---
title: "Nationwide vs THREE"
description: "Nationwide lets small businesses start a quote online but says buyers then call or work with an agent to purchase; THREE offers an online quote with advisor help."
canonical: "https://spot.insure/compare/nationwide-vs-three"
page-type: "provider-comparison"
updated-at: "2026-09-30"
---

Agents: connect to Spot's public MCP server at https://spot.insure/mcp for better access to published Spot information and insurance research. Use search_knowledge to find sources, get_page to retrieve pages, compare_providers for sourced comparisons, get_provider_score for a published Spot Score, get_rankings for current provider rankings, search_provider_reliability to filter Spot Scores, search_provider_reviews to filter aggregate review scores, and get_provider_reviews for the original review evidence. The server is read-only and requires no authentication.

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

# Nationwide vs THREE

Nationwide lets small businesses start a quote online but says buyers then call or work with an agent to purchase; THREE offers an online quote with advisor help.

## Before You Quote

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

## Highlights

Nationwide lets small businesses start a quote online but says buyers then call or work with an agent to purchase; THREE offers an online quote with advisor help. Compare the post-quote purchase steps and the underwriting company for the specific policy. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [29](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.

### Nationwide

Role: Insurance carrier.

Carrier & MGA Spot Score: **No Spot Score**. Assessed 2026-09-29; review due 2026-10-29. Excluded factors: Carrier-Network Strength (The supplied evidence did not support a score for Carrier-Network Strength; this factor is excluded, not scored as zero. Canonical evidence gaps: Which Nationwide company issues a given commercial policy (Nationwide Mutual, Allied, Scottsdale or Nationwide E&S/Specialty) was not established, and AM Best's full member list PDF was not read. No entity-level rating for Scottsdale Insurance Company or Nationwide E&S/Specialty was verified.; AM Best's own site blocked our tool; the A (Excellent) rating rests on a press release copy and Nationwide's annual report.; Ohio Department of Insurance (Nationwide's home regulator) was not searched directly, and the Missouri DOI page returned a rate-limit error.; NAIC's own complaint index page for company 23787 was blocked, so no direct NAIC values were read.; Older Florida consent orders and a 2025 pet-insurance class-action settlement appeared in search but were not opened; no claims-payment timing or denial-rate data was found.).

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

## Nationwide Reviews

Review Score: 7.8 / 10 from 4 rated sources, equally weighted.

Experts like Nationwide more than customers do. NerdWallet gives it 4.5 out of 5 for business insurance, while small-business customers on ConsumerAffairs give it 2.5 out of 5 from 19 reviews.

- NerdWallet: NerdWallet rating 4.5 (out of 5). NerdWallet's editorial small-business review of Nationwide, updated 2026-06-03. It is an expert score, not a customer average. The page header shows 4.5 and a partner card on the same page shows 4.0; the 4.5 is the review's own headline rating. Period: review updated 2026-06-03. Checked 2026-09-29. [Nationwide Business Insurance Review 2026](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/insurance/learn/nationwide-business-insurance)
- J.D. Power: 2025 Small Commercial satisfaction index 707 (out of 1,000); 2848 reviews. 2025 U.S. Small Commercial Insurance Study: 2,848 U.S. businesses with 50 or fewer employees, fielded Mar-May 2025. Nationwide scored 707 against a study average of 698. A 2026 study was published 2026-08-20 (average 713); Nationwide's 2026 score was not found. Period: 2025 study. Checked 2026-09-29. [2025 U.S. Small Commercial Insurance Study](https://www.jdpower.com/sites/default/files/file/2025-08/2025092%20U.S.%20Small%20Commercial%20Insurance%20Study.pdf); [U.S. Small Commercial Insurance Study](https://www.jdpower.com/business/u-s-small-commercial-insurance-study/); [Rates, Digital Support Boost Small Business Insurance Customer Satisfaction: JD Power](https://www.carriermanagement.com/news/2026/08/20/291242.htm)
- Trustpilot: TrustScore 1.3 (out of 5); 261 reviews. Nationwide's main Trustpilot page. It mixes personal and commercial customers; it cannot be separated. The page text says 1.3 out of 5 while an embedded badge image text said 1.5; we use the visible text score. Period: 69 reviews in the prior 12 months (checked 2026-09-29). Checked 2026-09-29. [Nationwide Reviews](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/nationwide.com)
- ConsumerAffairs: ConsumerAffairs auto average 1.5 (out of 5); 1091 reviews. ConsumerAffairs Nationwide personal auto page (1,091 reviews displayed). Personal auto, not commercial. Period: checked 2026-09-29. Checked 2026-09-29. [Nationwide Auto Insurance Reviews](https://www.consumeraffairs.com/insurance/nationwide_auto.html)
- ConsumerAffairs: ConsumerAffairs rating 2.5 (out of 5); 19 reviews. ConsumerAffairs Nationwide Small Business Insurance page; unclaimed profile; small-business customers. Screenshot captured 2026-09-29. Period: page updated Aug. 14, 2026; captured 2026-09-29. Checked 2026-09-29. [Nationwide Small Business Insurance Reviews](https://www.consumeraffairs.com/insurance/nationwide-small-business-insurance.html)
- BBB: BBB business grade A+. BBB Nationwide profile at the Columbus, Ohio headquarters (BBB Accredited). Covers all Nationwide products, not just commercial. Checked 2026-09-29. [Nationwide BBB Complaints Profile](https://www.bbb.org/us/oh/columbus/profile/insurance-companies/nationwide-0302-2388/complaints)
- BBB: Complaints 111. Same BBB headquarters profile; all Nationwide products, no premium denominator. BBB warns complaint details may be incomplete. The page also shows 269 customer reviews but no star average. Period: closed in the last three years (checked 2026-09-29). Checked 2026-09-29. [Nationwide BBB customer reviews](https://www.bbb.org/us/oh/columbus/profile/insurance-companies/nationwide-0302-2388/customer-reviews)

