Chubb vs Cowbell: Commercial Crime Insurance

Both target organizations under 250 employees and $50 million: Chubb in revenue, Cowbell in assets. Chubb offers crime on its Chubb Marketplace platform; Cowbell's Zurich-underwritten crime module is reached only through appointed wholesalers.

Van Ness Partners presents a practical comparison of source materials relevant to financial crime exposures.Research updated 2026-09-25

What Are the Key Differences Between Chubb and Cowbell Crime Insurance?

Digital Binding Versus Wholesale Access

Chubb provides crime through ACE American and Chubb affiliates. Cowbell makes Zurich’s Select Plus crime module available only to appointed Zurich wholesalers through its platform. For Chubb, check the revenue cap; for Cowbell, check the asset cap and broker access before pursuing either quote. [4] [5] [9]

Similar Size Caps, Different Metrics

On Chubb Marketplace, ForeFront’s target appetite is organizations with fewer than 250 employees and less than $50 million in revenue. Cowbell targets the crime module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50 million in assets. [3] [5]

ACE American Versus Zurich Admitted Paper

Chubb’s crime sheet names ACE American Insurance Company and U.S.-based Chubb affiliates. Cowbell and Zurich both say Select Plus modules, including crime, are written on Zurich admitted paper; neither page states that Zurich American Insurance Company is the specific policy issuer for the module. [4] [5] [9]

Listed Crime Events and Limits

Chubb lists social-engineering fraud, employee theft including temporary and contracted workers, client theft, and funds-transfer fraud. Cowbell describes cover for theft, fraud and embezzlement by employees or third parties. Neither provider’s reviewed pages publish crime limits. [4] [5]

What Should You Confirm in Chubb and Cowbell Crime Insurance Quotes?

  • Confirm whether your size is measured against Chubb’s revenue cap or Cowbell’s asset cap. [3] [5]
  • Ask which Zurich entity issues Select Plus crime; Chubb’s sheet already names ACE American. [9] [4]
  • Confirm you can reach Cowbell only through an appointed Zurich E&S wholesaler. [5]
  • Get crime limits and retentions from both. [4] [5]

Chubb ForeFront targets organizations below 250 employees and $50 million in revenue; Cowbell’s Zurich Select Plus targets private firms below 250 employees and $50 million in assets through appointed wholesalers.

Sources consulted

  1. 01
    Commercial Insurance Guide

    California Department of Insurance · Crime · accessed 2026-09-16

  2. 02
    Social Engineering Fraud Insurance

    Chubb · Opening; coverage highlights · accessed 2026-09-16

  3. 03
    The ForeFront Portfolio

    Chubb · Available Coverages: Crime Insurance listed among the ForeFront Portfolio's seven coverage parts; Chubb Marketplace quoting · accessed 2026-09-23

  4. 04
    The ForeFront Portfolio — Crime Insurance

    Chubb · Crime Risks: Real & Rising claim-type list (Social Engineering Fraud, Employee Theft, Client Theft, Funds Transfer Fraud); Online Ease section on Chubb Marketplace; insurer disclosure line · accessed 2026-09-23

  5. 05
    Management liability coverage for small & medium enterprises

    Cowbell · FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?' (Crime Coverage definition); Target industries list; FAQ on access and account size · accessed 2026-09-23

  6. 06
    Crime Terms and Conditions

    The Travelers Companies, Inc. · I.A–G, printed/PDF pages 1–4; III.RR, printed/PDF p.13; V.B.1–2, printed/PDF pp.18–20; Consideration, printed/PDF p.1; III.P p.8; V.A.3 pp.16–17; V.A.4 p.17; V.B.3 p.20; I.A.3 p.1; III.C p.7; III.S pp.8–9; III.II and III.KK p.12; III.QQ p.13; V.A.5 pp.17–18 (printed/PDF pages); IV.J–O, printed/PDF pages 14–15 · accessed 2026-09-16

  7. 07
    Crime Non-Financial Applications and Forms

    Travelers · Opening paragraph; Sample Policy Forms · accessed 2026-09-16

  8. 08
    Commercial Crime Coverage Application

    Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America · I–III pages 1–2; IX–XI pages 3–4; V–VII, printed/PDF pages 2–3 · accessed 2026-09-16

  9. 09
    Small and Midsize Business Management Liability | Zurich Select Plus

    Zurich North America · Intro on the Zurich/Cowbell collaboration; module name 'Crime Insurance'; FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?' (identical to Cowbell's page); Targeted industries list; footer copyright · accessed 2026-09-23

Crime coverage

Chubb

  • role: Chubb underwrites Crime Insurance as one of seven coverage parts within its ForeFront Portfolio for private companies, not-for-profit and healthcare organizations, insuring against theft and embezzlement by trusted employees and outsiders. ForeFront Portfolio Crime Insurance product sheet.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Chubb's Crime Insurance product sheet states that insurance is provided by ACE American Insurance Company and its U.S.-based Chubb underwriting company affiliates. Product sheet insurer-disclosure footer; product and jurisdiction can still change which Chubb affiliate issues a given policy.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Chubb lists social engineering fraud, employee theft (including temporary and contracted workers), client theft of a client's money or property by an employee, and funds transfer fraud for losses from fraudulent electronic transfers unreimbursed by the insured's bank. Crime Risks: Real & Rising list; illustrated with claim scenarios, not policy wording.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: On Chubb Marketplace, the ForeFront Portfolio's target underwriting appetite is organizations with fewer than 250 employees and less than $50 million in revenue. Online Ease section; applies to Marketplace-quoted ForeFront business generally, not exclusively Crime coverage.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The reviewed product sheet illustrates claim scenarios with losses ranging from over $100,000 to over $1 million but does not publish specific policy limits, sublimits or retentions for Crime coverage. Crime Insurance product sheet as read on 2026-09-23; illustrative claim examples, not policy terms.not-foundSource ↗
  • application: The ForeFront Portfolio, including Crime coverage, is available on Chubb Marketplace, Chubb's platform for quoting, binding and issuing business digitally. Online Ease section; agents and brokers use Marketplace to place the policy.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗

Cowbell

  • role: Crime coverage is one module within Cowbell's distribution of Zurich's Select Plus management liability product; Cowbell operates the platform, Zurich underwrites the module. Zurich's own page lists 'Crime Insurance' as one of the four modules a buyer can combine. Management liability page intro and module list; Zurich page module-name section.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • insurer: Cowbell and Zurich both say the Select Plus modules, including crime, are written on Zurich admitted paper. Zurich's site footer names 'Zurich American Insurance Company' in its copyright notice, but neither page states that entity is the specific policy issuer for this module. Management liability page intro; Zurich page intro and footer.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • eligibility: Cowbell targets this crime module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50M in assets, across the same target industries listed for the broader Select Plus product. FAQ 'What size accounts are targeted?' and Target industries list.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Cowbell describes crime coverage as protecting against losses resulting from criminal acts such as theft, fraud, and embezzlement committed by employees or third parties. FAQ 'What is the difference between management liability and D&O?'.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: Neither the Cowbell page nor Zurich's own Select Plus page, both read in full, publishes crime-coverage limit or retention amounts. Cowbell page and Zurich page, both read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • services: Neither reviewed page describes crime-specific risk-control services such as employee-dishonesty prevention programs; both describe the Select Plus product's claims backing only at the whole-product level. Management liability page and Zurich page, both read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • application: This crime module is accessed only by appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through the Cowbell platform's API; it is not sold directly to businesses. FAQ 'How can I access the Zurich Select Plus management liability product through Cowbell?'.company-reportedSource ↗

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