Lockton vs
Pie Insurance: How Do They Compare for Business Insurance?
Pie offers payroll-based workers’ compensation with pay-as-you-go billing and a 3% card fee in some states; Lockton can coordinate workers’ comp with D&O and cyber.
Introduction to the Lockton vs Pie Insurance Comparison
A 40-person software company may want payroll-based workers’ compensation but also need D&O and cyber. Pie’s pay-as-you-go program has a 3% card fee for certain new single-state policies, except in Florida, Nebraska, Maryland and Rhode Island, and requires injury notice within 24 hours. 39 42 4 Choose Pie if payroll-based workers’ comp and its payment/reporting rules fit; choose Lockton to coordinate workers’ comp with D&O and cyber.
A 40-person software company that wants pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation and also needs directors and officers (D&O) liability and cyber is looking at a workers’ compensation specialist channel that can sit beside other placements. Pie describes business owners policy, general liability and professional liability as using third-party insurers—confirm whether Pie is placing those lines or only workers’ compensation. Using Lockton for D&O does not require using Pie. 4
Buyer Takeaways for Lockton vs Pie Insurance
Lockton Buyer Takeaways
- Lockton brokers help businesses arrange insurance, employee benefits and retirement programs. 1,13,20Company-reported. Company-reported US brand and Terms of Business. The contracting Lockton company can differ by client. Private-ownership and independence claims are marketing statements, not a regulatory finding.
- Technology clients can compare options for cyber, D&O, liability, property and benefits with Lockton. 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10Company-reported. Direct US product and industry pages accessed 16 September 2026. Technology errors and omissions is discussed in educational Lockton articles but was not added from those articles alone. Catalogue entries from the private-equity page are marketed in that industry context.
Pie Insurance Buyer Takeaways
- Start a workers’ compensation quote online or through an insurance agent. 24,23,25Company-reported. Workers’ compensation access for small businesses and agencies; other product pages direct buyers to quote or contact flows but do not document the same process.
- Pay workers’ compensation premiums based on reported payroll, with no initial deposit. 39,40Company-reported. Pie’s current workers’ compensation payment pages; actual availability and policy-specific charges need confirmation in the quote.
Lockton vs Pie Insurance Coverage Lines Compared
| Coverage | Lockton | Pie Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Business owner’s policy | Not listed | Listed 29Pie accepts business owner’s policy quote requests. |
| Cargo and transit | Listed 5Lockton arranges cargo insurance. | Not listed |
| Commercial auto | Listed 5Lockton arranges commercial auto insurance. | Not listed |
| Commercial property | Listed 6Lockton arranges commercial property insurance. | Not listed |
| Crime | Listed 10Lockton arranges commercial crime insurance. | Not listed |
| Cyber liability | Listed 3,2Lockton arranges cyber insurance. | Listed 30Pie provides access to cyber insurance quotes from carrier partners. |
| Directors and officers | Listed 4,2Lockton arranges directors and officers liability insurance. | Not listed |
| Employee health and benefits | Listed 8Lockton arranges employee health and benefits programs. | Not listed |
| Employment practices liability | Listed 10Lockton arranges employment practices liability insurance. | Not listed |
| Fiduciary liability | Listed 9Lockton arranges fiduciary liability insurance. | Not listed |
| General liability | Listed 5Lockton arranges general liability insurance. | Listed 32Pie arranges general liability insurance through unaffiliated third-party insurers. |
| Key person | Listed 10Lockton arranges key person insurance. | Not listed |
| Product liability | Listed 5Lockton arranges product liability insurance. | Not listed |
| Professional errors and omissions (E&O) | Listed 10Lockton arranges professional errors and omissions insurance. | Listed 31Pie Insurance arranges professional errors and omissions insurance for small businesses through third-party insurers. |
| Representations and warranties | Listed 10Lockton arranges representations and warranties insurance. | Not listed |
| Surety bonds | Listed 10Lockton arranges surety bonds. | Not listed |
| Umbrella and excess liability | Listed 5Lockton arranges umbrella and excess liability insurance. | Not listed |
| Workers’ compensation | Listed 7,5Lockton arranges workers’ compensation insurance. | Listed 25Pie Insurance offers workers’ compensation insurance for small businesses. |
A listing may be arranged through an insurer or partner. “Not listed” means this catalogue has no separate offering recorded; ask the provider whether it can quote the coverage and request the policy terms.
