Baldwin vs Travelers: Fidelity Bonds

The Baldwin Group brokers commercial fidelity options for professional-services clients, with little detail on bond terms. Travelers offers ERISA fidelity coverage for benefit plans and describes protection against fraud or dishonesty by plan-fund handlers.

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 The Baldwin Group and Travelers Fidelity Bonds?

ERISA plan funds

Travelers describes ERISA fidelity insurance for employee benefit plans covering losses from theft, embezzlement or forgery by people handling plan funds. Baldwin lists commercial crime/fidelity options for professional-services clients but does not identify an ERISA form. If a retirement plan is the reason for the bond, ask Baldwin to confirm the exact ERISA wording and covered handlers. [3] [2]

How to buy

Travelers sells ERISA fidelity through independent agents. Baldwin describes brokerage and market navigation but does not publish an application route or bond limit. Compare the required bond amount, issuing surety and application details with the Travelers agent and Baldwin’s proposal. [4] [2]

What Should You Confirm in The Baldwin Group and Travelers Fidelity Bonds Quotes?

  • Which plan assets and fund handlers appear in Travelers’ bond form? Can Baldwin place an ERISA fidelity bond, and who will issue it?

Travelers’ reviewed offering focuses on ERISA plan losses from fraud or dishonesty, while The Baldwin Group lists commercial fidelity bonds without specifying whether an ERISA form is available.

Sources consulted

  1. 01
    Glossary of Insurance Terms

    National Association of Insurance Commissioners · Fidelity; Surety Bond · accessed 2026-09-16

  2. 02
    Professional Liability Insurance & Services

    The Baldwin Group · Professional-services customer population lines 35–64; coverage snapshot lines 68–84 lists property, general/professional liability, cyber, workers’ compensation, D&O, fiduciary, crime/fidelity bond, EPL, and IP liability; Employee benefits lines 93–95; accessed 2026-09-29. · accessed 2026-09-30

  3. 03
    Management and Professional Liability Insurance

    Travelers · "Select a product" list: ERISA fidelity insurance — "helps cover an employee benefit plan against losses caused by acts of fraud or dishonesty such as theft, embezzlement or forgery" · accessed 2026-09-23

  4. 04
    Surety Bonds

    Travelers · "Surety bonds provided by Travelers" list, including ERISA Fidelity · accessed 2026-09-23

  5. 05
    Crime Terms and Conditions

    Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America · I.A.1–3 p.1; III.S pp.8–9; V.B.1–2 pp.18–20; CRI consideration p.1; III.P p.8; V.A.3 pp.16–17; V.A.4 p.17; V.B.3 p.20; IV.L p.15 · accessed 2026-09-16

  6. 06
    Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements

    U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration · Q1–Q3 pp.2–3; Q2 pp.2–3 · accessed 2026-09-16

Crime coverage

The Baldwin Group

  • role: The source describes The Baldwin Group’s brokerage or advisory role for Commercial Fidelity Bond. It does not identify Baldwin as the risk-bearing insurer for a particular placement. The cited company page describes its brokerage/advisory role and does not name the issuer for a buyer-specific placement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Baldwin lists professional-services firms among the commercial sectors for which it can arrange crime/fidelity-bond options. The page does not establish a bond applicant’s eligibility or identify a surety. This is the audience or client context named on Baldwin’s page, not an underwriting decision or guarantee of product availability.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Baldwin lists a commercial crime/fidelity bond as an option for professional-services clients. It does not describe a specific bond form, protected obligee, covered employee conduct or bond amount. The statement reports Baldwin’s marketed coverage or advisory description only. No individual quote, binder, policy form, schedule or endorsement was reviewed; policy entitlement and terms remain unknown.company-reportedSource ↗
  • services: Baldwin describes market navigation and tailored risk and insurance advice for accountants, architects, engineers, financial advisers, lawyers, consultants and surveyors. These are company-described brokerage and risk-advisory services; account-specific service commitments and third-party terms are not established.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The reviewed source does not state a buyer-specific limit, retention, deductible or coverage schedule. Confirm the quote and issued policy or bond. No buyer quote, binder, policy or bond form was available in the reviewed public sources.not-disclosedSource ↗

Travelers

  • role: Travelers lists ERISA fidelity as one of its Management & Professional Liability products, and separately lists ERISA Fidelity among the bond types it provides on its surety bond page. Management & Professional Liability product list and Surety Bonds product list.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: Travelers describes ERISA fidelity insurance as covering an employee benefit plan against losses caused by acts of fraud or dishonesty, such as theft, embezzlement or forgery, by the people who handle plan funds. Management & Professional Liability Insurance page, ERISA fidelity insurance entry; exact terms and required minimum bond amounts are set by ERISA and the issued bond.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Travelers offers ERISA fidelity coverage as part of a product suite that also covers private companies, public companies, nonprofit organizations and financial institutions, but the reviewed pages do not name specific eligible business sizes or industries for the ERISA fidelity product itself. Management & Professional Liability Insurance page general eligibility statement.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • limits: Neither reviewed page publishes bond amounts, premiums or terms for ERISA fidelity coverage; federal ERISA rules set minimum bonding requirements, but Travelers' specific offer would appear on a quote. Management & Professional Liability and Surety Bonds pages as read on 2026-09-23.not-foundSource ↗Source ↗
  • application: ERISA fidelity coverage is bought through a Travelers independent agent. Surety Bonds page "Find an insurance agent" call to action.company-reportedSource ↗

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