Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers: How Do They Compare for Builders Risk Insurance?

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance describes primary and excess placements and lists delay and soft-cost features. Heffernan Insurance Brokers arranges project-specific builders risk and identifies a dedicated Wrap Up Solutions team for construction programs. ^5,¹⁰

What Is Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance?

BHSI provides commercial and specialty insurance in the U.S., with product-specific industry lists that include healthcare, energy and technology. Online quote and application submissions are nonbinding. ^1,^2,^3,⁴

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Read the Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Builders Risk Insurance page

What Is Heffernan Insurance Brokers?

Heffernan’s technology practice targets mid- and late-stage, venture-funded and pre-IPO companies; early-stage firms seeking a direct online quote should compare digital providers. It also offers claims consulting and workers’ compensation support. ^7,^8,⁹

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Read the Heffernan Insurance Brokers Builders Risk Insurance page

What Is Builders Risk Insurance?

Builders risk protects the project you are building, including materials meant for it, against physical loss until construction ends. The gaps that cost owners money are materials in storage or transit, the existing building in a renovation, and coverage ending when you occupy early. ^11,^12,^13,¹⁴

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What Are the Key Differences Between Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Builders Risk Insurance?

Policy features

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance lists all-risk and selected single-peril or difference-in-conditions structures, plus hot testing and delay features. Heffernan describes physical-damage protection during construction for events such as fire, theft and weather and says it customizes coverage to the project. Ask Heffernan for the actual covered-peril form before comparing those descriptions. ⁵ ¹⁰

Project and program support

Heffernan lists a dedicated Wrap Up Solutions team alongside its construction practice leader for project-specific programs. BHSI describes primary and excess placements and requests project specifications, contractor loss history and schedule information during underwriting. If several contractors need coordinated coverage, ask Heffernan about wrap-up eligibility and provide BHSI the same project roster. ¹⁰ ⁶

Who arranges the policy

Heffernan’s construction brokers gather carrier quotes and do not underwrite the coverage; BHSI describes its own Builder’s Risk products and available forms. The proposal therefore needs to identify Heffernan’s issuing carrier as well as BHSI’s offered form, limit and layer before you compare price or claims contacts. ¹⁰ ⁵

What Should You Confirm in Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Builders Risk Insurance Quotes?

Ask Heffernan which carrier, wrap-up structure and project participants are included. ¹⁰
Ask BHSI to state the selected form, layer, testing terms and delay sublimit. ⁵
For each submission, confirm the project schedule, contractor loss history and covered construction phases. ⁶

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Review Scores

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.

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Review Score

-/ 10

Review Score

No reviews found

The public ratings for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance are low but thin: Trustpilot shows 2.1 out of 5 from 9 reviews and BBB shows 1 out of 5 from 6. Both mix travel and commercial customers, so we don't count them in a score.^[5]^[7]

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Heffernan Insurance Brokers Review Score

5.2/ 10

Review Score

1 rated source

Heffernan’s available review sample is small and local, with a low Google rating for one office. Check the team that would actually serve your business.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Read Heffernan Insurance Brokers reviews

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Builders Risk Compared

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers: Builders Risk Insurance: documented features by provider

