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Business Insurance Suite
Directors & Officers Insurance
Secure cover for directors, officers and key employees facing lawsuits from their business decisions.
2,500+
Companies Covered
₹500 Cr+
Total Sum Insured
48 hrs
Average Policy Issuance
96%
Claim Settlement Rate
Trusted by businesses across India
Investor Mandate
“Most institutional investors — VCs, PEs, and angels — now require D&O insurance as a condition of funding. If you are raising or have raised capital, you need D&O cover.”
Failure to maintain required D&O cover can constitute a breach of your Shareholders Agreement or term sheet.
What is directors & officers insurance?
Directors and officers insurance covers claims against individuals for alleged wrongful acts committed in their capacity as directors or officers of a company. It typically responds to legal defence costs, settlements and judgements arising from those claims.
Without this cover, a lawsuit can reach into a director's personal savings, home, and investments — even if the claim is ultimately without merit. Legal defence costs alone can run into crores.
Who Is Covered?
Executive Directors
Managing Directors, Whole-time Directors, and Executive Chairman on your board
Non-Executive Directors
Independent board members, nominee directors appointed by investors
Officers & C-Suite
CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CHRO and other key management personnel
The Company
The legal entity itself in securities claims under Side C entity coverage
Three Sides of D&O Coverage
A comprehensive D&O policy has three distinct coverage buckets. Understanding each side is essential when evaluating a policy.
Why directors & officers insurance matters
Six reasons D&O cover matters for your leadership team — any one of which can result in millions of rupees in personal liability exposure
Protect Personal Assets
Corporate shields cannot block every single claim. When legal actions target individuals directly, your private wealth stands exposed behind every major boardroom decision.
Survive Corporate Insolvency
Company indemnification only protects you while the business remains solvent. Specialized Side A coverage steps in when your organization cannot legally defend you.
Satisfy Investor Requirements
Funding term sheets routinely demand this coverage before closing deals. Thorough due diligence processes will flag missing policies, potentially stalling your critical investments.
Manage Employment Risks
Wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, and severe harassment allegations directed at management generate far more claims against leadership than traditional shareholder disputes ever will.
Finance Legal Battles
Expensive legal fees accumulate instantly upon a claim being filed. Fighting these lawsuits depletes your policy limits long before any fault gets determined.
Attract Board Talent
Experienced independent directors require robust coverage as a mandatory condition for joining. Without this protection, recruiting top executive talent becomes significantly more difficult.
Who needs directors & officers cover most
D&O is not just for large listed corporates. If your company has any of these characteristics, you need cover now — not after the first claim arrives.
VC-backed companies
Most investors require it, and term sheets often specify the amount.
Companies mid-round or mid-exit
Diligence checks for it, and closing timelines rarely leave room to arrange it late.
Any company with a formal board
Once a board exists, its decisions become personally actionable.
Companies with independent or nominee directors
Independent directors frequently decline appointments without cover in place.
D&O In Action: A Real Claim
Illustrative Case Study
A Series A funded startup received a formal demand letter from its lead investor claiming the founding team had materially misrepresented financial projections and customer traction metrics during the fundraising process. Two co-founders were named individually as respondents.
The founders faced personal liability — their personal assets including savings and property were at risk. D&O insurance covered legal defence costs of ₹22L and the negotiated settlement amount of ₹45L in full, without the directors having to pay a single rupee from personal assets.
₹22L
Legal Defence Costs
₹45L
Settlement Amount
₹0
Paid from Personal Assets
Key Exclusions to Know
D&O insurance is broad, but not unlimited. These standard exclusions apply across most Indian D&O policies.
Fraud & Dishonesty
Intentional fraudulent acts or criminal conduct by a director are excluded once adjudicated by a final court judgment. Note: defence costs are typically covered until the final adverse ruling.
Intentional Illegal Acts
Deliberate violations of law are not covered. However, the policy typically covers defence costs until a final adverse determination by a court of law.
Prior Known Claims
Claims or circumstances already known to the insured before the policy inception date are excluded. Full disclosure at proposal stage is essential.
Bodily Injury & Property Damage
D&O is a management liability policy — physical injury or property damage claims fall under other products such as General Liability or Commercial Property insurance.
Why buy D&O insurance from Onsurity
Specialist underwriting, faster issuance, and a dedicated claims desk for management liability claims
We read the term sheet clause
If an investor is driving your buying decision, the requirement is specific: a limit, sometimes particular wording, sometimes run-off provisions. Send us the clause and we'll work backwards from it.
We size it against your round, not a template
Limit depends on round size, board composition, sector and where your investors sit. It isn't a number you pick off a list.
One partner for your team and your business
Why juggle multiple vendors when you can secure everything in one place? From employee healthcare benefits to comprehensive business insurance, we protect your entire operation.
How to get a directors & officers insurance quote online
Three steps from initial enquiry to active management liability coverage
01
Tell us about your business
Funding stage, board structure, sector, and what your investors have asked for. Takes about two minutes.
02
Talk it through with an advisor
An advisor walks you through which sides you need, the limit that satisfies your term sheet, and how the policy responds to a claim.
03
Get cover placed
Limit sized, wording checked against your investor requirement, then placed through our insurer partnerships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before buying D&O insurance
Complete your business protection stack.
D&O covers your board. For mitigating other business risks, explore the complete business insurance stack.
Give your business the protection big companies have.
Get free risk assessment and custom quote for your business instantly.
No obligation quote. Policy issuance within 48 hours for standard proposals.