Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs The Hartford: How Do They Compare for Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance’s design-professional form combines several exposures, while The Hartford describes claims-made and occurrence E&O forms with optional extended reporting periods. 7,11

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 Professional Liability (E&O) 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. 8,9,10

Read the The Hartford profile

Read the The Hartford Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance page

What Is Professional Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance?

Professional liability can help pay defense costs and covered losses when a client says your advice or service caused financial harm. If customers rely on your work, list every service you provide and check the claims-made reporting and prior-work terms. 12,13,14,15

Read the full coverage guide

What Are the Key Differences Between Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and The Hartford Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance?

Form breadth and reporting basis

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance describes a professional-liability form for architects, engineers and consultants that also addresses pollution, media, technology and cyber/network-security exposures. The Hartford says many of its professional-liability policies are claims-made with a retroactive date and an extended reporting period, while some are occurrence-based. These descriptions concern different dimensions: BHSI highlights combined exposure scope, while The Hartford makes the policy trigger and post-expiration reporting period explicit. 7 11

Profession-specific fit

The Hartford lists accountants, consultants, designers, advertising, technology and healthcare among its professional-liability audiences. BHSI identifies several Professional First products and names specific target professions. The overlap does not confirm that the same forms or limits are available for a given profession; a technology company in particular should distinguish standard professional liability from a specialized technology E&O policy. 11 6

What Should You Confirm in Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and The Hartford Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask The Hartford whether your quote is claims-made or occurrence and what retroactive and extended reporting dates apply. 11
  • Ask BHSI whether its combined form applies and which exposures are actually scheduled. 7
  • Compare limits, defense costs and exclusions for your exact services. 11 6

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and The Hartford 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]

Read Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance reviews

The Hartford Review Score

4.9/ 10

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 reviews

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs The Hartford Professional Liability (E&O) Compared

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs The Hartford: Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaProfessional First Professional Liability portfolioThe Hartford Professional Liability Insurance (Errors & Omissions)
Role in This Line

Confirm in your quote.

The Hartford's professional liability insurance, also called errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, protects businesses when they make mistakes in the professional services provided to clients, including claims that turn out to be baseless. 11Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23.

Who It’s For

The overview names staffing firms, management consultants, marketing firms and real-estate firms as targeted customers for Miscellaneous Professional Liability; it separately lists law-firm size bands for Lawyers Professional Liability. 6Company-reported. U.S. Professional First target statements; class-specific eligibility only.

The Hartford targets professional liability at businesses that sign contracts requiring coverage, offer professional services directly to customers, or regularly give advice to clients, and lists industries it covers: accountants, consultants, interior designers, advertising agencies, graphic designers, technology professionals and healthcare professionals. 11Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23.

Coverage Features

BHSI’s U.S. Professional First overview identifies Lawyers Professional Liability and Miscellaneous Professional Liability alongside Technology E&O and Media Liability. 6,5Company-reported. Portfolio catalogue statement; the specific legal/professional class and form must be selected rather than treating the offerings as one policy.

For architects, engineers and consultants, BHSI describes a professional-liability form that also addresses pollution, media, technology and cyber/network-security exposures. 7Company-reported. This is a specialized design-industry combined form, not generic E&O wording or proof that all risks receive each component.

The Hartford says the policy can cover claims of negligence, misrepresentation, inaccurate advice, personal injury (libel/slander) and copyright infringement, plus defense costs. Many of its professional liability policies are written on a claims-made basis with a retroactive date and an extended reporting period (typically 30-60 days, extendable to a year or more for an added cost), though some are written on an occurrence basis. 11Company-reported. Professional liability product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage and policy-form description; the issued policy controls.

Limits and Retentions

Confirm in your quote.

The Hartford publishes average minimum monthly premiums by product: Misc. Professional Liability Standalone $62, Misc. Professional Liability Endorsement $41, Architects and Engineers Professional Liability $239, Healthcare Professionals Professional Liability $38, and Errors & Omissions Insurance for Technology Companies $146. The page does not publish standard coverage limits or retentions; cost and limits are set at quote. 11Company-reported. Company-reported pricing as of 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford May 4, 2026); premiums are not coverage limits.

Risk Services

The Professional First overview describes its in-house claims handling group as experienced in complex, high-value claims and integrated with underwriting. 6Company-reported. Company-reported portfolio-level claim-service description, not independently measured claims performance.

Confirm in your quote.

Related Pages for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs The Hartford

Professional Liability (E&O) Pages for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and The Hartford

Other Coverage Lines Compared for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs The Hartford

Other Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Provider Comparisons

Sources for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs The Hartford

Sources About Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Professional First Professional Liability. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; U.S. Professional Liability landing page links Professional Liability / Network Security & Privacy, stand-alone Network Security & Privacy, and Architects, Engineers and Consultants PL, lines 6–15; footer copyright © 2026. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Professional First Professional Liability Overview. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; PDF pp.1–2: claims group and reporting; primary blended E&O/Cyber and stand-alone Cyber forms; line capacity statement; named Lawyers PL, Technology E&O, Miscellaneous PL, Media Liability, Network Security & Privacy; named technology-services target types and selection categories; dated 2026-06-03-A. Group capacity not a line policy limit. Source version: 2026-06-03-A. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Professional First Architects, Engineers and Consultants Professional Liability. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance; Product Highlights: professional/pollution liability; media, technology and cyber/network security/privacy liability; direct breach/extortion expenses; risk services; primary/excess and project-specific product availability; target professions, lines 6–29. Its combined-form technology feature is not itself a standalone Tech E&O statement. Accessed 2026-09-28.

Sources About The Hartford

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Professional Liability Insurance Coverage. The Hartford; What Is Professional Liability Insurance Coverage?; What Does Professional Liability Insurance Cover?; Who Needs Professional Liability Insurance Coverage?; How Much Does Professional Liability Insurance Cost?; How Does Professional Liability Insurance Work? (claims-made vs. occurrence). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Sources for the Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance Guide

  1. FAQ: Professional liability insurance. Texas Department of Insurance; What’s professional liability coverage?; What types of damages…; What’s general liability insurance?; Do I need professional liability… if I have general liability…?; Is professional liability insurance required?; Can a client require…?; What’s the difference between occurrence policies and claims-made policies. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Professional liability insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening paragraphs (professional services/advice and E&O name); Claims not covered by general liability; What types of businesses need professional liability insurance?; What’s covered… and what’s not (claims-made versus occurrence, defense and judgments, non-financial/intentional limits, BOP/in-home exclusion). Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Get business insurance. U.S. Small Business Administration; Six common types of business insurance table. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Professional Liability – US Direct Errors and Omissions Insurance. Hiscox Inc. specimen; About this Policy / Coverage for Claims Made Against You; I.A Insuring Agreement; I.B Defense; I.C Settlement; II.A Notice of Claims; II.C Optional Extended Reporting Period; III.A, III.K, III.M, III.R, III.S Exclusions; IV.A–B Limits and Deductible; VI.O Professional Services; VI.U Wrongful Act. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated . Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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