Foundershield vs Hub International: Fidelity Bonds

Founder Shield brokers ERISA fidelity bonds for plan sponsors and fiduciaries, with minimum bond amounts tied to plan funds handled. HUB International places crime and fidelity offerings through ProEx and directs buyers to a specialist.

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 ERISA Fidelity Bond 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 says this bond is required for plan sponsors offering a retirement plan, the fiduciaries who manage it, third-party administrators, and even small businesses with a simple 401(k). ERISA Fidelity Bond product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Founder Shield lists theft and embezzlement of plan assets, forgery, misappropriation and larceny by those who handle a benefit plan's funds as what an ERISA fidelity bond covers. Product page; the issued bond and its terms control actual coverage.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: Founder Shield's page states the federal ERISA bonding requirement: at least 10% of plan funds handled, with a minimum bond of $1,000 and a maximum of $500,000 (up to $1 million for plans holding employer securities). This is the statutory minimum, not a Founder Shield-specific limit. Product page describing the ERISA statutory bonding requirement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield ERISA Fidelity Bond, 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 ERISA Fidelity Bond 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 ↗

HUB International

  • role: HUB places crime and fidelity bond coverage, including financial institution bonds, through its ProEx Professional & Executive Risk practice alongside other executive-liability and financial-institution lines, rather than underwriting these bonds itself. ProEx page coverage list, read 2026-09-23. The page does not name an issuing insurer for Crime/Fidelity or Financial Institution Bonds.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: HUB's ProEx coverage list names "Crime / Fidelity" as an Executive Liability offering and "Financial Institution Bonds" as a separate Financial Institutions offering, but the page gives no further description of insuring agreements, covered dishonest-act scenarios or exclusions for either. ProEx page coverage list only; these are catalogue entries, not policy-form descriptions.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: No size, industry or state eligibility criteria specific to fidelity bonds or financial institution bonds were found on the ProEx page. Checked the ProEx page on 2026-09-23; these coverages are listed among many others without their own eligibility description.not-foundSource ↗
  • insurer: No insurer is named for Crime/Fidelity or Financial Institution Bonds on the ProEx page; HUB says ProEx places over $2 billion in premium with carriers it calls top-rated, without naming them. Checked the ProEx page on 2026-09-23.not-foundSource ↗
  • limits: Published bond penalty amounts, limits or retentions were not found on the ProEx page. Checked the ProEx page on 2026-09-23; bond amounts are set on the quote and declarations.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • services: HUB says its ProEx team, which lists Crime/Fidelity and Financial Institution Bonds among its coverages, provides analytics, litigation support and risk-management services to clients of all sizes under a named ProEx practice leader. ProEx page team and services description; not specific to a single bond placement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: HUB directs prospects for these coverages to contact a ProEx specialist rather than an online quote or bind flow. ProEx page call to action.company-reportedSource ↗

What Are the Key Differences Between Founder Shield and HUB International Fidelity Bonds?

Employee-Benefit Plan Assets or Broader Bond Options

Founder Shield offers ERISA fidelity bonds for plan sponsors, fiduciaries and small businesses managing a 401(k), with amounts tied to plan funds handled. HUB places Crime/Fidelity and Financial Institution Bonds through ProEx alongside other executive-risk services. Choose Founder Shield if you need an ERISA bond for plan assets; choose HUB if you need financial-institution bonding or broader executive-risk placement. [2] [4]

Limits and Covered Conduct

Founder Shield restates ERISA’s 10% of funds handled, $1,000 minimum and $500,000 maximum (up to $1 million with employer securities), and lists theft, embezzlement, forgery, misappropriation and larceny of plan assets. HUB’s ProEx list names Crime/Fidelity and Financial Institution Bonds but gives no insuring-agreement detail, exclusions or published bond penalties. [2] [4]

Markets and How You Start

Founder Shield says it approaches AM Best A- or better carriers by industry after you request the bond on its site or through an advisor. HUB says ProEx places more than $2 billion in premium with carriers it calls top-rated, without naming them for this line, and tells you to contact a ProEx specialist; that team also offers analytics, litigation support and risk-management services. [3] [1] [4]

What Should You Confirm in Founder Shield and HUB International Fidelity Bonds Quotes?

  • Ask Founder Shield which A-rated carrier will issue the ERISA bond and the penalty relative to plan assets. [3] [2]
  • Ask HUB whether you need Crime/Fidelity, a financial institution bond, an ERISA bond, or a combination. [4]
  • Compare covered persons: Founder Shield names plan handlers; HUB’s list does not. [2] [4]
  • Ask HUB which ProEx services attach to the bond placement. [4]

Founder Shield focuses on ERISA bonds for employee-benefit plan assets; HUB places Crime/Fidelity and Financial Institution Bonds through its ProEx specialists.

Sources consulted

  1. 01
    About Us

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

  2. 02
    ERISA Fidelity Bond

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

  3. 03
    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

  4. 04
    HUB ProEx

    HUB International · ProEx Coverages list including Crime / Fidelity under Executive Liability and Financial Institution Bonds under Financial Institutions; Claims & Legal Support section; ProEx premium volume statement · accessed 2026-09-23

  5. 05
    Glossary of Insurance Terms

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

  6. 06
    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

  7. 07
    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

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