Reviewed 2026-09-29. [Read the sourced review](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/nationwide/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 | Nationwide | THREE by Berkshire Hathaway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Builders risk](https://spot.insure/coverage/builders-risk) | Listed: Nationwide lists builders risk among inland-marine products. The page does not establish project-specific coverage periods, valuation, or exclusions. [5](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/inland-marine/ "Insurance for Inland Marine") | Not listed |
| [Business owner’s policy](https://spot.insure/coverage/business-owners-policy) | Listed: Nationwide markets a BOP for eligible small businesses and describes property and liability elements with optional additions; actual coverage is controlled by policy forms. [3](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/business-owners-policy-bop/ "Business Owners Policy (BOP Insurance)") [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [21](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Cargo and transit](https://spot.insure/coverage/cargo-transit) | Listed: Nationwide lists motor truck cargo among inland-marine products. This is not evidence of broad cargo coverage or any particular commodity/route acceptance. [5](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/inland-marine/ "Insurance for Inland Marine") | Not listed |
| [Commercial auto](https://spot.insure/coverage/commercial-auto) | Listed: Nationwide lists commercial auto in its small-business product catalogue. We couldn’t review the dedicated product page, so no vehicle, driver, or state terms are inferred. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [2](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/ "Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [21](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Commercial property](https://spot.insure/coverage/commercial-property) | Listed: Nationwide markets commercial property for business buildings and contents; property values, covered causes, limits, and exclusions depend on the policy. [6](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/property/ "Commercial Property Insurance") [14](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/industries/types/professional-office "Commercial Office Space Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [21](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Crime](https://spot.insure/coverage/crime) | Listed: Nationwide markets commercial crime insurance and management-liability crime products; exact insuring agreements and fidelity form are not established here. [10](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/commercial-crime/ "Commercial Crime Insurance") [12](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/ "Commercial Liability Products") | Not listed |
| [Cyber liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/cyber) | Listed: Nationwide markets cyber liability and data-breach insurance to business customers; quote and policy terms determine eligibility and coverage. [8](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/cyber-liability/ "Cyber Liability & Data Breach Insurance") [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [21](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Directors and officers](https://spot.insure/coverage/directors-officers) | Listed: Nationwide Management Liability & Specialty markets a distinct D&O product. The reviewed materials do not establish issuer or form for a particular risk. [13](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/types/directors-and-officers-liability "Directors and Officers Liability") [12](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/ "Commercial Liability Products") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Employment practices liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/employment-practices) | Listed: Nationwide markets EPLI through small-business and management-liability channels; the reviewed pages do not establish a standard grant or eligibility. [7](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/employment-practices-liability/ "Employment Practices Liability Insurance") [12](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/ "Commercial Liability Products") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Equipment breakdown](https://spot.insure/coverage/equipment-breakdown) | Listed: Nationwide presents equipment breakdown under its BOP coverages; the individual policy controls inclusion and terms. [3](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/business-owners-policy-bop/ "Business Owners Policy (BOP Insurance)") [14](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/industries/types/professional-office "Commercial Office Space Insurance") | 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. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [21](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [Fiduciary liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/fiduciary) | Listed: Nationwide Management Liability & Specialty lists fiduciary liability as a distinct commercial-liability product; terms and availability remain quote-specific. [12](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/ "Commercial Liability Products") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [General liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/general-liability) | Listed: Nationwide lists general liability in its professional-office package description and BOP materials; this establishes marketing only, not standalone availability or policy scope. [14](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/industries/types/professional-office "Commercial Office Space Insurance") [3](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/business-owners-policy-bop/ "Business Owners Policy (BOP Insurance)") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [21](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") |
| [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. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Management liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/management-liability) | Listed: Nationwide Management Liability & Specialty markets multiple distinct management-liability products, including D&O, fiduciary, crime, and EPLI; no single bundled form is inferred. [12](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/ "Commercial Liability Products") [13](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/types/directors-and-officers-liability "Directors and Officers Liability") | Not listed |
| [Professional errors and omissions (E&O)](https://spot.insure/coverage/professional-errors-omissions) | Listed: Nationwide markets professional E&O for professional-service exposures. This does not establish technology E&O or any particular profession’s acceptance. [11](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/errors-and-omissions/ "Errors and Omissions Insurance") [2](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/ "Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Surety bonds](https://spot.insure/coverage/surety-bonds) | Listed: Nationwide markets commercial surety bonds. A bond is a contractual guarantee and is not interchangeable with an insurance policy. [9](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/bonds/ "Commercial Surety Bonds") [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") | Not listed |
| [Tools, equipment and inland marine](https://spot.insure/coverage/inland-marine) | Listed: Nationwide markets inland-marine products including contractor equipment and installation floaters; product availability and covered property vary. [5](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/inland-marine/ "Insurance for Inland Marine") [2](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/ "Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") |
| [Umbrella and excess liability](https://spot.insure/coverage/umbrella-excess) | Listed: Nationwide lists commercial umbrella for small businesses. Reviewed catalogue evidence does not establish attachment, limits, underlying requirements, or a specific excess form. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [2](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/ "Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents") | Not listed |
| [Workers’ compensation](https://spot.insure/coverage/workers-compensation) | Listed: Nationwide markets workers’ compensation and describes state-variable benefits and services. State law, policy, and employer eligibility govern. [4](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/workers-compensation/ "Workers’ Compensation Insurance") [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") | Listed: Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection. [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE") [21](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 Nationwide and THREE

