StartupInsurance.ai for Fiduciary Liability Insurance 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

Heffernan brokers fiduciary liability for businesses and for family offices and financial firms, using a Private Client Group contact and a Risk Management Assessment. StartupInsurance.ai places fiduciary in a startup program you can select online and reviews policies for blanket AI exclusions on fiduciary forms. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## 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](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/ "Our Story") [2](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/technology/ "Technology Company Insurance") [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage")

[Heffernan Insurance Brokers profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan)

## What Is StartupInsurance.ai?

StartupInsurance.ai is a marketing brand of ContractorNerd Insurance Services, LLC, offering startup insurance placement and policy reviews. Buyers can begin with an online coverage selection or a review of existing policies and contract requirements. [5](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/ "Company | Startup Insurance") [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai")

[StartupInsurance.ai profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/startupinsurance)

## What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

Fiduciary liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging breaches of duties in managing employee benefit plans. [8](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/employers-and-advisers/guidance/field-assistance-bulletins/erisa-fidelity-bonding-requirements.pdf "Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements") [9](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance/fiduciary-liability "Fiduciary Liability Insurance")

## Key Differences in Fiduciary Liability Insurance

### Specialist Contact Versus Online Coverage Box

Heffernan places fiduciary liability with insurers; family-office placements go through a named Private Client Group specialist rather than a self-service quote, while general business listings route through a Contact Us form. StartupInsurance.ai puts Fiduciary on an online quote-intake screen among seven coverage boxes, described there as covering claims related to employee benefit plan management. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai")

### Family-Office Clients Versus Startup Program Mix

Heffernan offers the line to family offices, trust companies, trustees, advisors, private equity, foundations and financial institutions, as well as general business clients. StartupInsurance.ai names fiduciary as one line in a startup program that also places general liability, D&O, tech E&O, cyber, employment practices and crime. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

### Structures Assessment Versus AI-Exclusion Check

Heffernan’s family-office practice describes a Risk Management Assessment that itemizes structures, assets and exposures and helps navigate claims. StartupInsurance.ai’s free policy check reviews an existing program for AI exclusions within 48 hours and specifically names fiduciary as a form affected by a blanket AI-exclusion trend. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

Heffernan’s reviewed pages do not discuss AI endorsements on fiduciary forms. StartupInsurance.ai’s reviewed pages do not describe a family-office assessment. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## What to Confirm in Fiduciary Liability Insurance Quotes

