---
title: "Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs THREE"
description: "Heffernan’s specialty practice serves later-stage technology companies as well as small businesses, and begins with an inquiry; THREE offers a direct quote route for eligible small businesses."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-three"
page-type: "provider-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-30"
---

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[Human-readable page](https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-three)

# Heffernan Insurance Brokers vs THREE

Heffernan’s specialty practice serves later-stage technology companies as well as small businesses, and begins with an inquiry; THREE offers a direct quote route for eligible small businesses.

## Before You Quote

Ask each provider about eligibility, the issuing insurer, policy wording, limits, retentions, exclusions and costs for your business.

## Highlights

Heffernan’s specialty practice serves later-stage technology companies as well as small businesses, and begins with an inquiry; THREE offers a direct quote route for eligible small businesses. Compare Heffernan’s broker consultation for complex or venture-funded risks with the lines THREE can quote online. [12](https://www.heffins.com/contact-us/ "Contact Us") [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE")

## Provider Reliability Assessments

These sourced assessments are shown for context; this comparison does not select a winner.

### Heffernan Insurance Brokers

Role: Broker.

Broker Spot Score: **5.0/10** (partial score; 15% of this role's weighting included). Assessed 2026-09-22; review due 2026-10-22. Excluded factors: Identity and Authority (Current authority and applicable appointments or delegations have not been independently established across the assessed scope.); Carrier-Network Strength (The reviewed evidence does not name the carrier and capacity arrangements behind the assessed programs, so the relationships cannot be assessed.); Regulatory Conduct (A complete, exact-entity regulatory-conduct review for the preceding five years is unavailable.).

Read the [full reliability assessment](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan/reliability).

### THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

Role: Insurance carrier.

Carrier & MGA Spot Score: **Not Rated**. Assessed 2026-09-29; review due 2027-03-29.

Read the [full reliability assessment](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/three/reliability).

## Heffernan Insurance Brokers Reviews

Review Score: 5.2 / 10 from 1 rated source, equally weighted.

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.

- Google reviews (aggregated by Birdeye): Google local listing rating (displayed by Birdeye) 2.6 (5 stars); 5 reviews. Portland office listing at 5100 S Macadam Avenue, matching the official Heffernan locations directory; Birdeye identifies the original review platform as Google. Checked 2026-09-25. [Heffernan Insurance Brokers - Portland reviews](https://reviews.birdeye.com/heffernan-insurance-brokers-144140015138058)

Reviewed 2026-09-25. [Read the sourced review](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan/reviews).

## THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Reviews

Review Score: 7.3 / 10 from 2 rated sources, equally weighted.

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.

- NerdWallet: NerdWallet editorial rating 4.0 (5 stars). NerdWallet editorial evaluation of THREE commercial insurance; updated May 11, 2026. Its methodology score is an editorial rating, not an average of consumer reviews or a claims study. Period: Updated 2026-05-11. Checked 2026-09-29. [Three Insurance review | NerdWallet](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/insurance/learn/three-insurance)
- Trustpilot: TrustScore 2.5 (5 stars); 5 reviews. Trustpilot page for threeinsurance.com checked 2026-09-29. Five user-posted reviews, one in prior 12 months; small self-selected population, review provenance not independently verified. Period: Displayed 2026-09-29. Checked 2026-09-29. [THREE Reviews | Trustpilot](https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/threeinsurance.com)
- BBB: BBB customer review average 4.8 (5 stars); 265 reviews. BBB profile for THREE by Berkshire Hathaway, customer-review and complaints pages directly rechecked 2026-09-29. The customer-review population includes sales-agent/intermediary interactions and customer purchase/service reports; it is not a verified uniform policyholder or claims-outcome cohort. Average and complaints are distinct populations. BBB says third-party information may not be verified and complaint text may be incomplete. Period: Displayed 2026-09-29. Checked 2026-09-29. [THREE by Berkshire Hathaway customer reviews | BBB](https://www.bbb.org/us/ne/omaha/profile/commercial-insurance-services/three-by-berkshire-hathaway-0714-300275558/customer-reviews?page=1); [THREE by Berkshire Hathaway complaints | BBB](https://www.bbb.org/us/ne/omaha/profile/commercial-insurance-services/three-by-berkshire-hathaway-0714-300275558/complaints)

Reviewed 2026-09-29. [Read the sourced review](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/three/reviews).





