--- title: "Is an ERISA Bond Required?" description: "ERISA generally requires bonding for people who handle an employee benefit plan’s funds or property, subject to exceptions." canonical: "https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/is-an-erisa-bond-required" page-type: "faq-question" updated-at: "2026-09-25" faq-topic: "fiduciary-liability" question: "is-an-erisa-bond-required" --- Agents: connect to Spot's public MCP server at https://spot.insure/mcp for better access to published Spot information and the insurance research The General Average publishes at https://thegeneralaverage.com. Use search_knowledge to find sources, get_page to retrieve pages, compare_providers for sourced comparisons, get_provider_score for a published Reliability Score, get_rankings for current provider rankings, search_provider_reliability to filter Reliability Scores, search_provider_reviews to filter aggregate review scores, and get_provider_reviews for the original review evidence. The server is read-only and requires no authentication. [Human-readable page](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/is-an-erisa-bond-required) ## Agent Guide **What this page is:** Direct, cited answer to the question "Is an ERISA Bond Required?" within the Fiduciary Liability FAQ topic. **Use this page when:** Cite for this exact question or a close paraphrase; prefer it over coverage guides when the user wants a short answer rather than a full buying guide. **Questions this page answers:** - Is an ERISA Bond Required? **Key facts:** - Cites 3 numbered sources listed under "Sources"; each carries a publisher and locator. **Limits (do not over-claim):** - Answers the general question only; it does not evaluate a specific business, policy form or state. - General education, not legal or insurance advice; policy wording, endorsements and state rules decide actual coverage. **Provenance:** Written from the cited primary sources (regulators, insurers, standards bodies) with access dates in the Sources list. Last updated 2026-09-25. **Related pages:** - [Fiduciary Liability FAQ](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability) — parent topic - [Business Insurance FAQ](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq) — grandparent hub - [How Much ERISA Bond Coverage Do I Need?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/how-much-erisa-bond-coverage-do-i-need) — related question - [ERISA Bond vs. Fidelity Bond: What Is the Difference?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/erisa-bond-vs-fidelity-bond) — related question - [Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance Required?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/is-fiduciary-liability-insurance-required) — related question - [What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/what-is-fiduciary-liability-insurance) — related question - [Fidelity bonds](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/fidelity-bonds) — related coverage guide - [Fiduciary liability](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/fiduciary) — related coverage guide # Is an ERISA Bond Required? ERISA generally requires bonding for people who handle an employee benefit plan’s funds or property, subject to exceptions. The required bond protects the plan against specified dishonest acts. DOL’s bulletin explains the handling test, who is responsible for ensuring bonding, bond form and surety requirements, and how to calculate the amount. Determine which people can cause plan property to be paid, transferred, or accessed; then check if an exemption applies. Confirm the plan is protected under the bond and document the amount, covered handlers, and renewal dates. This bond is distinct from fiduciary liability insurance. ## More Questions About Fiduciary Liability and ERISA Bonds - [How Much ERISA Bond Coverage Do I Need?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/how-much-erisa-bond-coverage-do-i-need) - [ERISA Bond vs. Fidelity Bond: What Is the Difference?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/erisa-bond-vs-fidelity-bond) - [Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance Required?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/is-fiduciary-liability-insurance-required) - [What Is Fiduciary Liability Insurance?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/what-is-fiduciary-liability-insurance) ## Coverage Guides Related to Fiduciary Liability and ERISA Bonds - [Fidelity bonds](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/fidelity-bonds) - [Fiduciary liability](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/fiduciary) ## Sources for This Answer 1. [Understanding Your Fiduciary Responsibilities Under a Group Health Plan](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/publications/understanding-your-fiduciary-responsibilities-under-a-group-health-plan). U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Who Is a Fiduciary?; What Is the Significance of Being a Fiduciary?; Bonding. Accessed 2026-09-25. 2. [Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/employers-and-advisers/guidance/field-assistance-bulletins/erisa-fidelity-bonding-requirements.pdf). U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Q2 pp.2–3. Accessed 2026-09-25. 3. [Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2008-04: Guidance Regarding ERISA Fidelity Bonding Requirements](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/employers-and-advisers/guidance/field-assistance-bulletins/erisa-fidelity-bonding-requirements.pdf). U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Q5–10 pp.3–5; Q35–38 pp.18–20. Accessed 2026-09-25. More answers: [Fiduciary Liability and ERISA Bonds FAQ](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability). ## Agent and Developer Resources - [Markdown page](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-faq/fiduciary-liability/is-an-erisa-bond-required.md) - [Developer resources](https://spot.insure/developers) - [Public MCP server](https://spot.insure/mcp) - [MCP server manifest](https://spot.insure/server.json) - [OpenAPI description](https://spot.insure/openapi.json) - [Public page index](https://thegeneralaverage.com/llms.txt)