Lockton vs Pie Insurance Research by Coverage Line
Open what Lockton and Pie Insurance each document for one coverage line.
Cyber Insurance
General Liability Insurance
Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Current Reliability Scores for Lockton and Pie Insurance
Each score uses the rubric for that provider’s documented role. Providers with more than one role may have a score for each.
Lockton Reliability Scores
BrokerBroker
5.6/ 10Pie Insurance Reliability Scores
Hybrid providerBroker
5.3/ 10Carrier & MGA
6.3/ 10Lockton and Pie Insurance Review Scores for 2026
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
Lockton Review Score
Review Score
3 rated sources
Lockton’s reviews vary by office and entity. Local Google-derived ratings provide some service feedback, but no reliable firmwide verdict.
Read Lockton reviewsPie Insurance Review Score
Review Score
2 rated sources
Pie’s service record raises clear concerns: elevated regulator complaints reported by NerdWallet, 1.7/5 on Trustpilot and an F from BBB. Investigate billing, cancellation and complaint handling before buying.
Read Pie Insurance reviewsKey Differences Between Lockton and Pie Insurance
Who Bears Workers’ Compensation Risk
Pie’s affiliated carriers write workers’ compensation. Lockton is an intermediary on whatever insurer it places. An AM Best rating for a Pie company, if you rely on it, applies to that rated group—not to a Lockton-placed policy with another insurer. 27 7
How You Buy Workers’ Compensation
Pie advertises a minutes-scale online workers’ compensation quote with variable actual times and pay-as-you-go. That is Pie’s company claim, not a bind guarantee. Lockton’s published U.S. contact is an expert inquiry. 25 12
Payment and Placement Charges
Pie publishes a 3% card fee for certain new single-state workers’ compensation policies, except in Florida, Nebraska, Maryland and Rhode Island, plus state-set waiver-of-subrogation charges. Lockton’s terms disclose possible insurer commissions, client fees and additional compensation but do not publish an equivalent schedule. Compare Pie’s policy/payment charges with the charges of the insurer Lockton proposes and any Lockton compensation; the absence of a public Lockton fee table does not establish lower or equivalent cost. 39 38 13
Payroll and Claims Service
Pie describes payroll-based pay-as-you-go workers’ compensation and an annual audit that reconciles estimated with actual payroll. Lockton describes placement with workers’ compensation markets and claims advocacy rather than bearing the insurer’s obligations. Ask each proposal who receives payroll updates, handles audit questions and reports workplace injuries. 39 41 7 11
What Should You Confirm in Lockton and Pie Insurance Quotes?
- Workers’ compensation issuer and pay-as-you-go eligibility at Pie versus any Lockton market. 25 7
- Who places directors and officers liability and cyber if Pie is used only for workers’ compensation. 3
- Card fees and waiver charges on Pie. 27
- Audit and class-code ownership on either proposal, including which party handles Pie’s partner products if other lines are requested. 27 7
Lockton vs Pie Insurance Services Compared
What each provider documents about the services you may need
| Criteria | Lockton | Pie Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Business role | You work with Lockton as a broker for risk, benefits and retirement programs; it arranges and services policies but is not the risk-bearing insurer. 1,13,20Company-reported. Company-reported US brand and Terms of Business. The contracting Lockton company can differ by client. Private-ownership and independence claims are marketing statements, not a regulatory finding. Confirm the legal producer on your California broker agreement: Lockton’s terms name Lockton Companies, LLC and affiliates, its site operator is Lockton, Inc., and certificates use Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC as a California DBA. 13,14,21Company-reported. Company legal disclosures and company-issued certificates. Missouri charter number 00498854 appears in website terms as a company statement. Current secretary-of-state and producer-license status were not independently verified. Verify Lockton’s current California producer authority before appointing it: certificates list license 0F15767 for Lockton Companies, LLC dba Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC, but status, classes and expiration were not independently checked. 21,22Not found in reviewed sources. Company-issued certificate header versus CDI lookup homepage only. Not a finding that the license is inactive or that California product placement is unavailable. | Small businesses can buy Pie’s workers’ compensation directly or through agents; affiliated insurers underwrite workers’ comp, while outside insurers provide some other Pie products. 24,27,25,29,30,31,32Company-reported. Current public Pie brand and US small-business insurance services; this describes group roles, not a promise that every product is available to every applicant. If parent-company ownership matters, Pie Group Holdings, Inc. owns the website and is regulator-listed parent of Pie Casualty; AM Best identifies the insurer group as Pie Insurance Group. 26,46,44Verified. Website ownership and the parent shown for Pie Casualty Insurance Company; no claim about voting control or every intermediate subsidiary. Pie Insurance Services, Inc. is the producer that sells and administers policies; verify its current license in your state because Pie’s own license page is not regulator confirmation. 27,47Company-reported. Producer identity and Pie-published US license list; Wisconsin’s regulator separately identifies this entity in a 2024 administrative action. |
