Marsh vs 
Newfront D&O Insurance
Marsh names ESG-related scrutiny as an emerging D&O pressure; Newfront instead sells a client dashboard and automated renewal technology.
What Is Marsh?
Marsh is a global insurance broker and risk advisor. In the United States it places coverage through core Marsh teams and through Marsh McLennan Agency for many middle-market buyers, including technology, cyber, property, casualty and benefits programs. 1,2,3,4
What Is Newfront?
Newfront is a business-insurance and employee-benefits brokerage that combines specialist teams with online policy-management tools. It is now part of WTW. 7,8,9,10
What Is Directors and Officers Insurance?
Directors and officers liability insurance addresses covered claims alleging wrongful acts in managing an organization. 12
Key Differences in D&O Insurance
A Risk Warning Versus a Service Pitch
Marsh names a specific pressure it says can add to traditional D&O exposures. 5 Newfront's pitch instead centers on the account experience after binding:
Newfront says clients get 24/7 access to their D&O program through its connected dashboard, and that renewals use automated, pre-populated historical data for faster submissions and approvals. 11Company-reported. Industry-Leading Technology section of the Executive Risk page.
One page is telling you what's increasingly showing up in claims; the other is telling you how the relationship runs day to day.
Practice Scope
Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places D&O for public, private and nonprofit clients, with MMA separately serving the middle market. 5 Newfront instead points to a specific track record — over 120 unicorn companies and 500-plus publicly traded companies on D&O-relevant matters — rather than describing practice scope by client type. 11
What Neither Page Names
Marsh's D&O and MMA pages don't name a specific insurer for this line. 5 Newfront's Executive Risk page has the same gap, naming the coverage it brokers without disclosing a carrier. 11
What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes
- Ask Marsh which entity issues the policy; the reviewed pages don't name one. 5
- Ask Newfront which insurer would issue the policy; its Executive Risk page has the same gap. 11
- If board diversity or executive-pay scrutiny is a concern for your company, ask Marsh how that factors into the placement. 5
- If you're approaching an IPO, deSPAC or direct listing, ask Newfront how its process changes for that transition, since Marsh's page doesn't describe a comparable public-company track. 11
Offering Details
Marsh vs Newfront D&O Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Marsh Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) Insurance | Newfront Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places D&O insurance for public, private and non-profit companies; MMA also places D&O coverage within its executive and professional liability practice for middle-market clients. 5,6Company-reported. Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page. | Newfront's Executive Risk practice brokers D&O coverage, negotiating placement for management-liability lines. Deirdre Finn, the Executive Risk Solutions Practice Leader, oversees this D&O, employment-practices and fiduciary book of business. 11Company-reported. Executive Risk offering page and Leadership section. |
| Issuing Insurer | The reviewed pages do not name a specific D&O insurer. 5,6Not publicly disclosed. Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page as read on 2026-09-23. | The reviewed Executive Risk page does not name the insurer or insurers that would issue a D&O policy placed through Newfront. 11Not publicly disclosed. Executive Risk page as read on 2026-09-23; carrier depends on the specific placement. |
| Who It’s For | Marsh says public company directors and officers typically face more securities-lawsuit exposure from shareholders and regulators, while private and non-profit organizations more often face employment-practices claims from customers, vendors or regulators; directors and officers of all organization types can face cyber-related liability exposure. 5Company-reported. Marsh D&O page, common risks FAQ. | Newfront says it services private companies "from seed round through every series of capital funding," including over 120 unicorn companies, and has worked with over 500 publicly traded companies on D&O-relevant matters such as M&A and IPOs. 11Company-reported. Here for the Long Run section; company-reported client counts, not independently verified. |