## Coverage Comparison

| Coverage Type | Heffernan Insurance Brokers | THREE by Berkshire Hathaway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Builders risk](https://spot.insure/coverage/builders-risk) | Listed: Heffernan arranges builders risk. [15](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/construction/ "Construction & Contractor Liability Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Business owner’s policy](https://spot.insure/coverage/business-owners-policy) | Listed: Heffernan arranges business owner’s policies for small businesses. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/small-business/ "Small Business Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Cargo and transit](https://spot.insure/coverage/cargo-transit) | Listed: Heffernan arranges marine cargo insurance for freight, import and export businesses. [16](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/marine-cargo/ "Marine Cargo") [17](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/transportation/ "Transportation Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Commercial auto](https://spot.insure/coverage/commercial-auto) | Listed: Heffernan arranges commercial auto insurance. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Commercial property](https://spot.insure/coverage/commercial-property) | Listed: Heffernan arranges commercial property insurance. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Crime](https://spot.insure/coverage/crime) | Listed: Heffernan arranges crime insurance. [19](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Cyber liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/cyber) | Listed: Heffernan arranges cyber insurance. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [9](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/cyber-insurance/ "Cyber Security Insurance") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/small-business/ "Small Business Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Directors and officers](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers) | Listed: Heffernan arranges directors and officers liability. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Employee health and benefits](https://spot.insure/coverage/employee-health-benefits) | Listed: Heffernan advises employers on group health, dental and vision benefits. [11](https://www.heffins.com/employee-benefits/ "Health Insurance services") | Not listed |
| [Employment practices liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices) | Listed: Heffernan arranges employment practices liability. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Equipment breakdown](https://spot.insure/coverage/equipment-breakdown) | Not listed | Listed: THREE lists equipment breakdown within the package; its displayed sample excludes machinery, equipment or listed vehicles that stop without an accident. Check the quoted form for the actual protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Fidelity bonds](https://spot.insure/coverage/fidelity-bonds) | Listed: Heffernan arranges employee dishonesty bonds. [19](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Fiduciary liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/fiduciary) | Listed: Heffernan arranges fiduciary liability. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [General liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/general-liability) | Listed: Heffernan arranges general liability insurance. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/small-business/ "Small Business Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Hired and non-owned auto](https://spot.insure/coverage/hired-non-owned-auto) | Listed: Heffernan arranges hired and non-owned auto liability. [19](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/ "Home Care Business Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Kidnap and ransom](https://spot.insure/coverage/kidnap-ransom) | Listed: Heffernan arranges kidnap and ransom insurance. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") | Not listed |
| [Last-mile delivery](https://spot.insure/coverage/last-mile-delivery) | Listed: Heffernan arranges insurance for final-mile delivery businesses. [17](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/transportation/ "Transportation Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Liquor liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/liquor-liability) | Not listed | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy if required; the quote and issued form determine availability and protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Management liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/management-liability) | Listed: Heffernan arranges management liability insurance. [17](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/transportation/ "Transportation Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Medical malpractice](https://spot.insure/coverage/medical-malpractice) | Listed: Heffernan arranges medical malpractice insurance. [18](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/ "Healthcare Insurance for Health Care Services") | Not listed |
| [Professional errors and omissions (E&O)](https://spot.insure/coverage/professional-errors-omissions) | Listed: Heffernan arranges professional errors and omissions insurance for small businesses. [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/small-business/ "Small Business Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Representations and warranties](https://spot.insure/coverage/representations-warranties) | Listed: Heffernan arranges representations and warranties insurance. [20](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/private-equity-and-ma/ "Private Equity and M&A") | Not listed |
| [Surety bonds](https://spot.insure/coverage/surety-bonds) | Listed: Heffernan arranges surety bonds, including through a linked online bond portal. [16](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/marine-cargo/ "Marine Cargo") [13](https://www.heffins.com/quick-insure/ "Quick Insure") | Not listed |
| [Tools, equipment and inland marine](https://spot.insure/coverage/inland-marine) | Not listed | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Trucking](https://spot.insure/coverage/trucking) | Listed: Heffernan arranges insurance for trucking and logistics businesses. [17](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/transportation/ "Transportation Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Umbrella and excess liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/umbrella-excess) | Listed: Heffernan arranges excess and umbrella insurance. [17](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/transportation/ "Transportation Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Workers’ compensation](https://spot.insure/coverage/workers-compensation) | Listed: Heffernan arranges workers’ compensation insurance. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/small-business/ "Small Business Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |

A listing may be arranged through an insurer or partner. “Not listed” means this catalogue has no separate offering recorded; ask the provider whether it can quote the coverage and request the policy terms.



