Foundershield vs Hub International: Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance

Founder Shield offers liability-only HNOA through third-party carriers; HUB International arranges it as an endorsement, with physical-damage options also described.

Embarcadero Risk brings together source-based comparisons for businesses moving people and goods.Research updated 2026-09-25

HUB can add theft or physical-damage options to HNOA attached to auto or GL; Founder Shield’s product covers liability only.

What Are the Key Differences Between Founder Shield and HUB International Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance?

Physical-Damage Option Versus Liability-Only Cover

Founder Shield explicitly limits its HNOA product to liability and says physical damage to hired or non-owned vehicles is not covered. HUB attaches HNOA to auto or GL and can add theft or physical-damage coverage for non-owned vehicles used for business. [3] [7] Choose HUB if you need vehicle theft or physical-damage options; choose Founder Shield if liability-only protection is enough and you want carriers rated A- or better.

Who Each Broker Names

Founder Shield markets HNOA to salespeople, delivery drivers, rental users, volunteer organizations and small businesses without a fleet. HUB says the exposure applies across transportation, hospitality, education, healthcare, nonprofit and shared or gig-economy sectors, including employees or contractors driving rented, leased or personal vehicles. [3] [7]

Carriers and Services

Founder Shield says it places only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, chosen for the client’s industry. HUB’s reviewed pages do not name the issuing insurer; the carrier depends on the underlying commercial auto or general liability placement. HUB recommends technology-driven fleet tools (automated documentation, real-time insurance data, driver monitoring, usage-based insurance). Founder Shield’s reviewed HNOA pages do not describe those fleet-technology services. Neither side publishes HNOA dollar limits on the reviewed pages. [4] [6] [7] [3]

What Should You Confirm in Founder Shield and HUB International Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask HUB whether theft or physical damage is on the rider, and ask Founder Shield to confirm the liability-only grant. [7] [3]
  • Ask Founder Shield which A- or better carrier will issue the policy. [4]
  • Ask HUB whether contractors and gig-economy drivers are covered. [7]
  • Get limits and the underlying policy the HUB rider attaches to. [7] [3]

Coverage topics

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 Hired and Non-Owned Auto 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 HNOA to businesses with mobile employees such as salespeople or delivery drivers, companies that rent vehicles, organizations that rely on volunteers, and small businesses without a company fleet. HNOA product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Founder Shield says HNOA is a liability-only policy covering third-party bodily injury, third-party property damage and legal defense costs when an employee uses a personal or rented vehicle for business and their personal auto policy denies or limits the claim. Product page; the issued policy and declarations control actual coverage.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: Founder Shield notes HNOA does not cover physical damage to the hired or non-owned vehicle itself, accidents involving company-owned vehicles, or injuries to the employee driving (covered instead by workers' compensation). HNOA product page.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Hired and Non-Owned Auto 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 Hired and Non-Owned Auto 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 ↗

HUB International

  • role: HUB brokers hired and non-owned auto (HNOA) liability coverage as part of its commercial auto practice, arranging it as an endorsement or rider on a client's commercial auto or general liability policy rather than underwriting it directly. Commercial auto product page coverage list and the HNOA blog post; neither page names an underwriting entity.company-reportedSource ↗Source ↗
  • eligibility: HUB says HNOA exposure applies to organizations across transportation, hospitality, education, healthcare, nonprofit and shared or gig-economy sectors whose employees or contractors drive rented, leased or personal vehicles for work. HNOA blog post sector list; not an underwriting appetite statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: HUB describes HNOA coverage as protecting a business when it rents or leases a vehicle, and when an employee's personal vehicle is used for work and the personal auto policy excludes or limits business use, leaving the business exposed if a claim exceeds the employee's own limits. HNOA blog post description of hired and non-owned exposures; the issued endorsement's wording and limits control an actual claim.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: HUB says HNOA liability is typically added as a rider or endorsement to an existing commercial auto or general liability policy, with additional protection available for theft or physical damage to non-owned vehicles used for business. HNOA blog post coverage-structure section.company-reportedSource ↗
  • services: HUB says it recommends technology-driven fleet management tools for HNOA programs, including automated documentation, real-time insurance-data access, driver monitoring and usage-based insurance, to help clients manage compliance and cost. HNOA blog post technology-solutions section; describes HUB's advisory recommendations, not a bundled product.company-reportedSource ↗
  • insurer: Neither the commercial auto product page nor the HNOA blog post names the insurer that issues an HNOA endorsement; the carrier depends on the underlying commercial auto or general liability placement. Checked both pages on 2026-09-23.not-foundSource ↗Source ↗
  • limits: Published HNOA limits, sublimits or retentions were not found on the reviewed pages. Checked the commercial auto product page and HNOA blog post on 2026-09-23; limits are set on the quote and declarations.not-disclosedSource ↗Source ↗

Source material

  1. 01
    Commercial Insurance Guide

    California Department of Insurance · Commercial General Liability; Commercial Automobile; What Should I Expect from a Broker-Agent?; How Are Commercial Policies Rated? · accessed 2026-09-16

  2. 02
    About Us

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

  3. 03
    Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance

    Founder Shield · What Is Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance?; Who Needs Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance Coverage?; What Does Hired and Non-Owned Auto Insurance Cover? · accessed 2026-09-23

  4. 04
    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

  5. 05
    Non-Owned Auto Liability Insurance

    Hiscox · What is covered?; Who is covered; What the policy does not cover · accessed 2026-09-16

  6. 06
    Commercial Auto Insurance Broker Policy & Coverage

    HUB International · Coverage types list including hired and non-owned exposures, long and short-haul transportation, uninsured/underinsured motorists; Post-Accident Checklist · accessed 2026-09-23

  7. 07
    Make & Brake: Protect your business financially with hired and non-owned auto insurance

    HUB International · What HNOA covers; who needs it (transportation, hospitality, education, healthcare, nonprofit, gig/shared-economy sectors); coverage structure as a rider or endorsement; technology-driven fleet management recommendations · accessed 2026-09-23

  8. 08
    Business Auto Coverage Form

    ISO; hosted by National General · I.A p.1; II.A pp.2–3; II.B pp.3–4; III pp.4–6; IV.B.5 p.7 · accessed 2026-09-16

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