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Comprehensive IPO insurance solutions from Lockton to protect companies, executives, and boards during the public‑offering process. Reduce risk and ensure a confident market debut.
Navigate your IPO with confidence
An IPO is a defining moment, but also one of the most exposed periods in a company’s life. In the sprint to going public, every line of your prospectus, analyst meeting, and roadshow claim is scrutinized. Valuation swings, disclosure missteps, and first quarter performance pressure can quickly cascade into shareholder suits, regulatory inquiries, and reputational damage. The stakes are personal: allegations can reach your directors’ and officers’ individual assets while destabilizing the corporate balance sheet. Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) insurance during an IPO isn’t a check the box; it’s a strategic control that helps you absorb volatility and keep executing. The right D&O program protects leaders, preserves capital and enables confident decisions. Lockton’s team of IPO specialists anticipates how risk evolves across the IPO timeline—pre filing, roadshow, pricing, and the first 100 days—then structures D&O cover around the exposures that matter most. Our bespoke approach turns complex risk into resilience, so you stay focused on pricing day and long‑term performance.
What is D&O insurance and why is it important for an IPO?
D&O insurance protects individual leaders—and, where structured accordingly, the entity—from claims alleging wrongful acts tied to disclosures, fiduciary duties, and securities related matters. D&O insurance funds defense, settlements, and judgments, providing essential stability from pre-IPO through listing and your first years as a public company.
IPO readiness, risk and insurance
Hundreds of companies are eyeing IPOs, but does going public reshape boards, executives, and risk teams? We explore shifting risk profiles, pitfalls to avoid, and how to build an effective insurance program.
Watch hereClaims management
Claim performance is the true measure of any insurance program. Lockton’s Professional & Executive Risk Claims team is purposefully structured to help you maximize your insurance recoveries. Lockton does not silo claims, nor do we treat claims advocacy services as a profit center. Instead, we integrate experienced insurance and claims counsel within your broking team. This ensures that claims strategy and advocacy begin at the very start of our partnership with you, so when a claim does arise, we’re fully prepared.
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Insurance for IPOs – FAQs
Why is D&O insurance essential for IPOs, and how does it work?
D&O insurance protects individual leaders (and, where structured, the entity) by funding defense, settlements, and judgments arising from alleged wrongful acts in governance and disclosure, crucial when going public. D&O is typically claims‑made, so continuity through the IPO is vital; many programs include Side A/B/C protection tailored to public‑company risk.
What’s the difference between private and public company D&O coverage?
Private company D&O insurance often provides broader entity coverage (frequently packaged with employment practices liability and fiduciary liability coverage), lower retentions, and may address pre‑IPO activities. Public company D&O insurance limits entity coverage largely to securities claims, commands higher retentions/premiums, and typically adds dedicated excess Side A/DIC for individual protection.
Beyond D&O, what insurance and risk management steps should IPO candidates consider?
Programs commonly complement D&O insurance with management liability coverage such as employment practices liability (EPL) and fiduciary liability coverages, plus cyber/technology errors & omissions, crime/financial institution bonds, and transaction liability (e.g., representations & warranties).
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