## Optional Spot Service Handoff

Spot can help prepare applications, coordinate brokers, and compare proposals. If that work is needed, collect the company's task, known deadline, current broker, and open questions for a [free consultation](https://spot.insure/pricing.md). The company decides what to buy; Spot does not automatically bind coverage.

## Key Differences Between Heffernan Insurance Brokers and THREE

### Business Roles and Access to Insurers

Heffernan Insurance Brokers’s documented role shapes who handles underwriting and how you reach a policy.

Heffernan is a broker that shops insurers, presents options and arranges coverage; the policy’s insurer, not Heffernan, issues it and handles covered claims. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [9](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/cyber-insurance/ "Cyber Security Insurance") [5](https://www.heffins.com/privacy-statement/ "Privacy Statement") [1](https://www.heffins.com/ "Heffernan Insurance Brokers") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Company-described broking role. Do not infer underwriting authority for all products from the marine-cargo program’s in-house authority language.; verified: 2026-09-16.)

THREE documents its own insurance role and access arrangement.

THREE is the commercial brand and product form used by Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company (BHDIC), which identifies itself as doing business as THREE and names itself as issuer on the sample THREE policy. THREE’s FAQ describes THREE or THREE Insurance as the product name, not a separate insurer. The state-specific issued policy controls. [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") [29](https://threeinsurance.com/faqs "FAQs: Understanding THREE") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: U.S. THREE commercial-insurance brand and sample policy; current company identity pages checked 2026-09-28. Company-reported legal disclosure; the state-specific issued policy controls the buyer’s contract.; verified: 2026-09-28.)

### Customer Fit and Application

Compare each provider’s stated customer focus against your business activities and stage; a published target market is not a guarantee of eligibility.

Technology companies in mid-to-late stages, including venture-funded and pre-IPO firms, can work with Heffernan’s specialty practice; its small-business team serves sole proprietors through fast-growing firms. [1](https://www.heffins.com/ "Heffernan Insurance Brokers") [7](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/technology/ "Technology Company Insurance") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/small-business/ "Small Business Insurance") [2](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/ "Our Story") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Current official positioning. Not a minimum-size, funding-stage, or eligibility determination for any applicant.; verified: 2026-09-16.)

THREE describes its focus as businesses and presents industries it serves. Berkshire Hathaway’s 2025 annual report says BH Direct and GUARD together primarily offer commercial insurance to small and medium-sized businesses; it separately says BH Direct underwrites through the biBERK.com and Threeinsurance.com distribution platforms. Eligibility varies by state and business. [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [33](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/2025ar/202510-k.pdf "Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 2025 Annual Report / Form 10-K") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: THREE’s company-described business focus and industry examples, plus the 2025 report’s joint BH Direct-and-GUARD SMB statement. The report does not attribute that customer-size focus to BHDIC alone; actual eligibility varies by state and business.; verified: 2026-09-28.)

These entry points show how to start; they do not confirm eligibility or that coverage has been bound. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [12](https://www.heffins.com/contact-us/ "Contact Us") [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [36](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE")

You can start with an inquiry form asking for contact details, insurance needs and an operations description; the form was not submitted, so quote results and binding steps were not established. [12](https://www.heffins.com/contact-us/ "Contact Us") (Evidence: Verified; scope: Chrome inspection of the unsubmitted Contact Form 7 on heffins.com/contact-us/. No fields completed and no submission. Downstream underwriting and post-submission behavior not tested. The wording was checked against the stored inspection record on 24 September 2026; the website was not revisited.; verified: 2026-09-24.)

THREE directs prospective customers to an online quote flow and says licensed Small Business Advisors can help them start or continue the process; the company’s FAQ also describes a phone quote and says an unfinished quote can be saved and resumed. This documents quote routes, not online purchase or binding by an individual customer. [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [29](https://threeinsurance.com/faqs "FAQs: Understanding THREE") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: U.S. business insurance quote application. Company-described online and phone process; no customer form was submitted and no binding outcome was tested.; verified: 2026-09-28.)

