Does D&O Cover Board Members?
Yes, D&O covers board members for claims over their board service, as long as they fit the policy's definition of an insured person.
Yes. Covering board members is the core purpose of D&O, but only for claims tied to their service to your company and only if they fit the policy's insured-person definition.
A title alone doesn't settle it. Board observers, advisory-board members, trustees and directors of affiliates may be treated differently, so check each against the definition. If a director also sits on another organization's board at your request, look for an outside-director extension.
Side A pays a director directly when the company can't indemnify them; Side B reimburses the company when it does. Claims by one insured against another, prior proceedings and deliberate misconduct can be excluded. Review the consent-to-settle terms and whether defense costs reduce the limit.
Coverage Guides Related to D&O Insurance
Sources for D&O Insurance Answers
- Private Company Directors and Officers Liability Coverage. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America; I.A–C p.1; III.A–E pp.1–2; III.J–M pp.2–3; IV Exclusions pp.3–4; VI Defense and Settlement pp.6–7; form version PDO-3001 Ed. 01-09. Accessed 2026-09-25.
- Directors and Officers insurance. Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I); What D&O covers; What’s excluded?; The added value of protecting company leaders. Accessed 2026-09-25.