Coalition vs Foundershield: Commercial Crime Insurance

Founder Shield is a retail brokerage placing crime only with carriers rated A- or above, via its website or an advisor; Coalition designs and distributes its crime cover, sold only through appointed brokers, with limits up to $10 million that may be available.

Van Ness Partners presents a practical comparison of source materials relevant to financial crime exposures.Research updated 2026-09-29

What Are the Key Differences Between Coalition and Founder Shield Crime Insurance?

Broker-Access Suite Versus Industry-Matched Carrier Screen

Coalition offers up to $10 million per line through appointed brokers to eligible private and nonprofit U.S. organizations, with employee, asset and plan-asset ceilings. Founder Shield names healthcare, financial services, nonprofits, manufacturing and retail as priority crime sectors and says it selects A- or better carriers matched to the buyer’s industry. Choose Coalition if your organization fits its private/nonprofit caps and your broker can access the suite; choose Founder Shield if you are in a named sector and want an industry-matched carrier screen. [3] [6] [7]

Carrier You Can Name Before the Quote

Coalition’s disclaimer names Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC 16535) as admitted Executive Risks paper and says Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc. also uses unaffiliated non-admitted insurers, so a crime policy’s issuer follows the placement route. Founder Shield says it works only with AM Best A- or better carriers matched to industry appetite and does not name a crime issuer. [4] [7]

Crime Events Each Program Describes

Coalition describes theft, fraud and certain cybercrimes. Founder Shield lists employee dishonesty, forgery or alteration, computer fraud and funds-transfer fraud from social engineering. [3] [6]

Limits and How You Start

Coalition says Executive Risks limits up to $10 million per coverage line, including crime, may be available. Founder Shield’s reviewed crime pages do not publish a limit band; you request placement through its website or an advisor, and its team then approaches carriers. [3] [5] [7]

What Should You Confirm in Coalition and Founder Shield Crime Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask Coalition whether crime sits on Zurich American admitted paper or unaffiliated surplus paper. [4]
  • Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier would issue crime and whether that carrier’s form matches Coalition’s Executive Risks wording. [7]
  • Compare Coalition’s published per-line $10 million figure with the limit Founder Shield actually binds. [3] [6]
  • Confirm you sit inside Coalition’s private or not-for-profit size caps, or whether Founder Shield is approaching markets for healthcare, financial services, non-profit or manufacturing. [3] [6]

Coalition offers up to $10 million per line to eligible private and nonprofit U.S. organizations; Founder Shield screens industry-matched carriers at A- or better for healthcare, finance, nonprofits, manufacturing and retail.

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
    Executive Risks

    Coalition · Product Offering: Crime — covers losses that result from various criminal activities, including theft, fraud, and certain cybercrimes* (exclusions and limitations apply; see disclaimers and the policy as issued); FAQ: What type of businesses do you protect?, What limits do you offer?, What resources do you have for policyholders? · accessed 2026-09-23

  4. 04
    U.S. Disclaimers

    Coalition · Admitted Executive Risk: insurance products offered by Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc. acting on behalf of unaffiliated insurance companies and, on an admitted basis, on behalf of Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC # 16535) · accessed 2026-09-23

  5. 05
    About Us

    Founder Shield · “Founder Shield is the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group”; company history and mission · accessed 2026-09-23

  6. 06
    Crime Insurance

    Founder Shield · What Is Crime Insurance?; Who Needs Crime Insurance Coverage?; What Does Crime Insurance Cover? · accessed 2026-09-23

  7. 07
    How Do You Decide Which Carriers to Approach?

    Founder Shield · FAQ answer on carrier selection: works exclusively with A-rated (AM Best) carriers, matched by industry appetite · accessed 2026-09-23

  8. 08
    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

  9. 09
    Crime Non-Financial Applications and Forms

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

  10. 10
    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

Crime coverage

Coalition

  • role: Coalition designs and distributes crime insurance as one of four coverages in its Executive Risks product suite, sold through appointed brokers. Executive Risks product page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Coalition says its crime coverage responds to losses from criminal activities including theft, fraud, and certain cybercrimes, flagged on the page as subject to exclusions and limitations. Executive Risks product page as read on 2026-09-23; the issued policy controls which cybercrime scenarios are actually covered.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Coalition says Executive Risks products, including crime, are available to private and not-for-profit U.S. organizations in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with up to $500 million in assets, up to 1,000 employees, and up to $500 million in plan assets. Executive Risks FAQ as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: Coalition says limits up to $10 million per coverage line may be available for Executive Risks products, including crime, subject to exclusions and limitations. Executive Risks FAQ as read on 2026-09-23; not a quoted or bindable limit for any specific applicant.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Coalition's disclaimer names Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC 16535) as the admitted carrier for Executive Risks, and says Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc. also places Executive Risks with unaffiliated insurers on a non-admitted basis, so the carrier for a specific crime policy depends on the placement route. U.S. Disclaimers page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: Coalition distributes Executive Risks, including crime, only through appointed insurance brokers rather than direct to buyers. Executive Risks product page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗

Founder Shield

  • role: Founder Shield is a retail insurance brokerage, described on its site as “the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group,” and places Founder Shield Crime Insurance with third-party carriers rather than underwriting the policy itself. About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Founder Shield calls this coverage a priority for healthcare, financial services, non-profit and manufacturing/retail companies because of their exposure to internal or external theft. Crime Insurance product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Founder Shield lists employee dishonesty (theft or embezzlement by an identified employee), forgery or alteration of financial instruments, computer fraud, and funds-transfer fraud from social engineering as the branches of crime coverage it places. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Crime Insurance, only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, chosen for the client's industry. It does not name the issuing insurer for this line; that depends on which carrier the policy is placed with. General carrier-selection FAQ, not specific to this line's placements.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: You request Founder Shield Crime Insurance through Founder Shield's website or an insurance advisor rather than binding coverage directly; Founder Shield says its placement team then approaches carriers on the client's behalf. About-us and carrier-selection pages describe the general placement process, not a line-specific application form.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗

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