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
Read the Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance profile
Read the Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Surety Bonds page
Markel Insurance: Specialty Business and Products
Markel Insurance is Markel Group's specialty and small-business insurance business, with offerings across packages, workers' compensation, cyber, professional and management liability, property, marine, and surety. Products use different insurers and distribution routes, so compare the issuer and terms shown on the specific quote. 6,7
What Are Surety Bonds?
A surety bond guarantees that your business meets a specific obligation to a customer, contracting party or government agency. If a contract, license or permit requires one, get its exact form and amount; a bond is not insurance for your own losses. 9,10,11,12,13
What Are the Key Differences Between Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Markel Insurance Surety Bonds?
Contract bond audiences and additional forms
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance lists performance, payment, advance-payment, maintenance, supply and warranty bonds and targets contractors and construction suppliers. Markel describes prime and subcontractors as contract-bond audiences and Fortune 2000 and smaller accounts for commercial bonds. Its product page separately lists court and probate bonds. A prime contractor can compare the overlapping performance/payment needs, while a business with a court obligation should ask Markel about those separately listed forms. 5 8
Contract structure and quote limits
Markel describes standalone and co-surety support for contract bonds, while BHSI’s selected claim lists bond forms. For a large contract, ask Markel whether a co-surety structure is relevant and compare it with the obligee’s required form. 8 5
What Should You Confirm in Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Markel Insurance Surety Bonds Quotes?
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Markel Insurance 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
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]
Read Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance reviewsMarkel Insurance Review Score
Review Score
2 rated sources
There is little public customer feedback on Markel. Trustpilot shows 2.5 out of 5 from just 5 reviews, and BBB lists 12 complaints closed in the last three years.[4][3]
Read Markel Insurance reviewsBerkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Markel Insurance Surety Bonds Compared
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Markel Insurance: Surety Bonds: documented features by provider
| Criteria | U.S. Surety | Markel surety bonds (official overview) |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | Confirm in your quote. | Markel describes offering surety bonds for the audience stated on the cited product page. 8Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Who It’s For | BHSI names regional, national and global contractors and construction suppliers or service firms among its target accounts. 5Company-reported. A target description does not establish approval, bonding capacity or qualification for a particular contract. | Prime and subcontractors for contract bonds, plus Fortune 2000 and smaller commercial accounts for commercial bonds, as described by Markel. 8Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Coverage Features | BHSI lists performance, payment, advance-payment, maintenance, supply and warranty bonds. 5Company-reported. The catalogue identifies bond types; actual obligations are set by each bond form, principal, obligee and governing jurisdiction. BHSI lists performance, payment, advance-payment, maintenance, supply and warranty bonds as separate bond types. 5Company-reported. Each bond carries its own obligation; the product list does not establish bond form terms or approval. | The cited product page describes contract, commercial, court, and probate bond products, including standalone and co-surety contract-bond support. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 8Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| Limits and Retentions | Confirm in your quote. | The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. 8Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred. |
| Risk Services | BHSI says its surety team supports public-private partnership and project-delivery arrangements. 5Company-reported. The page does not specify the scope or availability of that support for an individual account. | Confirm in your quote. |
| How to Apply | Confirm in your quote. | The page invites prospective customers or brokers to contact Markel or the named underwriting team. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. 8Company-reported. surety bonds marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
Related Pages for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Markel Insurance
Surety Bonds Pages for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Markel Insurance
Other Coverage Lines Compared for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Markel Insurance
Other Surety Bonds Provider Comparisons
Sources for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Markel Insurance
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.
- Surety. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; Retained canonical source record locator: U.S. Surety product highlights list performance, payment, advance-payment, maintenance, supply and warranty bonds; target contractors and construction suppliers/services; lines 6–32. Prior access 2026-09-28; direct re-open failed in this session. Accessed 2026-09-28.
Sources About Markel Insurance
- About us. Markel; Markel at a glance; description of Markel Insurance within Markel Group Inc. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Markel Group Inc. 2025 Form 10-K. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; filed by Markel Group Inc.; Cover page; Part I, Item 1 Business—Markel Insurance, U.S. Wholesale and Specialty, Programs and Solutions; Part II, Item 7/8 for group and segment risks. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Markel Surety. Markel; Products; contract bonds; commercial bonds; court and probate bonds; support and claims resources. Accessed 2026-09-30.
Sources for the Surety Bonds Guide
- Glossary of Insurance Terms. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Surety Bond; Fidelity. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety bonds. U.S. Small Business Administration; Opening guarantee of work completion; Contract or commercial bonds; Bid, Payment, Performance, Ancillary; Eligibility > credit, capacity, and character. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- 40 U.S. Code § 3131 — Bonds of contractors of public buildings or works. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, reproducing 40 U.S.C. § 3131; §3131(b) Type of Bonds Required — performance bond and payment bond. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety Bonds. Chubb; Construction Surety Bonds (performance, payment, maintenance); Commercial Surety Bonds (license and permit, court, commercial contract). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Surety Bonds Insurance. Harper; What is Surety Bonds insurance?; A bond is not insurance; License & permit bonds; Contract bonds — bid, performance, and payment; Is a bond the same as insurance? Accessed 2026-09-16.