- Ask StartupInsurance.ai whether the quoted fiduciary form includes an AI exclusion. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- Ask Heffernan which intake path applies—Private Client Group or general Contact Us. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office")
- Confirm issuing insurers; neither reviewed source names a fiduciary-specific carrier. [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- If you already have a policy, ask StartupInsurance.ai what the 48-hour check covers on the fiduciary form versus Heffernan’s assessment of structures and assets. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Heffernan Fiduciary Liability Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Heffernan places fiduciary liability coverage within its general corporate/executive-protection lineup and again within a dedicated family-office and financial-institution practice. It shops and places the coverage with insurers rather than underwriting it. [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Business Insurance and Family Office page listings; no dedicated fiduciary-liability product page was found..) | StartupInsurance.ai names fiduciary liability as one of the lines its startup program places, alongside general liability, D&O, tech E&O, cyber, employment practices and crime. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage "Coverage: What we place" list as read on 2026-09-23..) |
| Issuing Insurer | The reviewed pages do not name the insurer or insurers that issue fiduciary liability policies Heffernan places for either business clients or family offices. [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Business Insurance and Family Office pages as read on 2026-09-23..) | The reviewed pages do not name an insurer for fiduciary liability specifically; the homepage's carrier panel is program-wide and not broken out by coverage line. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Homepage carrier panel as read on 2026-09-23..) |
| Who It’s For | Heffernan offers fiduciary liability to two named segments: general business clients through its business-insurance brokerage, and family offices, trust companies, trustees, financial advisors, private equity firms, foundations, and other financial institutions through its family-office practice. [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Direct practice-page listings; no minimum size or asset-under-management threshold was published for the coverage specifically..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Coverage Features | On the family-office page, fiduciary liability insurance is listed alongside directors and officers, professional liability, employment practices liability, trustee liability, and other management-liability-adjacent lines as coverage the practice can arrange, without describing the policy's insuring agreement or exclusions. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Family Office page as read on 2026-09-23..) | StartupInsurance.ai says one major carrier added a blanket AI exclusion to fiduciary forms (along with D&O and E&O), typically arriving at renewal inside an endorsement, and that it checks policies for this exclusion. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage "wording that still says yes" section; names the exclusion trend industrywide but not the carrier, and does not state whether any StartupInsurance.ai-placed fiduciary policy carries this specific endorsement..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Neither page publishes a fiduciary-liability limit, retention, or premium range. [3](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") (Evidence: Not found in reviewed sources; scope: Business Insurance and Family Office pages as read on 2026-09-23..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Risk Services | Heffernan's family-office practice describes a Risk Management Assessment: itemizing a client's structures, assets, and exposures; crafting insurance and risk-management strategies to close coverage gaps; and helping navigate claims, for its fiduciary and financial-institution client base. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Family Office page as read on 2026-09-23; a company-described service, not a measured outcome..) | StartupInsurance.ai's free policy check reviews an existing program for AI exclusions within 48 hours, and the homepage specifically calls out fiduciary as one of the forms affected by the AI-exclusion trend it checks for. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage service description; a marketing offer describing what the review covers, not a report on any specific customer's fiduciary policy..) |
| How to Apply | The family-office practice's fiduciary-liability coverage is reached through a named Private Client Group specialist contact rather than a self-service online quote flow. [4](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/ "Family Office") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Family Office page as read on 2026-09-23; the general business-insurance page's fiduciary listing routes through Heffernan's general Contact Us form instead..) | "Fiduciary" is one of seven coverage boxes on StartupInsurance.ai's online quote-intake screen, described there as covering "claims related to employee benefit plan management." [6](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Initial coverage-selection screen of the quote application; does not show the underwriting questions that follow for this line..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs StartupInsurance.ai](https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-startupinsurance): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/fiduciary): Fiduciary liability insurance can help with covered claims alleging that your business or its people breached duties in managing an employee benefit plan.
- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs StartupInsurance.ai Builders Risk Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-startupinsurance/builders-risk)
- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs StartupInsurance.ai Commercial Auto Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-startupinsurance/commercial-auto)
- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs StartupInsurance.ai Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-startupinsurance/commercial-property)
- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs StartupInsurance.ai General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-startupinsurance/general-liability)
- [Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs StartupInsurance.ai Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-startupinsurance/surety-bonds)
- [Alliance Risk vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-heffernan/fiduciary)
- [Alliance Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-startupinsurance/fiduciary)
- [Beazley vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-heffernan/fiduciary)
- [Beazley vs StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-startupinsurance/fiduciary)
- [Chubb vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/chubb-vs-heffernan/fiduciary)
- [Chubb vs StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/chubb-vs-startupinsurance/fiduciary)

## Sources

### Heffernan Insurance Brokers

1. [Our Story](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
2. [Technology Company Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/technology/). 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.
3. [Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/). 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.
4. [Family Office](https://www.heffins.com/family-office/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; We serve: Family offices, Trust companies, Individual and professional trustees, Financial advisors/CPAs/attorneys, Private equity firms, Foundations, Financial institutions; Coverage for Family Offices, Trustees & Financial Firms: ... Fiduciary liability insurance ...; Risk Management Assessment section; contact Lacey Garrison. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### StartupInsurance.ai

5. [Company | Startup Insurance](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/). StartupInsurance.ai; The story; founders; The free policy check; legal footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
6. [Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/). StartupInsurance.ai; Coverage-selection screen: Fiduciary — “Covers claims related to employee benefit plan management”. Accessed 2026-09-23.
7. [Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/). StartupInsurance.ai; Coverage: What we place; Wording that still says yes (“One major carrier added a blanket AI exclusion to D&O, E&O and fiduciary”); The free policy check. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### Fiduciary Liability Insurance Guide

8. [Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/employers-and-advisers/guidance/field-assistance-bulletins/erisa-fidelity-bonding-requirements.pdf). U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Q2 pp.2–3. Accessed 2026-09-16.
9. [Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://www.travelers.com/business-insurance/professional-liability-insurance/fiduciary-liability). Travelers; What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?. 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.

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