| Coverage lines | Technology and private-equity buyers can ask about cyber, D&O, contract review and international programs; Lockton also lists casualty, property, fiduciary, benefits, E&O, crime, EPL, surety, key-person and transaction products. Actual forms, limits and eligibility require a quote. 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10Company-reported. Direct US product and industry pages accessed 16 September 2026. Technology errors and omissions is discussed in educational Lockton articles but was not added from those articles alone. Catalogue entries from the private-equity page are marketed in that industry context. | Pie currently markets workers’ comp, BOP, cyber, general liability and professional liability/E&O; product pages describe typical coverage, while the policy and endorsements determine your actual protection. 25,29,30,32,31,26Company-reported. Public US Pie pages with an explicit quote or contact invitation; educational-only topics and components of a BOP were not counted as standalone offerings. If you need new or renewed commercial auto, look elsewhere: Pie stopped accepting new submissions December 1, 2025 and says it will issue no new or renewal policies after January 1, 2026; existing terms remain in force through expiry. 36,42Company-reported. Pie’s former commercial-auto offering and legacy policies; commercial auto is intentionally excluded from the current coverage catalogue. Use your policy and endorsements to decide what is covered; Pie says website descriptions do not change policy terms and eligibility varies by applicant and location. 26Company-reported. Website descriptions and US products generally; the buyer’s issued policy and endorsements control. |
| Application process | You can start with a Lockton team inquiry or email its cyber and technology group; reviewed pages do not offer a self-service bind flow or guaranteed quote turnaround. 12,1,15,3,14Company-reported. US contact, privacy, technology and cyber-technology pages. Form submission was not completed. Website terms state site content is general information, not broking advice. | Small businesses can start a workers’ compensation quote online or through an insurance agent; agencies use a separate partner portal. 24,23,25Company-reported. Workers’ compensation access for small businesses and agencies; other product pages direct buyers to quote or contact flows but do not document the same process. Have your ZIP, payroll and class-code details ready for a Pie workers’ compensation quote; its online intake begins with ZIP code. 28,25Company-reported. Unauthenticated first step and Pie’s description of workers’ compensation quote inputs; no data was entered and the flow was not advanced. Pie advertises a workers’ compensation quote in about three minutes, but this company estimate does not predict underwriting or binding time. 25,23Company-reported. Workers’ compensation quote marketing; no timed independent quote test was performed. |
| Fees and compensation | Request all commissions and fees for your account: Lockton’s terms allow insurer commissions, client fees, contingent/supplemental compensation, insurer service fees, affiliate reinsurance income and finance interest, but publish no standard rates. 13Company-reported. Compensation Disclosure section of US Terms of Business. Amounts for a given account are not disclosed on the public site. | Workers’ comp buyers can choose annual, semiannual, quarterly, monthly or pay-as-you-go plans; pay-as-you-go follows reported payroll without a deposit, while monthly plans require 16.6% upfront and ten payments. 39,40Company-reported. Pie’s current workers’ compensation payment pages; actual availability and policy-specific charges need confirmation in the quote. Include Pie’s 3% card fee in your quote comparison for eligible new single-state workers’ comp policies, except in Florida, Nebraska, Maryland and Rhode Island; the page does not specify multi-state or renewal fees. 39Company-reported. Credit-card payments for new single-state workers’ compensation policies under the current payment-options page. Ask the state-specific price before requesting a waiver of subrogation because Pie charges for each specific or blanket waiver but publishes no amount. 38Not publicly disclosed. Workers’ compensation waiver requests through Pie’s published service process. Ask your agent what commission applies because Pie says partner agents earn commissions on workers’ comp policies, but current pages publish no standard rate. 43,27Not publicly disclosed. Agency-distributed workers’ compensation and other third-party placements; expired promotional incentives were not treated as current standard compensation. |
| Claims assistance | Lockton says its integrated claims team helps investigate, map facts to coverage and negotiate with insurers, but Lockton does not pay claims; service descriptions do not establish claim outcomes or quality. 2,4,9,11,7,13Company-reported. Company-reported advocacy and consulting. Lockton is not identified as the claims-paying insurer. | Report workplace injuries to Pie within 24 hours through its form, phone or email; Pie says a claims professional follows up and assesses coverage and benefits. 42Company-reported. Published first-report process for Pie-serviced workers’ compensation claims; state notice rules and the issuing carrier’s policy still apply. Ask who handles your state’s workers’ comp claim: Pie says it manages claims in 34 states and CorVel in five, a split not reconciled with its separate 40-state-plus-DC availability. 43,33,44Conflicting sources. Public allocation of workers’ compensation claim handling; the current handler for an individual policy should be taken from its state kit and claim instructions. |
