Foundershield vs Techinsurance: Fidelity Bonds

Founder Shield brokers ERISA fidelity bonds for plan sponsors and fiduciaries, with statutory minimums tied to plan funds handled. TechInsurance arranges commercial fidelity bonds online and does not name the specific insurer.

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

Founder Shield focuses on ERISA fidelity for plan assets; TechInsurance offers first-party, third-party, janitorial and ERISA variants through an online application.

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

ERISA Bond or Multiple Bond Types

Founder Shield places an ERISA fidelity bond for plan sponsors and fiduciaries. TechInsurance lists first-party, third-party, janitorial, business-service and ERISA options through an online application. Choose Founder Shield if you need an ERISA plan bond with a stated statutory amount; choose TechInsurance if you need to compare first-party, third-party or janitorial coverage online. [2] [5]

Covered Loss and Who Needs It

Founder Shield lists theft, embezzlement, forgery, misappropriation and larceny of benefit-plan funds, aimed at plan sponsors, fiduciaries, TPAs and 401(k) sponsors. TechInsurance says the bonds cover employee fraud, theft, forgery and embezzlement against the business or its clients, and targets firms whose staff handle sensitive financial information or unsupervised client property, with examples such as web hosting, cleaning, healthcare and security-guard companies. [2] [5]

Carriers, Cost and Application

Founder Shield says it places only with AM Best A- or better carriers and restates ERISA’s 10% / $1,000–$500,000 (or $1 million) amounts. TechInsurance does not name a standard surety, but says an ERISA fidelity bond must be purchased from a Treasury-authorized surety, and that cost varies with bond amount, type, industry, employee access and credit score. You request Founder Shield through its site or an advisor; TechInsurance uses a short online application. [3] [2] [1] [5]

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

  • Ask Founder Shield for the A-rated issuer and whether the penalty meets ERISA for your plan assets. [2] [3]
  • Ask TechInsurance which variant is quoted and, if ERISA, which Treasury-listed surety issues it. [5]
  • Confirm first-party versus third-party intent; Founder Shield’s page is about plan assets, TechInsurance’s also about client property. [2] [5]
  • Compare premium bases: TechInsurance lists underwriting factors; Founder Shield’s page does not publish a premium method. [5] [2]

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 ↗

TechInsurance

  • role: TechInsurance arranges fidelity bonds, describing them as a type of commercial crime insurance and a type of surety bond, distinct from a traditional insurance policy in that the bonding company can seek repayment from the employee responsible for a dishonest act. Fidelity bonds product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: The reviewed page does not name a specific surety or insurer for a standard fidelity bond, though it says an ERISA fidelity bond specifically must be purchased from a surety company authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Fidelity bonds product page as read on 2026-09-23.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: TechInsurance says fidelity bonds cover employee fraud, theft, forgery and embezzlement against the business or its clients, and distinguishes first-party bonds (protecting the business itself) from third-party bonds (protecting clients), plus employee dishonesty, business service, janitorial and ERISA bond variants. Fidelity bonds product page; general policy description, not a specific bond form.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: TechInsurance targets fidelity bonds at businesses whose employees handle sensitive financial information or access client property unsupervised, naming web hosting, project management, cleaning, healthcare and security-guard companies as example segments. Fidelity bonds product page, Who should get fidelity bonds? section.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: TechInsurance says fidelity bond costs vary widely and are typically calculated based on the total bond amount, with underwriting factors including bond type and size, industry risk, number of employees with sensitive-data access, and credit score; it does not publish a median premium for this line as it does for some other policies. Fidelity bonds product page, How much do fidelity bonds cost? section.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: You request fidelity bond quotes online through a short application; TechInsurance says its licensed agents can help add fidelity bonds to a broader coverage package. Fidelity bonds product page.company-reportedSource ↗

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
    Fidelity Bonds – Quotes Online

    TechInsurance · What do fidelity bonds cover? (fraud, theft, forgery, embezzlement, employee benefits theft/ERISA); What is the difference between first-party and third-party fidelity bonds?; What are the different kinds of fidelity bonds?; How much do fidelity bonds cost?; What is the difference between commercial crime insurance and a fidelity bond? · 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

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