Startup Founder Challenges Insurer Vouch Over Alleged Bad Faith Claim Handling

Startup Founder Challenges Insurer Vouch Over Alleged Bad Faith Claim Handling

Francesco Vitali, co-founder and CEO of Rent A Cyber Friend, Inc., announced today a public campaign against Vouch Insurance and its affiliates, citing months of alleged delays, contradictions, and intimidation tactics in the handling of a claim following a major European server outage in June 2025.

Rent A Cyber Friend is pioneering what Vitali calls the New Human Economy — a digital marketplace where millions of people worldwide earn real income through real-time human presence. In June 2025, that economy was shaken when a system failure at hosting provider Hetzner silenced the platform for hours, threatening the livelihoods of its 2.6 million users.

The company turned to its insurer, Vouch, for coverage of reputational crisis management expenses – a core protection marketed specifically to startup founders. Instead, Vitali says, the claim was met with a “theater of contradictions”: shifting demands from adjusters, repeated rejections of documentation, and escalating legal maneuvers.

“Vouch sold us a promise: insurance built by founders, for founders. What we experienced was the opposite – delay, obstruction, and attempts to exhaust us into silence. We have cooperated at every step, and yet the goalposts kept moving. This is not just about one claim; it’s about the trust founders place in the insurance system itself,” said Vitali.

A Timeline of Escalation

• Initial Phase: Network Adjusters requested a Statement of Work, invoices, and direct access to Rent A Cyber Friend’s PR firm – signaling coverage recognition.

• Contradictions: Counsel later argued the PR hire was invalid without pre-approval, despite no such objection at the outset.

• Escalation: Additional demands included hourly breakdowns, a recorded statement (not provided for in the policy), and finally an Examination Under Oath (EUO).

• Executive Silence: Vouch CEO Sam Hodges acknowledged the situation but claimed no authority to intervene, while Vouch’s General Counsel Kelly Wulff disclaimed involvement entirely – even as Hiscox Europe’s CEO was copied on correspondence.

• Legal Threats: Attorneys for United Specialty Insurance, Corix Insurance Services, and Network Adjusters issued a cease & desist to block Vitali from contacting parties directly, alongside threats of court intervention.

According to Vitali, these tactics represent not good-faith claim handling, but a coordinated strategy of delay and exhaustion designed to pressure policyholders into walking away.

A Public Campaign: To Vouch or Not to Vouch

In response, Vitali has launched ToVouchOrNotToVouch.com, a public repository of correspondence, evidence, and testimony. The site will document the full timeline of Rent A Cyber Friend’s claim and invite other founders to share their experiences with Vouch and its underwriting partners.

“This is bigger than one startup. Founders deserve transparency and fair treatment. If insurers advertise protection for the innovation economy, they must be held accountable when the moment of truth arrives,” Vitali added.

Next Steps

Regulatory complaints are being prepared and will be filed imminently with the California Department of Insurance, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, and federal agencies. Simultaneously, Rent A Cyber Friend will pursue remedies under California bad faith insurance law, while raising public awareness across social media and press channels.

About Rent A Cyber Friend, Inc.

Rent A Cyber Friend is building the New Human Economy — a digital platform that transforms human presence into economic opportunity. By enabling real-time mentoring, skills-sharing, and micro-services, the platform empowers millions worldwide to earn income with dignity, empathy, and connection. In an era dominated by automation and algorithms, Rent A Cyber Friend restores the most valuable resource of all: humanity itself.

The outage of June 2025 was temporary. The silence that followed from Vouch may echo far longer.

The question for founders now is simple, and it carries the weight of Shakespeare: To Vouch, or not to Vouch?

👉 For the full story and ongoing battle, visit https://tovouchornottovouch.com/