## What to Confirm in Quotes

Ask Heffernan which technology markets and policy forms it will approach. Ask THREE whether your stage, revenue and technology work fit its small-business underwriting. Ask each provider to identify the proposed insurer, exact forms and endorsements, any intermediary or account service contact, and the steps required to bind. Compare premiums only after matching limits, retentions, exclusions, policy periods, taxes and fees.

## Compare Services

What each provider documents about the services you may need.

| Criteria | Heffernan Insurance Brokers | THREE by Berkshire Hathaway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business role | Heffernan is a broker that shops insurers, presents options and arranges coverage; the policy’s insurer, not Heffernan, issues it and handles covered claims. [6](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/ "Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage") [9](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/cyber-insurance/ "Cyber Security Insurance") [5](https://www.heffins.com/privacy-statement/ "Privacy Statement") [1](https://www.heffins.com/ "Heffernan Insurance Brokers") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Company-described broking role. Do not infer underwriting authority for all products from the marine-cargo program’s in-house authority language.; verified: 2026-09-16.)<br><br>Confirm the exact producer on your agreement and policy: Heffernan’s pages use that business name and display California license 0564249 but no longer corporate suffix. [1](https://www.heffins.com/ "Heffernan Insurance Brokers") [24](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/heffernan-insurance-brokers-acquires-kristin-manwaring-insurance-associates-inc-302860809.html "Heffernan Insurance Brokers Acquires Kristin Manwaring Insurance Associates, Inc.") [2](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/ "Our Story") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Brand and license-number display only. Not independent license verification or a complete legal-entity chart.; verified: 2026-09-16.)<br><br>Heffernan describes itself as employee-owned and independent since 1988; a 2019 investor release described a minority investment, but current ownership percentages are not public. [1](https://www.heffins.com/ "Heffernan Insurance Brokers") [2](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/ "Our Story") [25](https://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/skyknight-invests-in-heffernan-insurance-brokers-to-support-the-platforms-continued-growth "SkyKnight Invests in Heffernan Insurance Brokers to Support the Platform’s Continued Growth") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Company and investor announcements. Not a current cap-table verification.; verified: 2026-09-16.)<br><br>If you need California technology insurance, verify which related Heffernan entity will serve as producer; its network, London, and benefits entities do not identify the entity for your policy. [21](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/heffernan-network-insurance-brokers/ "Heffernan Network Insurance Brokers") [22](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/locations/costero-brokers-ltd/ "London, UK – Costero Brokers") [11](https://www.heffins.com/employee-benefits/ "Health Insurance services") [3](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/locations/ "Our Locations") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Official related-entity descriptions. Costero’s FCA status and Heffernan’s exact current ownership of Costero were not independently verified.; verified: 2026-09-16.) | THREE is the commercial brand and product form used by Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company (BHDIC), which identifies itself as doing business as THREE and names itself as issuer on the sample THREE policy. THREE’s FAQ describes THREE or THREE Insurance as the product name, not a separate insurer. The state-specific issued policy controls. [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [28](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") [29](https://threeinsurance.com/faqs "FAQs: Understanding THREE") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: U.S. THREE commercial-insurance brand and sample policy; current company identity pages checked 2026-09-28. Company-reported legal disclosure; the state-specific issued policy controls the buyer’s contract.; verified: 2026-09-28.)<br><br>Berkshire Hathaway’s published company list identifies Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company (THREE) and lists Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) and biBERK separately. Its 2025 annual report says BH Direct and GUARD together primarily offer commercial products to small and medium-sized businesses; it separately describes BH Direct’s admitted commercial underwriting and use of the biBERK.com and Threeinsurance.com distribution platforms. The reviewed list and report do not establish the exact direct-versus-indirect ownership chain. [34](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/subs/sublinks.html "Links to Berkshire Hathaway Subsidiary Companies") [33](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/2025ar/202510-k.pdf "Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 2025 Annual Report / Form 10-K") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Berkshire Hathaway company list checked 2026-09-28 and 2025 annual-report discussion of BH Direct and GUARD; group relationship and commercial operating scope only, not a precise ownership-chain finding.; verified: 2026-09-28.) |
