Lockton vs Marsh: Commercial Crime Insurance

Small businesses are called out by Lockton as especially exposed; it brokers crime with a claims team inside its broking team, while Marsh places complex crime programs of about $10 million to $110 million and offers top-up social engineering cover.

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 Lockton and Marsh Crime Insurance?

Marsh’s placement range describes complex programs it has handled, not a quoted limit; its infill option adds social-engineering protection above an existing program. Lockton names claims support and calls out a separate bond need for financial institutions. [4] [3]

Two Large-Broker Crime Practices

Lockton places Crime and Fidelity to protect businesses against losses from theft, fraud, forgery and embezzlement by employees or third parties and describes this as a brokered program, not a policy Lockton underwrites. Marsh’s financial and professional liability practice places commercial crime, and Marsh McLennan Agency also places crime bundled with fidelity. You engage Marsh’s crime specialists directly. Neither reviewed page names the issuing insurers. [3] [4] [5]

Crime Services Each Broker Describes

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. Marsh says it provides insights on emerging crime risks, claim examples, market conditions and product education throughout renewal and placement, and offers infill and top-up social-engineering cover in excess of a client’s existing program. [3] [4]

Perils, FI Bonds and Ransomware

Lockton lists employee theft, forgery or alteration of negotiable instruments, theft on or off premises, computer fraud, counterfeit currency, and social-engineering impersonation fraud, and notes financial institutions are frequently required to carry a financial institution bond distinct from general crime coverage. Marsh lists employee white-collar fraud, third-party fraud, collusion, hacking or computer-related crime, social-engineering fraud and tangible-asset theft, and notes that crime policies usually exclude ransomware though most cover funds stolen by hackers. [3] [4]

What Should You Confirm in Lockton and Marsh Crime Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask Marsh whether the quote is Marsh corporate or MMA and whether the limit sits in the $10–$110 million range it cites. [4] [5]
  • Confirm whether ransomware is excluded and whether Marsh social-engineering infill is included. [4]
  • Ask how Lockton’s Professional & Executive Risk Claims team would handle a theft claim. [3]

Crime coverage

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 ↗

Marsh

  • role: Marsh's financial and professional liability practice places commercial crime insurance; Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA), the middle-market subsidiary, also places crime coverage bundled with fidelity as part of its executive and professional liability practice. Marsh corporate commercial crime page and MMA executive and professional liability page.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: Marsh lists employee white-collar fraud (including fidelity losses from trusted employees), third-party fraud, collusion, hacking or computer-related crime, social engineering fraud, and tangible asset theft as risks a commercial crime policy can address. It notes that crime policies usually exclude ransomware, though most cover direct financial losses from funds stolen by hackers. Commercial crime insurance page; the page is Marsh's global/UK financial-professional-liability practice content and cites a UK-based crime leader, so figures and coverage descriptions may not reflect a US-specific program.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: Marsh says its team has experience handling complex crime placements ranging from about $10 million to $110 million (also stated in GBP as £10 million to £100 million elsewhere on the page), but does not publish standard limits, retentions or premiums for a specific placement. Commercial crime insurance page; a description of Marsh's placement experience range, not a quoted limit for any individual buyer.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: The reviewed pages do not name a specific crime insurer. Marsh says definitions and extensions for crime coverage differ across insurers and that it works to secure coverage aligned with a client's risks, implying the carrier varies by placement. Commercial crime insurance page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • services: Marsh says it provides insights on emerging crime risks, claim examples, market conditions and product education throughout renewal and placement, and offers infill and top-up social engineering cover in excess of a client's existing program. Commercial crime insurance page, Why Marsh section.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: You engage Marsh's crime specialists (Marsh corporate or MMA) directly to identify crime exposure and place coverage; the reviewed pages describe advisor-led placement rather than an online quote tool. Commercial crime insurance and MMA executive and professional liability pages.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗

Lockton suits buyers who want a named crime claims team or need to assess a financial-institution bond; Marsh suits larger programs seeking social-engineering top-ups and complex placements described up to $110 million.

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
    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

  4. 04
    Commercial crime insurance

    Marsh · Opening positioning; The crime risks businesses cannot ignore; What does commercial crime insurance cover? (employee white-collar fraud, third-party fraud, collusion, hacking, social engineering fraud, tangible asset theft); Why Marsh: complex crime placements up to $110 million · accessed 2026-09-23

  5. 05
    Expert Executive and Professional Liability Insurance

    Marsh McLennan Agency · Our policies include D&O, E&O, EPL, commercial crime/fidelity, network security privacy risk/cyber, fiduciary, media liability, IP, architects and engineers, lawyers professional, and kidnap and ransom · accessed 2026-09-23

  6. 06
    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

  7. 07
    Crime Non-Financial Applications and Forms

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

  8. 08
    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

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