Sources for Lockton vs Pie Insurance
Lockton Official Website
- Lockton United States. Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology. Lockton; Industry introduction; cyber liability heading; dedicated technology team; listed services including claims advocacy, contract review, directors and officers liability, and international program design; 24/7 service model. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Cyber & Technology. Lockton; A complete solution to inform, improve, and insure cyber and privacy risk; insurer partnerships; Insure step including claim life cycle; contact cyber@lockton.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- D&O Insurance. Lockton; Program description; Side A/B/C overview; who can be covered; Claims management and Professional & Executive Risk Claims team. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Casualty Insurance. Lockton; Introduction on designing and placing liability, auto and workers’ compensation programs; Casualty Insurance Solutions: Auto, Cargo, General & Product Liability, Umbrella & Excess Liability, Workers’ Compensation; dedicated service team. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Property Insurance. Lockton; Matching property risks to the global marketplace; manuscript property policy; assistance with complex claim recovery. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Workers' Compensation. Lockton; Program design with claims experts; access to more than 100 regional, global and program markets; claims service advocates. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton People Solutions. Lockton; Introducing Lockton People Solutions; integrated health and risk programs; FAQ on products (employee experiences, total rewards and benefits, management and measurement) and private ownership. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Fiduciary Liability Insurance. Lockton; What is fiduciary liability insurance; typical coverage list; claims management; distinction from ERISA bonds. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Risk & People Solutions for Private Equity Firms. Lockton; Lockton capabilities across the investment life cycle: D&O/GPL, transaction insurance (reps, tax, litigation), E&O, crime and FI bonds, cyber, EPL, surety, portfolio company programs, key person insurance and benefits design. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Loss Prevention and Claims. Lockton; Claims consulting description: investigations, policy mapping, discussions with insurer lawyers and loss adjusters; documenting and presenting claims. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Contact Us. Lockton; Inquiry form requiring Terms of Use and Privacy Notice acknowledgment; general enquiries mailbox disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- US Terms of Business. Lockton; Opening entity definition; Surplus Lines; Use of a Particular Insurer; Compensation Disclosure; servicing, claims handling and renewal language in Confidentiality section; Intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton US Terms of Use. Lockton; Who we are: Lockton, Inc., Missouri corporation, charter number 00498854; Kansas City principal office; last updated October 15, 2021; Site content is general information, not broking or insurance advice. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton Companies Website Privacy Notice. Lockton; Last updated January 2025; collection when visitors solicit an insurance policy quote; disclosure to insurance companies and intermediaries for quotes. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Offices - Lockton US. Lockton; Global headquarters Kansas City, 444 W 47th St. Suite 900; US inquiry email KC-Inquiries@lockton.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton Insurance Brokers - San Francisco. Lockton; Office heading Lockton Insurance Brokers - San Francisco; Suite 600, Three Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton Insurance Brokers - Los Angeles. Lockton; Office heading and 777 S. Figueroa St. Suite 5200, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton Insurance Brokers - Irvine. Lockton; Office heading and 19800 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine, CA 92612. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Our Story. Lockton; Independence changes everything; family organization and private ownership statements; insurance, employee benefits consulting and retirement services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Lockton-produced certificate of insurance producer header. Lockton; Producer block: Lockton Companies, LLC DBA Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC in CA; CA license #0F15767. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- California Department of Insurance — Check a License. California Department of Insurance; Public license-status inquiry page. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Pie Insurance Official Website
