Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway: How Do They Compare for General Liability Insurance?

Heffernan's Thimble-linked route advertises online purchase, $1 million or $2 million limits and a certificate in under 30 seconds; its standard brokerage is a separate route. 5,8,7

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. 1,2,3

Read the Heffernan Insurance Brokers profile

Read the Heffernan Insurance Brokers General Liability Insurance page

THREE small business insurance: coverage, issuer and buying routes

THREE markets a packaged commercial insurance product through a direct quote route and partner agents. Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company is named as issuer on THREE’s sample policy. 6,7

Read the THREE by Berkshire Hathaway profile

Read the THREE by Berkshire Hathaway General Liability Insurance page

What Is General Liability Insurance?

General liability can protect your business when a customer or visitor claims you caused injury or damaged their property. It suits businesses serving customers or working on their premises; your own building, tools and stock need property coverage. 9,10,11

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in General Liability Insurance

Two Heffernan Placement Routes

Heffernan places general liability through its standard commercial brokerage and separately distributes an on-demand product with Thimble. The latter is bought online and names Markel as an A-rated insurer; standard brokerage placements do not name an insurer in the reviewed material. THREE lists general liability within its combined Business Owners Policy. Make clear which Heffernan route is being quoted before comparing insurer, terms or service. 3 5 8

Limits and Certificate Speed

Heffernan's Thimble-linked offer advertises $1 million or $2 million limits and says an online purchase can produce an ACORD certificate in under 30 seconds. THREE describes an online quote and advisor support but publishes no matching limits or certificate timing in the reviewed claims. For a short-term job or immediate contract, ask whether THREE can meet the deadline and compare its final certificate wording with the on-demand offer. 5 6

Operations and Claims Support

Heffernan describes general liability for bodily injury and property damage caused by the company, its people or products, and says its standard commercial clients can receive claims services and loss-control support. THREE lists the line in its combined policy but the reviewed description does not detail equivalent services. Ask whether support differs between Heffernan's on-demand and standard placement, then compare it with THREE's service contact. 4 3 8

What to Confirm in General Liability Insurance Quotes

  • Specify standard brokerage or Thimble-linked coverage with Heffernan; ask THREE for insurer, limits, term length and certificate timing. 5 6
  • Compare bodily injury and product wording, claims support, cancellation terms and whether the certificate satisfies the contract. 4 8

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.

Heffernan Insurance Brokers

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

THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

7.3/ 10

Review Score

2 rated sources

The inspected sources report separate measures: NerdWallet’s 4.0/5 editorial rating is excluded from the source-rating average; Trustpilot displayed 2.5/5 from five user posts and BBB displayed 4.8/5 from 265 reviews. Trustpilot and BBB include different purchase, service and agent/intermediary interactions, not a verified common policyholder cohort. BBB separately lists complaints. Any source-rating average weights eligible platforms equally and is not a pooled, representative customer-experience estimate or a claims-quality measure.[4][3][1][2]

Read THREE by Berkshire Hathaway reviews

Offering Details

Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway: General Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaHeffernan General Liability InsuranceTHREE Business Owners Policy
Role in This Line

Heffernan lists general liability among the basic coverages it places for business clients through its standard commercial-insurance brokerage, shopping insurers rather than underwriting the policy itself. 3Company-reported. Business Insurance Brokerage page as read on 2026-09-23.

Separately, Heffernan has partnered with Thimble Insurance Services to distribute an on-demand general liability product bought directly online, a distinct and narrower distribution model from its standard commercial brokerage placement. 5Company-reported. Short-Term General Liability page as read on 2026-09-23.

THREE presents General Liability as a component of its combined Business Owners Policy rather than identifying it as a separate standalone policy on the reviewed product page. 8Company-reported. Company-described U.S. package structure. The page does not establish underwriting terms or that every listed category will be included for every applicant.

Issuing Insurer

For the Thimble-partnered on-demand product, Heffernan says policies are underwritten by A-rated insurers, naming Markel Insurance Company. The reviewed pages for Heffernan's standard commercial general liability placements do not name an insurer. 5,3,4Company-reported. Short-Term General Liability page for the named insurer; Business Insurance and Small Business pages for the standard-placement gap, as read on 2026-09-23.

The linked sample policy's declarations identify Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company as issuer. 7Company-reported. This is the issuer named on the public sample only; the sample does not establish the issuing entity for every state-specific quote or buyer's issued policy.

Who It’s For

Heffernan's small-business division says it serves sole proprietors through fast-growing companies across industries including construction, food, health care, hospitality, nonprofits, real estate, technology, transportation, and vintners and growers, plus named specialty programs. 4Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; no minimum size or exclusion was published.

The reviewed product page does not state separate eligibility rules for General Liability; the general quote and advisor route is not proof that a particular business qualifies for it. 8,6Not publicly disclosed. Eligibility and state availability remain unestablished for an individual risk until THREE returns its quote and applicable forms.

