Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs 
The Hartford: How Do They Compare for Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance places EPL in Executive First with D&O, fiduciary, crime, and employed-lawyer coverage. The Hartford says EPL is built into its BOP for most classes, also available standalone, but has no built-in EPL in California, Minnesota, North Dakota, or New York; its footnote gives a $25,000 limit for Spectrum business written by Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company. 5,9
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 Employment Practices Liability Insurance page
What Is The Hartford?
The Hartford suits SaaS and software small businesses seeking a BOP and an online quote; buyers needing commercial auto through self-service or built-in California EPL coverage should use another route. Eligible small-business quotes can start online in minutes. 6,7,8
Read the The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance page
What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
EPLI can help pay covered defense costs and losses when applicants or workers allege discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination or other workplace wrongdoing. If you employ people, check the claim definition, defense costs and prior acts. 10,11,12
Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Form and Limit Structure
The Hartford’s state and class qualifications can determine whether bundled EPL is available at all, and the $25,000 figure applies to a specified Spectrum product rather than every Hartford policy. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance advertises larger portfolio limits, but the amount assigned to EPL can be shared. Check the exact state, product, and issuer on both quotes. 5 9
Where the Buyer Fits
The Hartford includes third-party EPL for most businesses and automatically includes wage-and-hour defense-cost coverage in the BOP EPL, according to its overview. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance’s portfolio page does not detail those provisions. Employers with customer-facing exposure or wage disputes should compare wording and any state-specific differences directly. 5 9
What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes
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
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 reviewsThe Hartford
Review Score
5 rated sources
The Hartford’s service record is mixed: NerdWallet rates it 4.5/5 but reports below-average small-business satisfaction. Low Trustpilot ratings add a service concern, although they mix policy types.[1][2][4][5][6][7]
Read The Hartford reviewsOffering Details
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs The Hartford: Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Employment Practices Liability in Executive First Private Company Portfolio | The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | BHSI lists Employment Practices Liability within its Executive First Private Company Portfolio comprehensive form with D&O, fiduciary, Commercial Crime and employed-lawyer insurance. 5Company-reported. This is portfolio marketing and does not show that EPL must be purchased with every other component. | The Hartford's EPLI is built into its Business Owner's Policy for most classes, is included in its Private Choice Premier package policy, and is also sold stand-alone as Employers Premier Choice. 9Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| Issuing Insurer | Confirm in your quote. | The Hartford names Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company as the writing company for the described $25,000 Spectrum EPL limit, though other EPLI products on the page (BOP-included, Private Choice Premier, Employers Premier Choice) are not each tied to a named writing company on this page. 9Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23. |
| Who It’s For | BHSI identifies private companies with at least $10 million in revenue among portfolio target accounts. 5Company-reported. This is the portfolio’s target segment, not an eligibility guarantee for an EPL quote. | The Hartford's footnotes say there is no built-in EPL coverage in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York, and that the EPL program described on the page does not apply to EPL coverage written in California. Coverage and limits also vary by state and business class. 9Company-reported. EPLI product page footnotes as read 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford November 26, 2025). |
| Coverage Features | BHSI explicitly includes Employment Practices Liability in the listed portfolio form. 5Company-reported. The source identifies the line but does not describe covered allegations, exclusions or terms. | The Hartford says its EPLI covers claims of discrimination (including age), retaliation, FMLA violations, wrongful discipline or termination, failure to promote, and harassment, and that third-party EPLI (claims from customers, vendors or business invitees, not just employees) is included for most businesses. Its BOP also automatically includes Wage and Hour Defense Cost coverage as part of the built-in EPLI. 9Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls. |
| Limits and Retentions | BHSI advertises shared or separate portfolio limits up to $50 million. 5Company-reported. A portfolio-wide maximum is not an EPL limit or a quote. | The Hartford's EPLI footnote states a $25,000 limit applies to Spectrum business written in Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company. 9Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23. Applies specifically to Spectrum-program business at that writing company; other products/limits are not addressed. |
| Risk Services | The portfolio page says policyholders can access EPL First, an online repository of HR training and compliance resources and an attorney helpline. 5Company-reported. The page describes portfolio services; it does not state the helpline’s scope or availability for every policyholder. | The Hartford says it gives employers access to hartfordhelp.com, a proprietary site with web-based training on topics like sexual harassment and wrongful termination, current articles on employment-practices trends, and model employment policies and handbooks; this program requires purchase of increased EPL limits and may not be available in all states. 9Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. |
Full Comparison
More Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs The Hartford Comparisons
Other Employment Practices Liability Insurance Comparisons
Sources
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.
- Executive First Private Company Portfolio. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; Product Highlights, lines 11–15: D&O, EPL, fiduciary, Commercial Crime and Employed Lawyers in one comprehensive form; shared or separate limits up to $50 million; EPL First HR resources and attorney helpline. Top Targets, lines 16–25: private companies with at least $10 million revenue and listed industries. Reopened 2026-09-30. Accessed 2026-09-30.
The Hartford
- Legal Notice. The Hartford; The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. holding-company description; no representation that all products are available in all locations; P&C writing-company table as of December 31, 2025 including Hartford Fire (NAIC 19682) and Hartford Underwriters (NAIC 30104); life writing companies including Hartford Life and Accident (NAIC 70815). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- SaaS Insurance for Your Business. The Hartford; Audience list (software startups, SaaS, IT consulting); Get a Business Owner’s Policy; What Is Business Owner’s Policy Insurance?; general liability introduction and Get a Quote; Get Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Property Insurance for Your Business; Benefits of The Hartford’s WC Insurance for Employers and Employees; cyber insurance and data breach descriptions; Get a quote for cyber insurance; EPLI introduction and Private Choice Premier; add-ons (workers’ compensation, data breach, commercial auto); technology professional liability mention; small-business availability banner; industry-average premium footnote; footnote 2 state restrictions; footer product-availability disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Find a Local Insurance Agent. The Hartford; Small-business and midsize agent locators; FAQ that buyers can purchase without an agent by calling or quoting online; statement that agents may charge fees. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance | EPL Insurance. The Hartford; What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?; Why Do I Need EPLI?; If You Have Employees, You Need EPLI; Prevention Is Your Best Protection; footnotes 1-4 on state availability and Wage and Hour Defense Cost. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening; What EPLI covers; Steps to limit employment liability risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Employment Practices Liability Coverage. Travelers; I.A/II.A p.1; III.A.4–6 p.7; II.F Employment Claim, PDF p.2; I.B p.1; II.U–V p.5; II.L p.3; III.A.9 and A.13, pp.7–8; III.B.2 p.8; IV.A Settlement, PDF pp.8–9. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Liability Coverage Terms and Conditions. Travelers; III.F–H p.6; III.O pp.8–9; III.F p.6; III.B–D, PDF pp.3–5; III.E–F, PDF pp.5–6. Accessed 2026-09-16.
