Foundershield vs Lockton: Commercial Crime Insurance

Founder Shield places crime only with carriers rated A- or higher and calls it a priority for healthcare, financial services, nonprofit and manufacturing or retail; Lockton brokers crime for organizations of any sector, with claims handled inside its broking team.

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

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 ↗

Lockton

  • role: Lockton places Crime and Fidelity insurance to protect businesses against financial losses from theft, fraud, forgery and embezzlement by employees or third parties; it describes this as a brokered program, not a policy Lockton underwrites. Crime and Fidelity product page as read 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Lockton says crime coverage is relevant to nonprofit, private and public organizations of any sector, and calls out small businesses as particularly exposed because they often lack fraud-prevention and auditing resources. It also notes financial institutions are frequently required to carry a financial institution bond, distinct from general crime coverage. Crime and Fidelity product page as read 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Lockton lists the claim types a crime and fidelity program is meant to address: employee theft, forgery or alteration of negotiable instruments, theft on or off premises, computer fraud, counterfeit currency, and social engineering (impersonation) fraud involving customers, vendors or employees. Product page as read 2026-09-23; a capability/claim-type list, not a specimen policy.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: Lockton says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team, which integrates insurance and claims counsel within the broking team rather than treating claims advocacy as a separate profit center, handles Crime and Fidelity claims. Product page as read 2026-09-23. Describes Lockton's advocacy role, not an insurer's claim-paying obligation.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: The page does not name the insurers Lockton places crime and fidelity coverage with. Crime and Fidelity page checked 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗

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

Financial institutions should ask Lockton whether they need a financial institution bond, which it distinguishes from general crime coverage. Lockton also names a Professional & Executive Risk claims team; Founder Shield’s pages do not describe crime-specific claims support. [6] [4]

Retail Placement Versus Claims-Integrated Broking

Founder Shield places crime with third-party A-rated carriers rather than underwriting. Lockton places Crime and Fidelity as a brokered program and says its Professional & Executive Risk Claims team, which keeps insurance and claims counsel inside the broking team, handles those claims. [3] [5] [6]

FI Bonds and Small-Business Exposure

Lockton notes financial institutions are frequently required to carry a financial institution bond, distinct from general crime, and calls small businesses particularly exposed because they often lack fraud-prevention and auditing resources. Founder Shield’s crime page does not discuss financial institution bonds; it names healthcare, financial services, non-profits and manufacturing/retail as priority buyers because of theft exposure. [6] [4]

Coverage Types and Carrier Names

Founder Shield lists employee dishonesty by an identified employee, forgery or alteration, computer fraud, and funds-transfer fraud from social engineering. Lockton lists employee theft, forgery or alteration of negotiable instruments, theft on or off premises, computer fraud, counterfeit currency, and social-engineering impersonation involving customers, vendors or employees. Founder Shield states an A-rated carrier screen. Lockton’s page does not name the insurers it uses. [4] [5] [6]

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

  • Ask Lockton whether you need a financial institution bond or general crime and fidelity. [6]
  • Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier it is placing. [5]
  • Ask how Lockton’s claims team would handle a crime loss versus Founder Shield’s issuer. [6] [3]
  • Compare on-or-off-premises theft and counterfeit currency on Lockton’s list with Founder Shield’s four branches. [6] [4]

Founder Shield targets healthcare, finance, nonprofits and manufacturing with carriers screened for an AM Best A- or better financial-strength rating; Lockton serves public, private and nonprofit buyers and names a dedicated crime claims team.

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
    Crime and Fidelity Insurance

    Lockton · What is Crime and Fidelity Insurance?; Who needs to purchase Crime and Fidelity Insurance?; Types of Crime and Fidelity claims; Claims management · accessed 2026-09-23

  7. 07
    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

  8. 08
    Crime Non-Financial Applications and Forms

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

  9. 09
    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

Contact Van Ness Partners to discuss controls, exposures and insurance options.

Contact Van Ness Partners