Foundershield vs Gallagher: Commercial Crime Insurance

Founder Shield, a retail brokerage, places crime only with carriers rated A- or higher and stresses healthcare, finance, nonprofit and manufacturing or retail risks; Gallagher arranges crime with outside carriers, using an advisor form for small businesses.

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 Founder Shield and Gallagher Crime Insurance?

A-Rated Placement Screen Versus Two Gallagher Desks

Founder Shield places crime with third-party carriers it says are rated A- or better by AM Best, matched to the client’s industry. Gallagher Small Business arranges Fidelity and Crime with outside carriers for small-business clients, and its Executive and Financial Risk practice places the same coverage for larger accounts; neither Gallagher page names an issuer, and Gallagher does not underwrite. [5] [3] [7] [6]

Industry Priorities Versus Fraud-Exposure List

Founder Shield calls crime a priority for healthcare, financial services, non-profit and manufacturing/retail companies. Gallagher recommends Fidelity and Crime for small businesses exposed to funds-transfer fraud, computer fraud, employee fraud or destruction of personal property. [4] [7]

Limit Method and Coverage Branches

For larger accounts Gallagher describes setting crime limits with peer analysis using third-party databases and an exposure index from the Surety Association of America and the American Institute of Accountants. Founder Shield’s reviewed pages do not publish a crime limit method or amounts. Founder Shield lists employee dishonesty by an identified employee, forgery or alteration, computer fraud, and funds-transfer fraud from social engineering. Gallagher lists credit-card forgery, computer fraud, funds-transfer fraud, employee fraud, theft and destruction of property. You request Founder Shield coverage through its site or an advisor; Gallagher uses a Connect With An Advisor form. [6] [7] [4] [3]

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

  • Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier is issuing crime. [5]
  • Ask Gallagher whether the quote is small-business or executive-risk, and whether peer-analysis limits apply. [7] [6]
  • Compare destruction-of-property wording on Gallagher with Founder Shield’s four listed branches. [7] [4]
  • Confirm whether “identified employee” language on Founder Shield’s description appears in the bound form. [4]

Founder Shield targets healthcare, financial services, nonprofits and manufacturing or retail and screens carriers for an AM Best A- or better financial-strength rating; Gallagher serves small businesses and uses peer analysis to set larger-account limits.

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
    About Us

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

  4. 04
    Crime Insurance

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

  5. 05
    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

  6. 06
    Executive and Financial Risk Insurance

    Gallagher · Employee Dishonesty (Crime) and Fidelity Bond insurance section · accessed 2026-09-23

  7. 07
    Crime

    Gallagher Small Business · Coverage Overview; Do you need Fidelity and Crime insurance?; Connect With An Advisor form · 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

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 ↗

Gallagher

  • role: Gallagher Small Business arranges Fidelity and Crime coverage with outside carriers for small-business clients; its group-level Executive and Financial Risk practice separately places the same coverage for larger accounts. Gallagher does not underwrite either policy. Small-business crime product page and the group-level executive-risk practice page.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: Gallagher describes Fidelity and Crime insurance as covering losses from fraudulent or dishonest acts, including credit card forgery, computer fraud, funds-transfer fraud, employee fraud, theft and destruction of property. Small-business crime product page; a coverage description, not a specific policy's insuring agreement or exclusions.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Gallagher recommends this coverage for small businesses exposed to funds-transfer fraud, computer fraud, employee fraud, or destruction of personal property. Small-business crime product page "Do you need Fidelity and Crime insurance?" list; actual acceptance depends on underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • services: For larger accounts, Gallagher says its methodology for setting crime coverage limits includes peer analysis using third-party databases and an exposure index developed by the Surety Association of America with the American Institute of Accountants. Group-level executive-risk practice page; not confirmed as applied to the small-business product.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: The small-business crime page routes buyers to a Connect With An Advisor form asking for company details, business description, other coverage interests, employee count and annual revenue. Product page inquiry form, inspected without submission.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Neither the small-business crime page nor the executive-risk practice page names the insurer that would issue a given client's crime policy. Checked both pages on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • limits: Neither page publishes specific crime coverage limits or premium ranges. Checked both pages on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗

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