Cowbell vs Foxquilt: Commercial Crime Insurance

Cowbell's Zurich-underwritten crime module targets companies under 250 employees and $50M in assets and is open only to appointed wholesalers; Foxquilt markets crime as a business owner's policy add-on or standalone policy for small businesses handling cash.

Van Ness Partners presents a practical comparison of source materials relevant to financial crime exposures.Research updated 2026-10-01

Crime coverage

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 ↗

Foxquilt

  • role: Foxquilt markets Crime Insurance, either as a BOP add-on or as a standalone policy according to its product page. Foxquilt’s cited product or program page documents this description. It does not establish the issuing insurer for an individual quote, exact state or provincial availability, the policy form, complete exclusions, or terms offered to a particular buyer; confirm those in the quote and policy documents.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: The page describes money and securities losses from inside or outside theft, including employee dishonesty, fraud and forgery. Foxquilt’s cited product or program page documents this description. It does not establish the issuing insurer for an individual quote, exact state or provincial availability, the policy form, complete exclusions, or terms offered to a particular buyer; confirm those in the quote and policy documents.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: The page highlights small businesses that handle cash or have employees handling business funds; it does not specify underwriting eligibility. Foxquilt’s cited product or program page documents this description. It does not establish the issuing insurer for an individual quote, exact state or provincial availability, the policy form, complete exclusions, or terms offered to a particular buyer; confirm those in the quote and policy documents.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: The cited Foxquilt product or program page provides a quote path for the described product or program; that route does not establish that a quote will be offered or bound. Foxquilt’s cited product or program page documents this description. It does not establish the issuing insurer for an individual quote, exact state or provincial availability, the policy form, complete exclusions, or terms offered to a particular buyer; confirm those in the quote and policy documents.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The cited public overview does not establish the limits, deductibles, exclusions or form terms that would apply to a specific buyer. Ask for the quote and specimen or issued policy forms before treating a listed feature as covered.not-disclosedSource ↗

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

Cowbell distributes Zurich’s Select Plus management-liability product, which includes a crime module; its materials describe access through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers using Cowbell’s platform API. Foxquilt markets crime standalone or as a BOP add-on and provides a quote path. The wholesale channel and business-facing route may require different contacts to begin a submission. [3] [4]

Packaged module and access channel

Cowbell says crime is a module of Zurich Select Plus for private companies under 250 employees and $50 million in assets, distributed through appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers using its platform API. Foxquilt describes a standalone or BOP-add-on product with a quote path. An agent or wholesaler should confirm whether a business meets Cowbell’s stated thresholds; Foxquilt’s overview does not establish specific eligibility. [3] [8] [4]

Described loss scope

Cowbell lists employee and third-party theft, fraud and embezzlement; Foxquilt describes theft-related losses to money and securities, including employee dishonesty, fraud and forgery. A business should compare the definitions and exclusions in the offered forms because these marketing descriptions do not establish the full agreement wording. [8] [4]

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

  • Ask the wholesaler whether Cowbell’s module is available to your business and how it combines with Select Plus; ask Foxquilt whether standalone or BOP placement is quoted. [3] [4]

  • Confirm who issues the policy, limit, deductible and eligible employee/third-party acts. [8]

Cowbell’s crime coverage is a module within Zurich’s Select Plus management-liability product and is accessed by appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through Cowbell’s platform API. Foxquilt markets crime as standalone or as a BOP add-on with a quote path. A business buyer should confirm the access channel and account eligibility before treating these as directly comparable purchase routes.

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
    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

  4. 04
    Smarter Crime Insurance

    Foxquilt · Current product page calls the product Crime Insurance; lines 90–104 describe money/securities, inside/outside theft and examples; lines 113–121 say crime may be included as a BOP add-on or bought as an isolated policy. Directly inspected 2026-09-29. Marketing does not establish form/limits or fidelity/surety bond coverage. · accessed 2026-09-29

  5. 05
    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

  6. 06
    Crime Non-Financial Applications and Forms

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

  7. 07
    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

  8. 08
    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

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