| Coverage Features | Marsh says D&O insurance typically has three coverage sides: Side A protects directors' and officers' personal assets when the organization cannot or will not indemnify them; Side B reimburses the organization for indemnifying directors and officers; Side C offers balance-sheet protection when the entity itself is named, generally limited to securities claims for public companies. 5Company-reported. Marsh D&O page FAQ; illustrative policy structure, not a specific policy form. Marsh says ESG-related stakeholder scrutiny, covering areas such as carbon emissions, renewable-energy use, labor practices, board diversity and executive compensation, can add regulatory, legislative or litigation pressure on directors and officers beyond traditional D&O exposures. 5Company-reported. Marsh D&O page, What other risks do directors and officers face? section. | Newfront lists "Directors and Officers (D&O)—Private and public companies" and "Side A DIC D&O" among its Executive Risk Key Coverages, and says its D&O work includes protection against securities-related litigation and regulatory investigations. 11Company-reported. Key Coverages list and Committed to Client Advocacy section; Side A DIC is a difference-in-conditions option, and actual trigger and exclusions require the proposed wording. |
| Limits and Retentions | Not described in the reviewed sources. | The reviewed Executive Risk page does not publish D&O limits or retentions. 11Not publicly disclosed. Executive Risk page as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Newfront says clients get 24/7 access to their D&O program through its connected dashboard, and that renewals use automated, pre-populated historical data for faster submissions and approvals. 11Company-reported. Industry-Leading Technology section of the Executive Risk page. |
| How to Apply | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Newfront describes a process for private companies transitioning to public status through an IPO, deSPAC or direct listing, and you start a D&O placement by requesting a consultation through the Executive Risk page. 11Company-reported. Committed to Client Advocacy section and page call-to-action; no online quoting or binding described. |
| Claims Support | Not described in the reviewed sources. | Newfront says it provides "integrated claims and coverage negotiation" for its Executive Risk lines, which would apply to a D&O claim. 11Company-reported. The Newfront Difference section; described across Executive Risk lines, not a D&O-specific claims workflow. |
Full Comparison
More Marsh vs Newfront Comparisons
Other D&O Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Marsh
- Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments. Marsh; Hero and capability tiles; FAQ: What does Marsh do?; industries served; Is Marsh the same as Marsh McLennan? January 2026 brand change. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Compensation guide for US clients. Marsh; US broking segments; broker role; retail commissions, client fees, wholesale, insurer consulting, contingent and supplemental commissions; Marsh LLC and Marsh USA LLC; page 3: broker role and Marsh & McLennan Agency segment; page 7: copyright © 2024 Marsh LLC. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA). Marsh; Middle-market US organizations; wholly-owned subsidiary; business insurance, employee health and benefits, retirement, private client. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management. Marsh; Opening Technology Practice description; practice links including data center insurance, fintech and Stratus; Talk to us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Directors and Officers Liability (D&O). Marsh; Opening positioning for public, private and non-profit companies; FAQs: What are the most common risks for directors and officers?; What does D&O insurance cover? (Side A, B, C); What other risks do directors and officers face?; Ruth Kochenderfer, D&O Product Leader. Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance. Marsh McLennan Agency; Directors and Officers subsection: covers costs from claims for alleged wrongful acts, including defense costs for civil, criminal and regulatory investigations. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Newfront
- Business Insurance. Newfront; Purpose-Built Team; Full Transparency; Streamlined Program Management. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Employee Benefits. Newfront; Employee Benefits heading; Tailored Solutions; Comprehensive Expertise: Benefits, Global Benefits, Compensation and Retirement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- WTW Completes Acquisition Of Newfront. WTW; 27 January 2026 release; completion announcement and allocation of Business Insurance and Total Rewards to WTW segments. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Executive Risk. Newfront; Key Coverages to Protect Your Business: Directors and Officers (D&O)—Private and public companies, Side A DIC D&O; Here for the Long Run: Private Companies, IPOs, Public; Leadership: Deirdre Finn; Industry-Leading Technology. Accessed 2026-09-23.
D&O Insurance Guide
- Glossary of Business Insurance Terms. The Hartford; Directors and Officers Liability Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance; Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