- Pie Insurance. Pie Insurance; Homepage: small-business audience; direct workers’ compensation quote; online account; footer entity, insurer and availability qualifications. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- About Pie Insurance. Pie Insurance; About Pie; direct and agency distribution; footer legal disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Workers’ Comp Insurance For Small Businesses. Pie Insurance; Get a workers’ compensation quote online; insurance made for your small business; quote inputs; coverage description; quote-time and savings qualifications; AM Best link. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Terms Of Use. Pie Insurance; Updated 26 April 2022; Ownership and Agreement to Terms; geographic and product eligibility; policy controls coverage. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Legal. Pie Insurance; State Licenses; footer disclosure naming producer and workers’ compensation versus third-party underwriting roles. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Pie Insurance — Quote. Pie Insurance; First step: Business ZIP Code. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Business Owner’s Policy. Pie Insurance; BOP definition; typical components; Make sure you’re covered: Start your BOP quote; footer third-party insurer qualification. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Cyber Insurance For Small Businesses. Pie Insurance; First- and third-party descriptions; carrier-partner quote invitation; policy-variation qualification. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Errors And Omissions Insurance. Pie Insurance; Errors and Omissions Insurance hero (E&O and professional liability equivalence); typical claims; Make sure you’re covered: insurance carrier partners, Start now; footer third-party professional liability insurers. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- General Liability Insurance. Pie Insurance; Typical covered categories; Make sure you are covered: carrier-partner quote invitation; legal footer: third-party insurers not affiliated with Pie. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Workers’ Comp Coverage By State. Pie Insurance; Headline says 40 states and the District of Columbia; rendered state selector listed 39 state names and omitted New York and D.C. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Agency Document Library. Pie Insurance; Workers’ Comp State Documents: 40 named states plus Washington, D.C. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Pie Insurance Reports Strong 2025. Pie Insurance; 13 January 2026 release; Key 2025 Milestones says 39 states plus Washington, D.C.; company and distribution description. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Commercial Auto Claim FAQs. Pie Insurance; Does Pie offer commercial auto insurance?; submission cutoff 1 December 2025; no new or renewal policies on or after 1 January 2026; legacy claim guidance. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Online Account Tutorial. Pie Insurance; Payment-method updates; instant and custom certificates; policy information; document access; agent-handled custom certificate qualification. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Workers’ Comp FAQs. Pie Insurance; Certificates; specific and blanket waiver requests, two-business-day response and state-dependent charge; Billing & Payments; Policy Renewal / When will I know it’s time to renew my policy? (approximately 30 days before expiry, quote for review and acceptance); Annual Audit; Claims. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Payment Options. Pie Insurance; Annual, semi-annual, quarterly, monthly and pay-as-you-go schedules; payment methods; 3% card fee and state exceptions. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Pay-As-You-Go With Pie Insurance. Pie Insurance; No initial deposit; actual-payroll monthly premium; automatic deductions; payroll-provider coordination. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- File Your Claim Within 24 Hours. Pie Insurance; Workers’ compensation reporting by online form, 24/7 phone or email; information requested; post-report coverage determination. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Partner FAQ. Pie Insurance; How does Pie handle claims? (workers’ compensation in 34 states; CorVel in Alaska, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico and Oregon); How does Pie pay commissions? (new and renewing policies, earned premium); How does Pie handle renewals? (30-day preview: under $20,000 to insured with agency copied, over $20,000 to producer; unless otherwise notified, deposit draft and renewal issuance five days before effective date; exact $20,000 case unstated); Renewal Billing. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- AM Best Rating Disclosure Report — Pie Casualty Insurance Company. AM Best Rating Services, Inc.; Page 1: A- (Excellent), Stable, affirmed 24 April 2026; page 14: rating unit, group insurer acquisitions, 100% workers’ compensation writing through PCIC and TPIC from 1 January 2024, 40 states and D.C. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- The Pie Insurance Company — Company Details. Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance; Company name; active license status; NAIC 21857; property-and-casualty authority; 2025 workers’ compensation market data. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Pie Casualty Insurance Company — Entity Details. Illinois Department of Insurance; Legal name; P&C Domestic Stock; active status; NAIC 10997; Pie Group Holdings, Inc. parent. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Administrative Actions — January 2024. Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance; Allegations and Actions Against Companies: Pie Insurance Services, Inc. agreed to add a disclaimer to its “save up to 30%” advertising claim after misleading-advertising allegations. Accessed 2026-09-15.
