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Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance in Rhode Island

Rhode Island separates the conduct standard for a director or officer acting in an official capacity from the standard for other conduct: the first asks whether the person acted in the corporation’s best interests, while the second asks whether conduct was at least not opposed to them. Section 7-1.2 addresses corporations, including domestic and foreign profit and nonprofit corporations; identify the insured’s form and incorporation jurisdiction before applying it to an LLC or other entity. 1

What Is Directors And Officers?

D&O insurance can help pay covered defense costs and losses from claims against company leaders over management decisions. If your organization has a board or executives, check whether the company itself is insured and whether legal bills reduce the limit. Read the national Directors and officers guide.

What to Watch for in Rhode Island

  • Official Versus Other Capacity

    Rhode Island § 7-1.2-814 uses a best-interests test for conduct in the person’s official capacity and a not-opposed-to-best-interests test for other conduct; criminal proceedings also require no reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful. Ask the broker how the policy treats formal investigations and alleged criminal conduct under its exclusions. 1

  • Derivative and Improper-Benefit Limits

    After specified adverse adjudications, Rhode Island limits corporate indemnification; derivative indemnity is limited to expenses and a court may order relief in defined circumstances. Ask whether the policy handles the defense independently of company reimbursement and who controls settlement. 1

  • Unlawful Distribution Claims

    Section 7-1.2-811 can make directors personally liable for certain unlawful distributions, including distributions exceeding statutory limits; it also provides defenses based on good-faith reliance or due care. If your board approved dividends or repurchases, ask whether the policy treats this claim type differently. 2

Who Regulates Insurance in Rhode Island

Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Insurance Division

The DBR Insurance Division provides an online public verification service for producers, adjusters, surplus-lines brokers, and other licensees, and accepts insurance complaints online. Contact the Division for help determining whether it has authority over a particular policy or dispute. 3,4,5

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 4% of net taxable premium; 2018 filing guide excludes listed broker, carrier and inspection fees Rhode Island’s 2024 return applies 4% to net taxable premium (gross premium less returned premium); its 2018 filing guide excludes broker, carrier, and inspection fees from the base. Confirm fee treatment with the Division of Taxation if your bill separates those charges, because no newer official fee-base guidance was located. 6,7

Providers With Documented State Licenses

These providers publish a national listing for Directors and officers; the state records document licenses for the entities and roles shown below. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Rhode Island. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

  • CoalitionCoalition Insurance Solutions, Inc.Insurance producer, Surplus-lines broker · checked 2026-09-28Coalition’s license page lists producer and surplus-lines licenses for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc. in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The page separately lists insurers; this record covers the brokerage entity only. 9
  • CorgiCorgi Insurance Services, Inc.Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28Corgi’s company producer-license table lists 50 jurisdictions: 49 states and the District of Columbia, including DC license 3003091619. New Mexico does not appear in the table and is not included here; the omission does not establish that Corgi is unlicensed there. The company-reported table has no stated as-of date and does not establish product availability. 10
  • VouchVouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLCInsurance producer, Surplus-lines broker · checked 2026-09-28Vouch’s licenses page, effective January 16, 2025, lists producer licenses in all 50 states and DC. Its separate surplus-lines table includes Idaho number 870820, while a footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses. Because those statements conflict for Idaho, this record keeps Idaho producer-only and does not treat the table number as established agency surplus-lines authority. The page is company-reported and does not establish product availability. 13

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Rhode Island

  1. For an official-capacity claim, how does the policy address the Rhode Island best-interests standard and any conduct exclusion?
  2. What changes for a derivative action or a claim alleging a director received an improper personal benefit?
  3. How does the policy define or handle a claim over an allegedly unlawful dividend, repurchase, or other distribution under § 7-1.2-811?
  4. Which named entities are corporations under § 7-1.2, and where was each other insured formed?

Directors And Officers in Rhode Island: FAQ

Does Rhode Island use the same indemnification standard for every director act? 1

No. Section 7-1.2-814 distinguishes official-capacity conduct, which must be in the corporation’s best interests, from other conduct, which must be at least not opposed to them. Criminal proceedings have an additional no-reasonable-cause condition. 1

Can a Rhode Island corporation insure a liability it cannot indemnify? 1

Yes. Section 7-1.2-814(i) authorizes corporate insurance whether or not the same liability could be indemnified under that section. The policy’s wording still determines insurer response. 1

Directors And Officers in Other States

Other Coverage in Rhode Island

Sources

  1. R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-814, Indemnification of directors and officers. Rhode Island General Assembly; Subsections (b)(1), (b)(4), (c), (e), and (i): standards, bars, mandatory expense indemnity, advances, insurance. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-811, Liability of directors for unlawful distributions. Rhode Island General Assembly; Subsections (a)–(c): liability for excess distributions and shareholder contribution. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. rhode-island insurance regulator. State insurance regulator; DBR Insurance Division overview links to complaint, license lookup, statutes, and regulations. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. DBR License Status Verification. State insurance regulator; Official page identifies online NAIC-partnered status checks for producers, adjusters, motor vehicle appraisers, surplus-lines brokers, and reinsurance intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. DBR Insurance Consumers. State insurance regulator; Official consumer page explains the division's regulated insurance lines and online complaint route. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. 2025 T-71A Surplus Line Broker Return of Gross Premiums. Rhode Island Division of Taxation; 2025 return, p. 1, lines 1–4: net taxable premium is gross premium less returned premiums; 4% tax; filing due April 1, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Guide to Tax Filings for Surplus Lines. Rhode Island Division of Taxation; 2018 Guide to tax filings, surplus-lines section: gross premium for tax purposes excludes carrier, broker, and inspection fees; no newer official fee-base instruction located as of 2026-09-28. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  9. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  10. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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