Cowbell vs Nationwide: Commercial Crime Insurance

Nationwide lists crime among management liability products and sends buyers to an agent; Cowbell's crime module is Zurich-written and sold only through appointed wholesalers via the Cowbell platform.

Van Ness Partners presents a practical comparison of source materials relevant to financial crime exposures.Research updated 2026-09-30

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

Module access versus agent route

Cowbell's crime module is available only to appointed Zurich E&S wholesalers through its platform API and is not sold directly to businesses [3]. Nationwide tells prospective customers to contact an agent or request a quote [4].

Who is targeted

Cowbell aims the module at private companies with under 250 employees and under $50M in assets [3]. Nationwide describes commercial organizations considering management-liability products, with underwriting review [4].

What is disclosed about the paper

Cowbell and Zurich say Select Plus modules are written on Zurich admitted paper, without naming the issuing entity for this module [8]. Nationwide's overview names no issuing entity and no itemized agreements [4].

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

  • Is crime bundled with other Select Plus modules, and what would a wholesaler need to submit? [3]
  • What limits and retentions apply? Neither Cowbell's pages nor Nationwide's overview publish them [4]
  • Which crime-specific risk-control services, if any, come with either policy? [8]

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 ↗

Nationwide

  • role: Nationwide describes offering crime for the audience stated on the cited product page. crime marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Commercial organizations considering management-liability products; page describes product options and underwriting review. crime marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: The cited product page describes crime insurance as a named commercial-liability product; Nationwide's product overview does not itemize crime insuring agreements. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. crime marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: The page directs prospective customers to contact an agent or request a quote. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. crime marketed by nationwide; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred.not-disclosedSource ↗

Cowbell's crime module is one Zurich Select Plus module sold through appointed wholesalers, aimed at companies under 250 employees; Nationwide routes buyers to agents.

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
    Commercial Liability Products | Nationwide

    Nationwide · Crime section; products list within management-liability specialty. · accessed 2026-09-30

  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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