---
title: "HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance"
description: "HUB places D&O through ProEx without naming AI exclusions; StartupInsurance.ai reviews D&O wording for blanket AI exclusions."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance

HUB places D&O through ProEx without naming AI exclusions; StartupInsurance.ai reviews D&O wording for blanket AI exclusions.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate HUB International and StartupInsurance.ai for D&O 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

HUB’s ProEx practice brokers D&O for private, nonprofit and public clients with attorney claims support, while StartupInsurance.ai places D&O for venture-backed startups and says it reviews forms for a blanket AI exclusion that one major carrier added to D&O. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx") [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## What Is HUB International?

HUB International is a North American insurance brokerage that arranges business insurance, employee benefits and related risk services through local offices and specialist practices. Smaller commercial accounts may be sent to Insureon for an online quote; other programs are handled by HUB advisors, with policy terms set by the insurers they use. [1](https://www.hubinternational.com/about-us/ "About Us") [2](https://www.hubinternational.com/contact-us/ "Contact Us") [3](https://www.hubinternational.com/industries/technology-company-insurance/ "Insurance for Technology Companies")

[HUB International profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/hub-international)

## 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. [6](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/ "Company | Startup Insurance") [7](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai")

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

## What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?

Directors and officers liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging wrongful acts in managing an organization. [10](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms "Glossary of Business Insurance Terms")

## Key Differences in D&O Insurance

### AI Wording Review

StartupInsurance.ai says one major carrier added a blanket AI exclusion to D&O (along with E&O and fiduciary), typically at renewal inside an endorsement, and that its free policy check reviews existing programs for that exclusion and contract gaps within 48 hours. [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") HUB’s reviewed D&O and ProEx pages do not describe an AI-exclusion screen on D&O forms. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx")

### Who Arranges the Policy

HUB brokers D&O as part of ProEx rather than underwriting it. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") StartupInsurance.ai lists D&O among lines its startup program places; ContractorNerd Insurance Services, LLC is agent/broker of record and does not underwrite. [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [9](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/ "Terms and Conditions") HUB’s homepage-style D&O copy targets private, nonprofit and public companies; StartupInsurance.ai frames D&O as something founders typically need once a term sheet requires it. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

### How You Apply

HUB asks you to connect with a broker. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") Directors & Officers is the first coverage box on StartupInsurance.ai’s online quote-intake screen. [7](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") HUB names ProEx claims attorneys; StartupInsurance.ai’s reviewed pages do not describe a dedicated D&O claims-advocacy team. [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx") [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes

- Ask StartupInsurance.ai whether the proposed D&O form contains a blanket AI exclusion. [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- Ask HUB the same AI-exclusion question, because its reviewed pages do not address it. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker")
- Confirm the issuing insurer; StartupInsurance.ai’s carrier panel is program-wide, not broken out by line. [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- Confirm limits, retentions and who will handle a claim notice. [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx") [7](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | HUB International Directors and Officers Insurance Brokerage | StartupInsurance.ai Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | HUB brokers D&O liability coverage for private, nonprofit and public-company clients as part of its ProEx Professional & Executive Risk practice, rather than underwriting the policy itself. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page and ProEx coverage list, read 2026-09-23. Neither page names an issuing insurer..) | StartupInsurance.ai lists directors and officers coverage among the lines its startup program places, and its homepage cites an investor's term-sheet request for D&O as a typical reason a founder comes to it. ContractorNerd Insurance Services, LLC arranges the placement as agent/broker of record rather than underwriting it. [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [9](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/ "Terms and Conditions") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage coverage list and "the problem" narrative, plus ContractorNerd's terms and conditions on its producer role; does not describe a specific D&O policy's terms..) |
| Issuing Insurer | The D&O product page and the ProEx coverage list do not name an issuing insurer for D&O policies; HUB says ProEx places over $2 billion in premium with insurers it calls top-rated carriers, without naming them. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx") (Evidence: Not found in reviewed sources; scope: Checked both pages on 2026-09-23; the carrier for a specific D&O placement depends on the quote..) | The homepage's carrier panel names insurers with D&O capacity, such as Chubb (shown as A++ Admitted) and Coalition (shown as A- Surplus), but does not state that either one specifically underwrites D&O placements; the issuing insurer varies by placement. [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Homepage carrier panel and ratings card; the panel is program-wide, not broken out by coverage line..) |
| Who It’s For | HUB markets D&O brokerage to three segments: private companies with customer and supplier relationships, nonprofits with advisory boards or committees, and public companies with shareholders. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page target-market description; not an underwriting appetite statement..) | StartupInsurance.ai frames D&O as coverage founders typically need once an investor's term sheet requires it, positioning the line for venture-backed startups with a board rather than pre-revenue companies with no outside investors. [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Homepage narrative example; not a stated underwriting eligibility rule (e.g., minimum funding stage or headcount)..) |
| Coverage Features | HUB describes D&O coverage it arranges as addressing three areas: personal asset protection for monetary judgments and settlements from an alleged breach of duty, loyalty or care; defense in civil, criminal, judicial, administrative, regulatory or arbitration proceedings; and workplace and employment protection for breach-of-fiduciary-duty and employment-related suits. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product-page marketing description; the issued policy's insuring agreements, conditions and exclusions control an actual claim..)<br><br>HUB says D&O claims it sees can come from regulators, donors, clients or customers, suppliers, competitors, employees, shareholders and creditors. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Product-page list of potential claim sources; not a guarantee of coverage for any specific claimant..) | StartupInsurance.ai says one major carrier added a blanket AI exclusion to D&O (along with E&O and fiduciary forms), typically arriving at renewal inside an endorsement, and that it reviews policies for this exclusion as part of its free check. [8](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 D&O policy carries this specific endorsement..) |
| Limits and Retentions | Published D&O policy limits or retentions were not found on the reviewed pages. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Checked the D&O product page and ProEx page on 2026-09-23; limits are set on the quote and declarations..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Risk Services | HUB says its ProEx practice, which lists D&O among its Executive Liability coverages, provides analytics, litigation support and risk-management services to clients of all sizes, led by a named ProEx practice leader. [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: ProEx page team and services description; not specific to a single D&O engagement..) | StartupInsurance.ai's free policy check reviews an existing program for AI exclusions and contract gaps within 48 hours, and the homepage specifically calls out D&O as one of the forms affected by the AI-exclusion trend it checks for. [8](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 D&O policy..) |
| How to Apply | HUB directs D&O prospects to "Connect With a Broker" rather than an online quote or bind flow. [4](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/ "Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: D&O product page call to action..) | Directors & Officers (D&O) is the first coverage box on StartupInsurance.ai's online quote-intake screen, described there as coverage that "protects your board and executives from lawsuits." [7](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..) |
| Claims Support | HUB describes a Claims & Legal Risks Group, staffed by attorneys who specialize in ProEx coverages including D&O, that provides management-liability claims support from pre-claim policy-wording review through claim recovery. [5](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "HUB ProEx") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: ProEx page claims and legal support section..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |

## Full Comparison

- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance): all coverage lines, business roles, service and claims.
- [What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers): Directors and officers insurance can help pay for covered claims against company leaders over decisions they make in running the business.
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai Builders Risk Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/builders-risk)
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai Commercial Auto Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/commercial-auto)
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/commercial-property)
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/fiduciary)
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/general-liability)
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai Inland Marine Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/inland-marine)
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai Product Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/product-liability)
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/surety-bonds)
- [HUB International vs StartupInsurance.ai Tech E&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/hub-international-vs-startupinsurance/technology-errors-omissions)
- [Alliance Risk vs HUB International D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-hub-international/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs HUB International D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-hub-international/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs HUB International D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-hub-international/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)

## Sources

### HUB International

1. [About Us](https://www.hubinternational.com/about-us/). HUB International; Opening description; 1998 formation of HUB International Limited; 2022 Insureon acquisition; headquarters and employee/office counts. Accessed 2026-09-16.
2. [Contact Us](https://www.hubinternational.com/contact-us/). HUB International; Business Solutions paths for Commercial Insurance Solutions versus Small Commercial Insurance Solutions via Insureon; office search. Accessed 2026-09-16.
3. [Insurance for Technology Companies](https://www.hubinternational.com/industries/technology-company-insurance/). HUB International; Technology Company Insurance & Risk Management: startup, software, hardware and digital-media introduction; Business Coverage and People Protection lists; technology-client count. Accessed 2026-09-16.
4. [Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance Broker](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/directors-and-officers-insurance/). HUB International; Target segments: private companies, nonprofit organizations, public companies; Personal Asset Protection, Claims Protection, Workplace & Employment Protection; list of potential claimants; 2016 private-company D&O claim statistic; Connect With a Broker call to action. Accessed 2026-09-23.
5. [HUB ProEx](https://www.hubinternational.com/products/business-insurance/employment-practices-liability/). HUB International; ProEx Coverages list including Directors & Officers Liability (D&O) and Side-A Only Excess D&O under Executive Liability; Claims & Legal Support section; ProEx premium volume statement. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### StartupInsurance.ai

6. [Company | Startup Insurance](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/). StartupInsurance.ai; The story; founders; The free policy check; legal footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
7. [Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/). StartupInsurance.ai; Coverage-selection screen: Directors & Officers (D&O) — “Protects your board and executives from lawsuits”. Accessed 2026-09-23.
8. [Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/). StartupInsurance.ai; The problem (“An investor's term sheet asked for D&O”); Wording that still says yes (“One major carrier added a blanket AI exclusion to D&O, E&O and fiduciary”); Coverage: What we place; The free policy check. Accessed 2026-09-23.
9. [Terms and Conditions](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/). ContractorNerd; Section 2, Insurance Services: “ContractorNerd is an insurance agency/insurance producer... not an insurance company, does not underwrite insurance”; Section 2.A, Broker/Agent of Record. Accessed 2026-09-23.

### D&O Insurance Guide

10. [Glossary of Business Insurance Terms](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms). The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices 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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