| Customer focus | Technology companies in mid-to-late stages, including venture-funded and pre-IPO firms, can work with Heffernan’s specialty practice; its small-business team serves sole proprietors through fast-growing firms. [1](https://www.heffins.com/ "Heffernan Insurance Brokers") [7](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/technology/ "Technology Company Insurance") [8](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/small-business/ "Small Business Insurance") [2](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/ "Our Story") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Current official positioning. Not a minimum-size, funding-stage, or eligibility determination for any applicant.; verified: 2026-09-16.) | THREE describes its focus as businesses and presents industries it serves. Berkshire Hathaway’s 2025 annual report says BH Direct and GUARD together primarily offer commercial insurance to small and medium-sized businesses; it separately says BH Direct underwrites through the biBERK.com and Threeinsurance.com distribution platforms. Eligibility varies by state and business. [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [33](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/2025ar/202510-k.pdf "Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 2025 Annual Report / Form 10-K") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: THREE’s company-described business focus and industry examples, plus the 2025 report’s joint BH Direct-and-GUARD SMB statement. The report does not attribute that customer-size focus to BHDIC alone; actual eligibility varies by state and business.; verified: 2026-09-28.) |
| Application process | You can start with an inquiry form asking for contact details, insurance needs and an operations description; the form was not submitted, so quote results and binding steps were not established. [12](https://www.heffins.com/contact-us/ "Contact Us") (Evidence: Verified; scope: Chrome inspection of the unsubmitted Contact Form 7 on heffins.com/contact-us/. No fields completed and no submission. Downstream underwriting and post-submission behavior not tested. The wording was checked against the stored inspection record on 24 September 2026; the website was not revisited.; verified: 2026-09-24.)<br><br>Technology buyers work with a specialist broker who gathers insurer quotes and helps choose coverage; Heffernan does not promise a universal quote or binding time for growth-stage programs. Quick Insure is a separate path for selected personal and short-term business products. [7](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/technology/ "Technology Company Insurance") [9](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/cyber-insurance/ "Cyber Security Insurance") [13](https://www.heffins.com/quick-insure/ "Quick Insure") [12](https://www.heffins.com/contact-us/ "Contact Us") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Service descriptions. Technology-page FAQ “how do I get” language is educational process copy, not a measured SLA.; verified: 2026-09-16.) | THREE directs prospective customers to an online quote flow and says licensed Small Business Advisors can help them start or continue the process; the company’s FAQ also describes a phone quote and says an unfinished quote can be saved and resumed. This documents quote routes, not online purchase or binding by an individual customer. [27](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [29](https://threeinsurance.com/faqs "FAQs: Understanding THREE") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: U.S. business insurance quote application. Company-described online and phone process; no customer form was submitted and no binding outcome was tested.; verified: 2026-09-28.)<br><br>THREE describes a partner-agency channel. Its partner page says the Agency Service Team assists policyholders and agents and that agency partners can use the THREE platform to quote, bind, and issue policies online. This describes the partner channel, not the direct public quote flow. [32](https://threeinsurance.com/become-a-three-partner "Become a THREE Partner") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: THREE partner agency program and platform capabilities as described by the company; these capabilities apply to partner agencies and do not establish direct-customer self-binding.; verified: 2026-09-28.) |

