Directors & Officers
Public Liability Insurance
Helping to protect the leaders of public companies
Public companies operate in a highly regulated and transparent environment where strategic decisions, disclosures and governance practices are subject to scrutiny by shareholders, regulators, the media and the market. Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance is designed to help protect directors, officers and, in certain circumstances, the company itself from claims alleging wrongful acts in the management of the organization. Coverage can help address defense costs, settlements and other covered loss arising from securities litigation, derivative actions, regulatory matters and other management liability claims.
Why choose Zurich for Public D&O Insurance?
- Experienced public company team: Zurich has underwriters and claims professionals who focus on public company D&O and understand securities class actions, derivative suits, regulatory investigations and event-driven litigation.
- Claims handled by attorneys: Every member of our D&O Claims team is an attorney, bringing legal expertise and practica linsight to complex management liability matters. Our claims professionals work closely with policyholders, brokers and defense counsel to help navigate challenging claims efficiently and effectively.
- Capacity for complex risks: We can support a wide range of public companies, including larger and more complex risks, with flexible limits, retentions and structures to fit your risk appetite.
- Global footprint: Through Zurich's multinational capabilities, we can help address the management liability exposures of organizations operating across jurisdictions, including support for locally admitted solutions and coordinated global programs where appropriate.
- Broader management liability and specialty offering: Zurich also offers related coverages such as Side A DIC, Employment Practices Liability, Fiduciary, Cyber and Crime, helping you build a coordinated management liability program and reduce gaps.
- Financial Strength: Zurich is a globally recognized insurer with a long history of serving complex organizations. Our financial strength ratings are among the strongest in the industry, including A+ from A.M. Best and AA from Standard & Poor's.*
*Rating as of July 30, 2026. A.M. Best’s and Standard & Poor’s ratings are under continuous review and subject to change and/oraffirmation. For the latest Best’s and S&P’s ratings visit www.zurichna.com. The ratings represent the overall financial status of theindividual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company, and are not a recommendationof the specific policy provisions, rates or practices of each issuing insurance company.
Zurich’s full suite of Management Liability Insurance solutions
In addition to D&O Insurance, we offer:
Public D&O resources
D&O Executive Select Policy Fact Sheet
Operating in multiple countries
Zurich’s International Towers by Zurich policy provides U.S.-domiciled multinational companies with a dedicated multinational D&O limit for management liability exposures, enabling companies to better manage their multinational D&O exposures in a locally compliant manner.
FAQs
D&O Insurance is designed to help protect the personal assets of directors and officers of a public company when claims are brought alleging wrongful acts in their capacities as company leaders. Coverage may help address defense costs, settlements and judgments arising from covered claims. Public company D&O policies may also respond to coverage for the organization in connection with securities claims.
Yes. Public companies face a wide range of management liability exposures, including securities litigation, shareholder derivative actions, regulatory investigations, merger and acquisition-related claims and other governance-related allegations. Public companies should consider Directors and Officers liability insurance because their directors, officers and the company itself can face claims tied to securities disclosures, shareholder actions, regulatory investigations, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance decisions and other management-related allegations. Public Company D&O coverage can play an important role in helping organizations attract and retain qualified directors and officers while supporting protection of both personal assets and corporate balance sheets.
D&O (Directors & Officers) insurance is the overall program. Side A is one specific part of it.
- A D&O program includes:
- Side A: Insurance protection/coverage for individual directors/officers when the company cannot indemnify them.
- Side B: Reimburses the company when it has indemnified directors/officers.
- Side C: Insurance protection/coverage for the company itself for certain claims (e.g. securities claims for listed entities, sometimes entity cover for private/non-profit).
- Organizations may also purchase dedicated Side A protection that provides coverage solely for non-indemnifiable loss incurred by directors and officers. Zurich offers International Towers by Zurich Executive Universal Select, a Side A-only international solution designed to help protect non-U.S. directors and officers when indemnification is unavailable.
Many D&O programs are capable of addressing exposures involving directors and officers located outside the United States, although coverage considerations may vary based on local law requirements, regulatory considerations and policy structure.
Zurich’s multinational capabilities in more than 200 countries and territories can help companies structure coordinated global D&O programs, often combining a master policy with locally admitted coverage where appropriate.
International Towers by Zurich (ITZ) provides dedicated international limits specifically for the Company’s directors and officers domiciled outside of the United States, helping protect those limits from eroding by U.S.- based claims.
Operating in multiple countries? Learn more about International Towers by Zurich