Foundershield vs Newfront: Fidelity Bonds

Founder Shield brokers ERISA fidelity bonds for plan sponsors and fiduciaries, with statutory minimum amounts tied to assets handled. Newfront brokers fidelity bonds for executive risk clients; you start by requesting a consultation, and it provides policy and claims support.

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 Newfront Fidelity Bonds?

Plan-Asset Bond or Executive Risk Coverage

Founder Shield places ERISA fidelity bonds for plan sponsors, fiduciaries and TPAs. Newfront groups Fidelity and Crime under Executive Risk for private companies from seed stage through later funding and public companies. Choose Founder Shield if you need a bond for employee-benefit plan assets; choose Newfront if you want fidelity considered alongside broader executive-risk coverage. [2] [5]

Stated Buyers

Founder Shield names plan sponsors, fiduciaries, TPAs and small businesses with a 401(k). Newfront describes Executive Risk work from seed-stage private companies through later funding and with over 500 publicly traded companies, without a fidelity-specific eligibility threshold. [2] [5]

Limits, Servicing and Intake

Founder Shield restates ERISA’s 10% / $1,000–$500,000 (up to $1 million with employer securities) rule and lists the dishonest acts the bond is meant to cover. Newfront’s page does not publish fidelity limits or separately describe those insuring agreements; it offers 24/7 dashboard access to policies and certificates, pre-populated renewal data, and integrated claims and coverage negotiation. Founder Shield intake is a website or advisor request; Newfront starts with an Executive Risk consultation. [2] [5]

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

  • Ask Founder Shield for the issuing A-rated carrier and the penalty versus plan assets. [3] [2]
  • Ask Newfront whether Fidelity and Crime on the quote is an ERISA bond, a commercial crime form, or both. [5]
  • Compare covered persons and discovery periods; Newfront’s page does not list them. [2] [5]
  • Ask Newfront how dashboard access and claims negotiation would apply to a fidelity loss. [5]

Founder Shield places ERISA bonds for plan sponsors; Newfront considers fidelity and crime together under Executive Risk for private and public companies.

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
    Glossary of Insurance Terms

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

  5. 05
    Executive Risk

    Newfront · Key Coverages to Protect Your Business: Fidelity and Crime; Here for the Long Run: Private Companies and Public statistics; Industry-Leading Technology · accessed 2026-09-23

  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

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 ↗

Newfront

  • role: Newfront brokers fidelity bond coverage as part of its Executive Risk practice, which it groups with crime coverage under one Key Coverages entry. It negotiates placement rather than underwriting the risk. Executive Risk offering page; fidelity and crime are listed together, not as separately described products.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: The reviewed Executive Risk page does not name the insurer or insurers that would issue a fidelity bond placed through Newfront. Executive Risk page as read on 2026-09-23; carrier depends on the specific placement.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • eligibility: Newfront says its Executive Risk practice services private companies from seed round through every series of funding, and describes work with over 500 publicly traded companies, without a fidelity-specific eligibility threshold. Here for the Long Run section; figures describe the executive-risk practice broadly, not fidelity bonds specifically.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Newfront lists "Fidelity and Crime" among the Key Coverages of its Executive Risk program. The page does not separately describe fidelity-specific insuring agreements such as employee-dishonesty bond limits or covered positions. Executive Risk page Key Coverages list; fidelity and crime are bundled in one line item.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: Newfront's Executive Risk page does not publish limits or retentions for fidelity bond coverage. Executive Risk page as read on 2026-09-23.not-disclosedSource ↗
  • services: Newfront says clients get 24/7 access to their insurance program, including policies, certificates of insurance and billing, through its connected dashboard, and that renewal submissions use pre-populated historical data. Industry-Leading Technology section; described across Executive Risk lines, not fidelity-specific.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: You start a fidelity bond placement by requesting a consultation through Newfront's Executive Risk page. Executive Risk page call-to-action; no online quoting or binding described.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: Newfront says it provides "integrated claims and coverage negotiation" for its Executive Risk lines, which would apply to a fidelity bond claim. The Newfront Difference section; described across Executive Risk lines, not a fidelity-specific claims workflow.company-reportedSource ↗

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