## Related Reading

- [What Is Heffernan Insurance Brokers?](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/heffernan)
- [THREE small business insurance: coverage, issuer and buying routes](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/three)

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## Sources

### [Heffernan Insurance Brokers Official Website](https://www.heffins.com)

1. [Heffernan Insurance Brokers](https://www.heffins.com/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; What we offer; Independent since 1988; Built for what’s next; footer copyright and License #0564249; Quick Insure; Get a quote; Propeller bond-portal disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
2. [Our Story](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/our-story/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
3. [Our Locations](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/locations/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Nationwide coverage heading; Walnut Creek corporate headquarters; Bay Area and other California offices; Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Northeast, Southeast, Honolulu; London Costero listing; footer License #0564249. Accessed 2026-09-16.
4. [Walnut Creek](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/locations/walnut-creek/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Corporate headquarters; founded 1988 in Walnut Creek. Accessed 2026-09-16.
5. [Privacy Statement](https://www.heffins.com/privacy-statement/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Collection for professional services; disclosure to non-affiliated third parties to solicit quotations from insurance carriers; website content developed in the United States and intended for U.S. users except where otherwise specified. Accessed 2026-09-16.
6. [Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/). 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.
7. [Technology Company Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/technology/). 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.
8. [Small Business Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/small-business/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Tailor-Made Insurance for Small Businesses: sole proprietors to fast-growing companies; types of coverage we can provide (GL, WC, E&O, BOP, cyber); industry list including Technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
9. [Cyber Security Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/cyber-insurance/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Make Cyber Liability Insurance Part of Your Cyber Risk Management Plan: cyber risk team determines exposure, shops the market, presents options and guides coverage selection; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
10. [Claims Advocacy](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/claims-advocacy/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Full-service claims consulting; workers’ compensation strategy and carrier liaison; medical triage; general liability, auto and property advocacy; vendor compliance tools. Accessed 2026-09-16.
11. [Health Insurance services](https://www.heffins.com/employee-benefits/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Heffernan Benefit Advisors; Health Insurance / Let us help you find the ideal program: large and small group employee benefits, group dental, group vision, medical, life and disability, voluntary benefits, Medicare; Administration and Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
12. [Contact Us](https://www.heffins.com/contact-us/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Contact form fields: First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Insurance Needed, Description of Operations; Select Need A Quote / Other / Would like to speak with someone; Submit. Accessed 2026-09-16.
13. [Quick Insure](https://www.heffins.com/quick-insure/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Fast quotes for personal and business insurance; Business Insurance tiles including Short Term General Liability, Surety, Special Event Insurance, Peer-to-Peer Car Rental; linked Propeller bond portal and third-party bond-provider notice; Trusted Providers copy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
14. [Short-Term General Liability](https://www.heffins.com/short-term-general-liability/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Partnership with Thimble Insurance Services for on-demand general liability; eligibility, pricing and coverage may vary by state; non-binding indication disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
15. [Construction & Contractor Liability Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/construction/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Protect Your Construction Projects with Builders Risk Insurance: customized builders risk coverage; contractor sectors served; construction-broker contact route; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
16. [Marine Cargo](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/marine-cargo/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Transportation Insurance Programs for Freight Forwarders and Logistics Companies; Coverage Options: Marine Cargo, E&O and Surety Bonds; Specialty Programs; in-house underwriting authority; exclusive access to major insurance carriers; dedicated claims division with settlement authority. Accessed 2026-09-16.
17. [Transportation Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/transportation/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Our transportation subsectors include (trucking and final mile delivery); We offer the following exclusive and sponsored products (auto liability, motor truck cargo, umbrella, workers’ compensation, cyber and management liability); appointed with top transportation carriers. Accessed 2026-09-16.
18. [Healthcare Insurance for Health Care Services](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Healthcare Services: Medical Malpractice (Med Mal); commercial-insurance solutions for physician groups, clinics, hospitals and other health care businesses; relationships with the nation’s top insurance carriers; captives and self-insurance options. Accessed 2026-09-16.
19. [Home Care Business Insurance](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/health-care/homecare/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; We offer comprehensive coverage for: workers’ compensation, general and professional liability, EPL, owned auto, Non-owned and Hired Auto, Crime–Third Party Theft, Employee Dishonesty Bond, cyber, medical billing E&O and property; home-care, home-health and hospice program audience. Accessed 2026-09-16.
20. [Private Equity and M&A](https://www.heffins.com/business-insurance/private-equity-and-ma/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; HIB Private Equity and M&A Practice (private-equity firms and strategic investors); Representation & Warranty (RWI) Insurance; Transactional Risk Mitigation list including contingent, environmental, tax and litigation buyout. Accessed 2026-09-16.
21. [Heffernan Network Insurance Brokers](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/heffernan-network-insurance-brokers/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Formerly OLI Insurance Services; wholly owned subsidiary; agency acquisition and perpetuation; exclusive carrier access described for partner agencies. Accessed 2026-09-16.
22. [London, UK – Costero Brokers](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/locations/costero-brokers-ltd/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Costero Brokers Ltd. London office listing; full-service London brokerage; link to costerobrokers.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
23. [Modern Brokerage Solutions](https://www.heffins.com/about-us/modern-brokerage-solutions/). Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Independent brokerage; digital document access and service activity status; TrustLayer and Quick Insure mentions; AI workflow for claims administration. Accessed 2026-09-16.
24. [Heffernan Insurance Brokers Acquires Kristin Manwaring Insurance Associates, Inc.](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/heffernan-insurance-brokers-acquires-kristin-manwaring-insurance-associates-inc-302860809.html) Heffernan Insurance Brokers via PR Newswire; 26 August 2026 release; Walnut Creek; independent brokerage; F. Michael Heffernan, President and CEO; License #0564249 in about block. Accessed 2026-09-16.
25. [SkyKnight Invests in Heffernan Insurance Brokers to Support the Platform’s Continued Growth](https://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/skyknight-invests-in-heffernan-insurance-brokers-to-support-the-platforms-continued-growth). InsuranceNewsNet reprint of SkyKnight Capital BusinessWire; 22 July 2019 announcement; minority investment; ESOP recapitalization; Mike Heffernan quote on retaining employee ownership. Accessed 2026-09-16.
26. [California License Number Search](https://cdicloud.insurance.ca.gov/cal/LicenseNumberSearch). California Department of Insurance; License-number search form. Accessed 2026-09-16.

