CFC vs Foundershield: Professional Liability / E&O Insurance

Founder Shield is a retail brokerage that places E&O only with carriers rated A- or higher, aimed at venture capital firms, consultants and software developers. CFC sells E&O as a package policy with limits up to $10 million.

Kearny Risk organizes these comparisons for firms whose advice, content or technology creates professional exposures.Research updated 2026-09-29

CFC publishes E&O limits up to $10 million and minimum premiums; Founder Shield names venture-capital firms, SaaS marketplaces and software developers among its target buyers.

What Are the Key Differences Between CFC and Founder Shield Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Match Your Business to the Target List

CFC favors business, education, environmental, food, HR, market-research and security consultants, event organizers and trade associations, while declining lawyers, insurance agents and financial advisors. Check those exclusions against your exact services before applying; Founder Shield’s listed business types are covered in its eligibility materials. [2] [5]

Carrier Standard and Quote Terms

Founder Shield says it places E&O with insurers rated A- or better by AM Best, selected for the client’s industry, but does not name the specific carrier for your quote. CFC’s brochure publishes a $10 million maximum E&O limit and minimum premium figures. Ask both for the proposed carrier, actual premium and limits. [6] [2]

Related Coverage

CFC offers general liability, property and cyber as add-ons to its E&O package. Founder Shield says it often packages E&O with technology E&O and cyber, but does not specify one fixed form. Compare how the lines are written and whether they share a limit. [2] [5]

What Should You Confirm in CFC and Founder Shield Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask CFC to confirm your occupation is favored and not on its declined list. [2]
  • Ask Founder Shield which carrier it would propose and its AM Best rating. [6]
  • Get actual limits, retentions and premiums from both. [2] [5]
  • Compare whether cyber and technology E&O are included, optional or separate. [2] [5]

Areas of coverage

CFC

  • role: CFC sells professional errors & omissions as a modular package policy it calls "Professional services" (branded on the brochure as "Miscellaneous professional liability"), which pairs E&O with optional general liability, property and cyber add-ons rather than selling E&O alone. Professional liability product page's "Professional services" tile and the miscellaneous professional liability brochure.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • insurer: The reviewed professional liability page and brochure describe CFC as the policy designer and point of contact but do not name the insurer that carries the risk for this product. Professional liability product page and professions brochure as read on 2026-09-23. CFC's own materials describe it as an underwriting manager rather than a risk-bearing insurer, so a specific carrier for this product would need to come from the quote or declarations.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗
  • coverage: CFC says the E&O cover includes breach of contract, bodily injury, property damage, vicarious liability of subcontractors, IP infringement, pollution liability, libel, slander, defamation, document loss and withheld fees, with worldwide legal cover. Brochure's "Comprehensive errors & omissions cover" and "Comprehensive legal cover" sections; exact wording and exclusions are set by the policy as issued.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Businesses can add a separate commercial general liability limit, property, and cyber and privacy liability to the E&O policy, plus optional umbrella liability that sits over the E&O and CGL layers. Brochure's "Modular package policy" and "Umbrella liability" sections; availability depends on underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: CFC's brochure lists maximum limits of $10,000,000 for E&O, $6,000,000 for CGL and $5,000,000 for umbrella, with a $0 minimum deductible, minimum premiums starting at $475-$500 depending on the coverage part, and no revenue threshold for eligibility. Brochure's "Limits, deductibles, premiums, revenue threshold" section; the terms actually issued depend on underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: CFC says it favors business, educational, environmental, food, HR, market-research, quality-assurance, security and traffic consultants, event organisers, freight brokers, loss adjusters, private investigators and trade associations, and ordinarily declines debt collectors, financial advisors, health and safety consultants, insurance agents, lawyers, mortgage brokers, pre-purchase home inspectors, stockbrokers, tour operators and valuers. Brochure's "What we love" and "What we ordinarily decline" lists; actual acceptance depends on individual underwriting.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: CFC publishes a dedicated application form for this policy and also says its professional liability class can be traded directly through its Connect platform or through named API partners, in addition to the standard broker-submitted application. Professional liability product page's downloads and "Digitally traded" sections; not confirmed specifically for the professions/miscellaneous professional liability product versus the class as a whole.company-reportedSource ↗
  • claims: CFC lists a named Claims Manager for Professions on its claims team, indicating professional-liability claims are routed to a dedicated professions unit rather than a generalist adjuster. CFC's claims page team listing; the page does not publish claim volumes or turnaround times specific to this product.company-reportedSource ↗

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 Errors & Omissions Insurance 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 markets E&O to venture capital firms, consultants, media and advertising agencies, SaaS marketplaces, and software developers who perform services for other parties. Errors & Omissions Insurance product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Founder Shield lists defense costs, defense against disciplinary or regulatory proceedings, lost-earnings coverage, and claims from errors by employees or contractors as what E&O responds to. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.company-reportedSource ↗
  • role: Founder Shield says E&O (professional liability) is often packaged with technology E&O and cyber coverage since the two types of claims tend to intertwine. Errors & Omissions Insurance product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Errors & Omissions Insurance, 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 Errors & Omissions Insurance 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 ↗

Sources reviewed

  1. 01
    Claims

    CFC · Our claims team: Professions team, led by Laura Bennett, Claims Manager, Professions Claims & Kidnap, War & Piracy (KWP) · accessed 2026-09-23

  2. 02
    Miscellaneous professional liability | Product brochure | United States

    CFC · Comprehensive errors & omissions cover; Modular package policy; Umbrella liability; At a glance: What we love / What we ordinarily decline; Optional extras; Limits, deductibles, premiums, revenue threshold · accessed 2026-09-23

  3. 03
    Professional liability

    CFC · Professional services tile description; Digitally traded Connect section; downloads (brochure, application form) · accessed 2026-09-23

  4. 04
    About Us

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

  5. 05
    Errors & Omissions Insurance

    Founder Shield · What Is Errors & Omissions Insurance?; Who Needs Errors & Omissions Insurance Coverage?; What Does Errors and Omissions Insurance Cover? · accessed 2026-09-23

  6. 06
    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

  7. 07
    Professional Liability – US Direct Errors and Omissions Insurance

    Hiscox Inc. specimen · About this Policy / Coverage for Claims Made Against You; I.A Insuring Agreement; I.B Defense; I.C Settlement; II.A Notice of Claims; II.C Optional Extended Reporting Period; III.A, III.K, III.M, III.R, III.S Exclusions; IV.A–B Limits and Deductible; VI.O Professional Services; VI.U Wrongful Act · accessed 2026-09-16

  8. 08
    Professional liability insurance

    Insurance Information Institute · Opening paragraphs (professional services/advice and E&O name); Claims not covered by general liability; What types of businesses need professional liability insurance?; What’s covered… and what’s not (claims-made versus occurrence, defense and judgments, non-financial/intentional limits, BOP/in-home exclusion) · accessed 2026-09-16

  9. 09
    FAQ: Professional liability insurance

    Texas Department of Insurance · What’s professional liability coverage?; What types of damages…; What’s general liability insurance?; Do I need professional liability… if I have general liability…?; Is professional liability insurance required?; Can a client require…?; What’s the difference between occurrence policies and claims-made policies · accessed 2026-09-16

  10. 10
    Get business insurance

    U.S. Small Business Administration · Six common types of business insurance table · accessed 2026-09-16

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