---
title: "Marsh vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance"
description: "Marsh names ESG-related scrutiny as an emerging D&O pressure; StartupInsurance.ai instead flags a carrier-wide AI exclusion trend in D&O forms."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/marsh-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-23"
---

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# Marsh vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance

Marsh names ESG-related scrutiny as an emerging D&O pressure; StartupInsurance.ai instead flags a carrier-wide AI exclusion trend in D&O forms.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Marsh 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

Marsh names ESG-related stakeholder scrutiny as an added pressure on directors and officers, while StartupInsurance.ai's D&O listing centers on checking policies for a blanket AI exclusion some carriers have added to D&O forms instead. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") [9](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## 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](https://www.marsh.com/en/home.html "Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments") [2](https://www.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh/Documents/PDF/US-en/us-client-compensation-guide.pdf "Compensation guide for US clients") [3](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/marsh-mclennan-agency.html "Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA)") [4](https://www.marsh.com/en/industries/technology.html "Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management")

[Marsh profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/marsh)

## 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. [7](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/ "Company | Startup Insurance") [8](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. [11](https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/glossary-of-business-insurance-terms "Glossary of Business Insurance Terms")

## Key Differences in D&O Insurance

### Advisory Practice Versus a Wording Check

Marsh's financial and professional liability practice explains coverage sides and risk categories for its clients rather than checking a specific wording issue. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") StartupInsurance.ai instead names a specific policy-wording risk it checks for:

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. [9](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..)

### How You Start a Placement

StartupInsurance.ai puts D&O directly in its online quote flow as the first coverage box. [8](https://quotes.startupinsurance.ai/ "Apply for Startup Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai") Marsh's D&O page instead points toward advisory contact rather than a self-serve online quote for this line. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")

### An Emerging Risk Category Neither Side Shares

Marsh names ESG-related governance scrutiny as an emerging pressure on directors and officers. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") StartupInsurance.ai's homepage doesn't address ESG-related scrutiny; its D&O-relevant content centers instead on the AI-exclusion trend and its free policy check. [9](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes

- Ask Marsh which entity issues the policy; the reviewed pages don't name one. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")
- Ask StartupInsurance.ai whether the carrier on your quote carries the AI exclusion it describes and whether it applies to D&O specifically. [9](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- If board diversity or executive-pay scrutiny is a concern for your company, ask Marsh how that factors into the placement. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)")
- Ask which insurer would issue the policy in each case; StartupInsurance.ai's carrier panel is program-wide rather than broken out by line. [9](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Marsh Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai Directors & 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](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") [6](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page..) | 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. [9](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [10](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 reviewed pages do not name a specific D&O insurer. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") [6](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html "Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance") (Evidence: Not publicly disclosed; scope: Marsh D&O page and MMA executive and professional liability page as read on 2026-09-23..) | 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. [9](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 | 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. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page, common risks FAQ..) | 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. [9](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 | 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. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page FAQ; illustrative policy structure, not a specific policy form..)<br><br>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. [5](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html "Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Marsh D&O page, What other risks do directors and officers face? section..) | 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. [9](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..) |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | 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. [9](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 | Not described in the reviewed sources. | 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." [8](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

- [Marsh vs StartupInsurance.ai](https://spot.insure/compare/marsh-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.
- [Marsh vs StartupInsurance.ai Builders Risk Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/marsh-vs-startupinsurance/builders-risk)
- [Marsh vs StartupInsurance.ai Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/marsh-vs-startupinsurance/commercial-property)
- [Marsh vs StartupInsurance.ai Fiduciary Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/marsh-vs-startupinsurance/fiduciary)
- [Marsh vs StartupInsurance.ai Surety Bonds](https://spot.insure/compare/marsh-vs-startupinsurance/surety-bonds)
- [Marsh vs StartupInsurance.ai Tech E&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/marsh-vs-startupinsurance/technology-errors-omissions)
- [Alliance Risk vs Marsh D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-marsh/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Marsh D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-marsh/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs Marsh D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-marsh/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)

## Sources

### Marsh

1. [Marsh | Leader in risk, strategy, people, and investments](https://www.marsh.com/en/home.html). 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.
2. [Compensation guide for US clients](https://www.marsh.com/content/dam/marsh/Documents/PDF/US-en/us-client-compensation-guide.pdf). 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.
3. [Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA)](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/marsh-mclennan-agency.html). Marsh; Middle-market US organizations; wholly-owned subsidiary; business insurance, employee health and benefits, retirement, private client. Accessed 2026-09-16.
4. [Technology | Insurance Broking & Risk Management](https://www.marsh.com/en/industries/technology.html). Marsh; Opening Technology Practice description; practice links including data center insurance, fintech and Stratus; Talk to us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
5. [Directors and Officers Liability (D&O)](https://www.marsh.com/en/services/financial-professional-liability/expertise/directors-and-officers-liability.html). 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.
6. [Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance](https://www.marshmma.com/us/solutions/executive-and-professional-liability.html). 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.

### StartupInsurance.ai

7. [Company | Startup Insurance](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/company/). StartupInsurance.ai; The story; founders; The free policy check; legal footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
8. [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.
9. [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.
10. [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

11. [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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