Criteria	Builder’s Risk	Heffernan Builders Risk Insurance
Role in This Line	BHSI describes primary and excess options for its Builder’s Risk products, along with single-peril and difference-in-conditions choices. ⁵Company-reported. These are marketed placement options, not a commitment to provide any layer or a statement about how a specific project is insured.	Heffernan's construction insurance brokers arrange builders risk insurance for contractors, developers and other construction-industry clients. As a broker, Heffernan places the coverage with insurance carriers rather than underwriting it itself. ¹⁰Company-reported. Construction page description of the builders risk offering. Does not establish a specific carrier relationship.
Issuing Insurer	Confirm in your quote.	The construction page does not name the insurer that would issue a builders risk policy arranged through Heffernan; the FAQ refers only to gathering quotes from 'various carriers.' ¹⁰Not publicly disclosed. Checked the construction page on 2026-09-23. The issuing insurer would appear on the quote and declarations.
Who It’s For	BHSI separates its EAR and CAR target categories; it says Master Builder’s Risk is considered selectively. ⁵Company-reported. The published target categories guide submission discussions; they do not guarantee eligibility or acceptance.	Heffernan says its construction insurance brokers serve general contractors, subcontractors, specialty and trade contractors, developers and design/build firms across sectors including alternative energy, concrete construction management and engineering, and lists a network of more than 1,000 contractor and developer clients nationwide. ¹⁰Company-reported. Construction page sector list and client-count claim; client count is company-reported and not independently verified.
Coverage Features	BHSI describes Builder’s Risk as project property coverage and lists hot testing/commissioning, delay and soft-cost features. ⁵Company-reported. U.S. product-page marketing summary; does not establish that each extension is included in every project policy. The page describes primary and excess placements and single-peril or difference-in-conditions options alongside its all-risk product description. ⁵Company-reported. These are marketed options, not a statement that a particular quote includes them. BHSI lists its Builder’s Risk Form, follow-form quota-share or excess forms, and broker manuscript forms as options. ⁶Company-reported. A form being listed does not establish that it will be used for a project or what its final terms contain.	Heffernan describes builders risk insurance as coverage that protects a construction project against physical damage during the build, such as fire, theft and weather-related events, and says it customizes the coverage to the specific project. ¹⁰Company-reported. Construction page product description; specific insuring agreements, exclusions and endorsements are not detailed on the page.
Limits and Retentions	Confirm in your quote.	The construction page's builders risk FAQ gives only a generic industry cost range, roughly 1% to 4% of the construction budget, as educational content. It does not publish a Heffernan-specific limit, retention or premium for a builders risk policy. ¹⁰Not publicly disclosed. Checked the construction page's Builders Risk FAQ section on 2026-09-23. This is general market information, not a Heffernan-issued quote.
Risk Services	Confirm in your quote.	Heffernan lists a dedicated Wrap Up Solutions team alongside its construction practice leader as contacts for builders risk and related project-specific insurance programs. ¹⁰Company-reported. Construction page practice-leader contact block.
How to Apply	BHSI says underwriting may request coverage specifications, a project description, contractor loss experience and a construction schedule, among other project details. ⁶Company-reported. The guide gives examples rather than a universal or complete checklist; requirements depend on the submission.	Heffernan's construction page directs buyers to contact its construction insurance specialists directly, and its builders risk FAQ describes providing project details such as budget, timeline and construction type so Heffernan can gather quotes from multiple carriers. ¹⁰Company-reported. Construction page contact route and FAQ process description.

Related Pages for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers

Builders Risk Pages for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Heffernan Insurance Brokers

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Sources for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers

Sources About Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

At A Glance. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; United States section, zero-based PDF pages 49–53 (viewer pages 50–54): product/industry lists on pages 49–50; U.S. disclosure/version footer on page 53 is 2026-8-03 A. The 2026-09-14 A footer is on preceding European page 48, not the U.S. section. Accessed 2026-09-29.
About Us. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; About BHSI; company profile page re-opened through official site on 2026-09-28; company says it is part of National Indemnity group. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Terms of Service. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; Important Information Concerning Use of this Web Site, paragraphs 2–4; nonbinding submissions, contracted-agent authority, state variation, product availability and policy-specific terms. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Public Disclosure — Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Singapore Branch. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; Singapore branch public disclosure, Company Profile ¶¶ 1–2; direct page opened 2026-09-28. ¶ 1 identifies BHSIC as a Nebraska-domiciled direct P&C insurer; ¶ 2 states BHSIC is wholly owned by National Indemnity Company, itself wholly owned by Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Builder’s Risk. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; Retained canonical source record locator: current U.S. product page, lines 6–35: all-risk project coverage, hot testing/commissioning, delay/startup/soft costs, single-peril/DIC primary/excess, EAR/CAR target categories and selectively considered Master Builder’s Risk. Prior actual access 2026-09-28; direct re-open failed in this session. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Builder’s Risk Appetite Guide. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; U.S. guide pp. 1–2: marketed coverage/participation and targeted classes, lines 0–35; listed BHSI, follow-form and broker-manuscript policy forms, plus example submission information, lines 39–53; dated 2026-01-30 A; all coverage remains subject to the actual policy, lines 63–65. Accessed 2026-09-30.

Sources About Heffernan Insurance Brokers

Our Story. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Technology Company Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Pre-IPO and venture-funded heading; mid to late stage specialization; global expansion copy; self-insurance strategies; Key Markets list; Why Heffernan broker history; Joseph Talmadge practice leader; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Forward-Thinking Business Insurance: basic coverages (general liability, commercial property and auto, workers’ compensation); corporate and executive protection (EPL, D&O, fiduciary responsibility, cyber, kidnap and ransom); alternative risk capabilities; claims, loss control and risk-management services; industry practice links including Technology and Claims Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Construction & Contractor Liability Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Protect Your Construction Projects with Builders Risk Insurance; contractor sectors served; Builders Risk FAQ; network of over 1,000 contractor and developer clients nationwide; Construction Practice Leader and Wrap Up Solutions contacts. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Sources for the Builders Risk Insurance Guide

Glossary of Insurance Terms. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Builders’ Risk Policies; Ocean Marine; Auto Physical Damage; All-Risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Commercial Property; Inland Marine; What Should I Expect from a Broker-Agent. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Builders Risk Coverage Form. Insurance Services Office, Inc.; hosted by Touchpoint Markets; A.1–3 p.1; B.3.c p.11; C,D,E p.12. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Builders Risk Application Tip Sheet. US Assure; General policy application tips p.1; Remodeling tips p.2. Accessed 2026-09-16.