Coverage Features

Heffernan describes general liability as covering bodily injury and property damage caused by a company, whether by its people or its products. 4Company-reported. Small Business Insurance page as read on 2026-09-23; the reviewed pages do not list specific exclusions or endorsements.

THREE's Business Owners Policy page lists General Liability among its marketed coverage categories in the combined policy. This describes the product page, not whether the category appears in a particular quote or responds to a loss. 8,7Company-reported. Official THREE package marketing for General Liability. The sample policy is state-selectable and does not establish that this item is included in every quote or issued policy.

Limits and Retentions

Heffernan's Thimble-partnered on-demand product advertises $1 million or $2 million general liability limits, with pricing starting at $5 for short terms. 5Company-reported. Short-Term General Liability page as read on 2026-09-23; Thimble's own disclaimer says eligibility, pricing, and coverage vary by state, activity class, and other factors.

For its standard commercial general liability placements, Heffernan's reviewed pages do not publish limit, retention, or premium ranges. 3,4Not publicly disclosed. Business Insurance and Small Business Insurance pages as read on 2026-09-23.

The reviewed public product page does not state a separate limit or deductible for General Liability; THREE says the quote-specific insurance summary lists limits and deductibles. 8,7Not publicly disclosed. No number is inferred from the sample policy. The quote and issued declarations control the buyer-specific limit and deductible.

Risk Services

For standard commercial clients, Heffernan says it provides claims services, loss control, HR consulting, and risk-management and assessment services alongside placed coverages such as general liability. 3Company-reported. Business Insurance Brokerage page as read on 2026-09-23; not general liability-specific and not described for the Thimble-partnered on-demand product.

Confirm in your quote.

How to Apply

The Thimble-partnered product is bought directly online with no paper forms, producing an ACORD certificate of insurance in under 30 seconds according to Heffernan's page. 5Company-reported. Short-Term General Liability page as read on 2026-09-23.

THREE directs small-business prospects to an online quote and says licensed Small Business Advisors can help with the process. 6Company-reported. This is the route for the overall THREE product. It does not show whether General Liability will be offered for a particular business or whether a customer can bind that line without an issued policy.

Full Comparison

More Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Comparisons

Other General Liability Insurance Comparisons

Sources

Heffernan Insurance Brokers

  1. Our Story. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. 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.
  3. Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Basic coverages Heffernan can provide include general liability, commercial property, commercial auto, workers' compensation, and global/foreign exposures, among others. Accessed 2026-09-23.
  4. Small Business Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Tailor-Made Insurance for Small Businesses: sole proprietors to fast-growing companies; General liability insurance covers bodily injury and property damage caused by your company, by both people and products; industry list including Construction, Food Industry, Health Care, Hospitality, Nonprofits, Real Estate, Technology, Transportation, Vintners and Growers, Specialty Programs. Accessed 2026-09-23.
  5. Short-Term General Liability. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Heffernan has partnered with Thimble Insurance Services; On-demand General Liability Insurance can be purchased for an hour, a day, or a month; Get your certificate of insurance in less than 30 seconds with $1 million coverage starting at $5; Buy a $1M or $2M General Liability policy ... in seconds; Rely on Verifly: All policies are underwritten by A-Rated insurers, including Markel Insurance Company; Eligibility, pricing and coverage may vary by state, activity/class and other factors. Accessed 2026-09-23.

THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

  1. Jargon-free small business insurance - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Lines 23, 39, 70–81 and 406–410: business location quote entry, single-policy description, issuer, business focus, online quote and licensed Small Business Advisor route. Quote entry inspected without submitting a form. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  2. The Policy: 3 Jargon-free pages - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; State-selectable sample policy: Summary (Declarations) identifies Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company as issuer and says the insurance summary lists limits and deductibles; sample policy text and state selection do not establish terms for a particular quote or issued policy. Accessed 2026-09-30.
  3. Business Owners Policy - THREE by Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Product page: “No need for multiple policies” and one comprehensive policy; Business Liability, Property and Business Auto categories and the listed line names. Product page footer identifies Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE. Accessed 2026-09-30.

General Liability Insurance Guide

  1. Commercial general liability insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Coverage A; Coverage B; Coverage C; Purchasing commercial general liability insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Commercial Insurance Guide. California Department of Insurance; Commercial General Liability; Commercial Automobile; What Should I Expect from a Broker-Agent?; How Are Commercial Policies Rated? Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Commercial General Liability Coverage Form. ISO; specimen hosted by Hiscox; I.A pp.1–5; I.B pp.6–7; I.C pp.7–8; Supplementary Payments p.8; II pp.9–10; III p.10; IV pp.10–12. 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.

Get Help With Insurance Buying and Renewals.

Get help buying coverage and managing renewals, with less paperwork for your team. Start with a free consultation.

Talk to Spot