---
title: "Risklytics vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance"
description: "Risklytics cites a $1–$3 million D&O ask and no extra broker fee; StartupInsurance.ai checks AI exclusions in 48 hours."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/risklytics-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers"
page-type: "line-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-24"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/risklytics-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)

# Risklytics vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance

Risklytics cites a $1–$3 million D&O ask and no extra broker fee; StartupInsurance.ai checks AI exclusions in 48 hours.

## Research Scope and Use

Use this comparison to evaluate Risklytics 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

Risklytics places D&O as a producer it describes as licensed, lists a typical $1 million to $3 million ask for venture-backed companies, and says there is no broker fee on top of premium. StartupInsurance.ai places D&O through ContractorNerd and offers a free 48-hour policy check for AI exclusions on D&O forms. [4](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") [5](https://www.risklytics.ai/pricing/ "How pricing and broker fees work") [1](https://www.risklytics.ai/about/ "About Risklytics: who we are") [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [9](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/ "Terms and Conditions")

## What Is Risklytics Insurance?

Risklytics describes a commercial insurance brokerage for robotics, autonomy, hardware and AI businesses. It prepares applications and seeks coverage from insurers; California placement eligibility remains unconfirmed. [1](https://www.risklytics.ai/about/ "About Risklytics: who we are") [2](https://www.risklytics.ai/ "Insurance for Frontier Tech") [3](https://www.risklytics.ai/terms/ "Terms of Service")

[Risklytics profile](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/risklytics)

## 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

### Two Startup Brokers, Different Published Numbers

Risklytics Insurance Services describes itself as a licensed producer that places D&O with outside carriers and does not underwrite. StartupInsurance.ai lists D&O in its startup program, with ContractorNerd as agent/broker of record rather than the insurer. [1](https://www.risklytics.ai/about/ "About Risklytics: who we are") [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") [9](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/ "Terms and Conditions") Risklytics lists a typical ask of $1 million to $3 million for venture-backed companies; StartupInsurance.ai’s reviewed pages do not publish a typical D&O limit.

### Fees Versus a Free Form Review

Risklytics says you start D&O through its online application, that no broker fee is added on top of premium, and that a licensed producer stays on the file until bind, with commission paid by the carrier. StartupInsurance.ai’s free policy check reviews an existing program for AI exclusions and contract gaps within 48 hours and specifically calls out D&O as a form affected by a blanket AI-exclusion trend. [5](https://www.risklytics.ai/pricing/ "How pricing and broker fees work") [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review") Risklytics’ D&O page does not describe a 48-hour wording review of an in-force policy; StartupInsurance.ai’s homepage does not describe a no-fee-on-premium pledge.

## What to Confirm in D&O Insurance Quotes

- Ask Risklytics whether $1–$3 million is the limit it would market for your round. [4](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/ "Directors & Officers Insurance")
- Ask StartupInsurance.ai to run the 48-hour AI-exclusion check on any incumbent D&O form. [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")
- Confirm compensation: Risklytics says no fee on top of premium; ask StartupInsurance.ai how ContractorNerd is paid. [5](https://www.risklytics.ai/pricing/ "How pricing and broker fees work") [9](https://www.contractornerd.com/terms-and-conditions/ "Terms and Conditions")
- Get the issuing insurer from both. [4](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") [8](https://www.startupinsurance.ai/ "Startup Insurance | Coverage that clears the review")

## Offering Details

| Criteria | Risklytics Directors & Officers Insurance | StartupInsurance.ai Directors & Officers (D&O) Insurance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role in This Line | Risklytics Insurance Services is a licensed insurance producer (NPN 22311838) that places Risklytics Directors & Officers Insurance with outside carriers; it says it does not underwrite policies itself. [1](https://www.risklytics.ai/about/ "About Risklytics: who we are") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: About page; describes Risklytics' brokerage model generally, restated for this line..) | 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 | Risklytics does not name the carrier that underwrites Risklytics Directors & Officers Insurance on its site. It says it places business with specialist insurers willing to write robotics, autonomy and AI risk; the issuing carrier appears on the bound policy. [4](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") [1](https://www.risklytics.ai/about/ "About Risklytics: who we are") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Lines page and about page; no specific insurer is published for this line..) | 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 | Risklytics says the norm is buying D&O at or before a startup's first priced round, since term sheets and incoming board members typically require it as a closing condition. [4](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Lines page..) | 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 | Risklytics describes D&O as protecting a founder's personal assets when an investor or regulator sues over how the company was run, citing an investor suit after a down round and a regulator inquiry into AI capability claims as examples, and distinguishes it from Tech E&O, which answers a customer's product-failure claim instead. [4](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Lines page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage..) | 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 | Risklytics lists a typical ask of $1 million to $3 million for venture-backed companies for this line. [4](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Lines page; actual limits are set on the bound policy..) | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| Risk Services | Risklytics calls D&O easy to get for venture-backed companies with a clean story, describing quick placement for that segment. [4](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/ "Directors & Officers Insurance") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Lines page..) | 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 | You start Risklytics Directors & Officers Insurance through Risklytics' online application. Risklytics says there is no broker fee on top of the premium and a licensed producer stays on the file until the program binds; its commission is paid by the carrier out of the premium either way. [5](https://www.risklytics.ai/pricing/ "How pricing and broker fees work") [1](https://www.risklytics.ai/about/ "About Risklytics: who we are") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Pricing page describes the general application and fee process, not a line-specific form..) | 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..) |

## Full Comparison

- [Risklytics vs StartupInsurance.ai](https://spot.insure/compare/risklytics-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.
- [Risklytics vs StartupInsurance.ai Commercial Property Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/risklytics-vs-startupinsurance/commercial-property)
- [Risklytics vs StartupInsurance.ai General Liability Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/risklytics-vs-startupinsurance/general-liability)
- [Risklytics vs StartupInsurance.ai Inland Marine Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/risklytics-vs-startupinsurance/inland-marine)
- [Risklytics vs StartupInsurance.ai Tech E&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/risklytics-vs-startupinsurance/technology-errors-omissions)
- [Alliance Risk vs Risklytics D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-risklytics/directors-officers)
- [Alliance Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/alliance-risk-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs Risklytics D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-risklytics/directors-officers)
- [Amelia Risk vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/amelia-risk-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs Risklytics D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-risklytics/directors-officers)
- [Beazley vs StartupInsurance.ai D&O Insurance](https://spot.insure/compare/beazley-vs-startupinsurance/directors-officers)

## Sources

### Risklytics

1. [About Risklytics: who we are](https://www.risklytics.ai/about/). Risklytics; “What we do”; Licensing: Risklytics Insurance Services, National Producer Number 22311838, resident license Massachusetts. Accessed 2026-09-23.
2. [Insurance for Frontier Tech](https://www.risklytics.ai/). Risklytics; You describe your company; One application. Written for you; footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
3. [Terms of Service](https://www.risklytics.ai/terms/). Risklytics; Effective August 7, 2026; sections 1–5, 7, 9 and 12. Accessed 2026-09-16.
4. [Directors & Officers Insurance](https://www.risklytics.ai/lines/management/). Risklytics; Coverage line: Directors & Officers; Built for moments like these; When to buy; Who requires it; How hard to get; Common questions. Accessed 2026-09-23.
5. [How pricing and broker fees work](https://www.risklytics.ai/pricing/). Risklytics; Buying direct / Generic broker / Risklytics comparison table: no broker fee, commission paid by the carrier out of premium. 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 2026-09-24. 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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