### [THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Official Website](https://threeinsurance.com/)

27. [THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance](https://threeinsurance.com/). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Issuer, business focus, and industry scope, lines 70–81; quote/advisor route, lines 405–420; DBA footer, lines 432–434. Accessed 2026-09-28.
28. [The Policy](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Sample declarations, limits and three-day Business Interruption waiting period (lines 58–76); Section I: interruption follows a property loss the insurer pays and ends on resumed normal operations or an applicable limit (lines 82–86); Section III: machinery/equipment/listed vehicles stopping without an accident are excluded (lines 104–112). Accessed 2026-09-29.
29. [FAQs: Understanding THREE](https://threeinsurance.com/faqs). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Quote save/resume, lines 73–76; claim/update routes, lines 78–89; product-not-company wording, lines 98–100; one-year policy/payment terms, lines 129–130; servicing requests, lines 141–157. Accessed 2026-09-28.
30. [Terms & Conditions](https://threeinsurance.com/terms-conditions). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; BHDIC dba THREE, lines 20–23; recurring automatic bank draft qualification, lines 27–33. Accessed 2026-09-28.
31. [Filing a Claim: Call to get started](https://threeinsurance.com/claims). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Online/phone claims and account-manager assignment, lines 24–43; claim updates, lines 59–61. Accessed 2026-09-28.
32. [Become a THREE Partner](https://threeinsurance.com/become-a-three-partner). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Partner-agency program and platform permissions, lines 6–18; state availability, lines 30–35. Accessed 2026-09-28.
33. [Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 2025 Annual Report / Form 10-K](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/2025ar/202510-k.pdf). Berkshire Hathaway Inc.; 2025 annual report, PDF page 5, printed K-4, lines 303–308: BH Direct and GUARD joint SMB focus; BH Direct platforms/admitted products. Accessed 2026-09-28.
34. [Links to Berkshire Hathaway Subsidiary Companies](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/subs/sublinks.html). Berkshire Hathaway Inc.; Published subsidiary-company list; BHDIC (THREE), BHSI, and biBERK shown separately, lines 11–16. Accessed 2026-09-28.
35. [THREE online quote application](https://quotes.threeinsurance.com/). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; THREE online quote entry point inspected; the page is a route to begin an application. No form was submitted or quote generated; this source alone does not establish customer self-binding. Accessed 2026-09-28.
36. [Business Owners Policy | THREE](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Product page explicitly markets Business Liability categories (including liquor liability if required), Property (including equipment breakdown and inland marine), Business Auto (including cargo liability and hired/non-owned), Business Interruption, Cyber and Workers’ Compensation, within one combined policy description (lines 8–9, 19–21, 23–76); BHDIC dba THREE footer (lines 93–94). Accessed 2026-09-29.
37. [Benefits | THREE](https://threeinsurance.com/benefits). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Page copy: commercial coverage category descriptions for liability, cyber, property/business interruption, business auto and workers compensation; describes product benefits, not a complete policy form. Accessed 2026-09-29.
38. [THREE logo SVG](https://threeinsurance.com/three-logo.svg). Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, dba THREE; Direct official SVG asset; viewBox 0 0 720 253; embedded title “Three by Berkshire Hathaway”; downloaded and preserved byte-for-byte as assets/three-logo.svg. Accessed 2026-09-29.

Updated 2026-09-30. 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; it is not a recommendation for a specific policy. [Editorial policy](https://spot.insure/editorial-policy). To suggest a correction, [contact Spot](https://spot.insure/contact) with the page URL and supporting source.

## Agent and Developer Resources

- [Markdown page](https://spot.insure/compare/heffernan-vs-three.md)
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- [Public MCP server](https://spot.insure/mcp)
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