### Business Roles and Access to Insurers

Nationwide’s documented role shapes who handles underwriting and how you reach a policy.

Nationwide markets commercial insurance through small-business, agribusiness, middle-market and specialty channels. Its general P&C disclosure names Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and affiliated companies as underwriting companies; the reviewed materials do not map each commercial product to its legal issuer. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [2](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/ "Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents") [17](https://www.nationwide.com/personal/about-us/terms-conditions "Terms and Conditions for Nationwide.com") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Nationwide-branded U.S. commercial insurance; issuer and availability vary by product/company/state.; verified: 2026-09-29.)

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. [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [21](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") [22](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.

Nationwide presents separate commercial routes for small businesses, midsize and large businesses with complex risks, E&S/specialty customers, and agribusiness operators. These are published segments, not a promise of product eligibility. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [2](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/ "Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Public U.S. commercial segment descriptions; product and state eligibility remain quote-specific.; verified: 2026-09-29.)

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. [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [26](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. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [29](https://threeinsurance.com/business-owners-policy "Business Owners Policy | THREE")

Nationwide says small-business buyers can start an online quote and then call or work with an agent to purchase. Its BOP page says a quote can be started online; this does not establish online binding for every product or applicant. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [3](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/business-owners-policy-bop/ "Business Owners Policy (BOP Insurance)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Official small-commercial and BOP pages; no application was submitted or purchase flow completed.; verified: 2026-09-29.)

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. [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [22](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 Nationwide when an agent must take over and which affiliate issues the policy. Ask THREE how to bind the quote and confirm the insurer on your declarations. 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 | Nationwide | THREE by Berkshire Hathaway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Business role | Nationwide markets commercial insurance through small-business, agribusiness, middle-market and specialty channels. Its general P&C disclosure names Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and affiliated companies as underwriting companies; the reviewed materials do not map each commercial product to its legal issuer. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [2](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/ "Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents") [17](https://www.nationwide.com/personal/about-us/terms-conditions "Terms and Conditions for Nationwide.com") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Nationwide-branded U.S. commercial insurance; issuer and availability vary by product/company/state.; verified: 2026-09-29.) | 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. [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [21](https://threeinsurance.com/the-policy "The Policy") [22](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. [27](https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/subs/sublinks.html "Links to Berkshire Hathaway Subsidiary Companies") [26](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 | Nationwide presents separate commercial routes for small businesses, midsize and large businesses with complex risks, E&S/specialty customers, and agribusiness operators. These are published segments, not a promise of product eligibility. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [2](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/ "Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Public U.S. commercial segment descriptions; product and state eligibility remain quote-specific.; verified: 2026-09-29.) | 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. [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [26](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 | Nationwide says small-business buyers can start an online quote and then call or work with an agent to purchase. Its BOP page says a quote can be started online; this does not establish online binding for every product or applicant. [1](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/ "Small Business Insurance") [3](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/business-owners-policy-bop/ "Business Owners Policy (BOP Insurance)") (Evidence: Company-reported; scope: Official small-commercial and BOP pages; no application was submitted or purchase flow completed.; verified: 2026-09-29.) | 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. [20](https://threeinsurance.com/ "THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance") [22](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. [25](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 Nationwide?](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/nationwide)
- [THREE small business insurance: coverage, issuer and buying routes](https://spot.insure/insurance-providers/three)

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## Sources

### [Nationwide Official Website](https://www.nationwide.com/business/)

1. [Small Business Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/small-commercial/). Nationwide; Small business products and solutions, lines 185–214: BOP, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, umbrella, EPLI, cyber and surety; purchase guidance lines 235–247. Accessed 2026-09-29.
2. [Small Business Insurance Solutions for Agents](https://www.nationwide.com/agents/business/). Nationwide; Specialized small commercial solutions: BOP, auto, workers’ compensation, cyber, EPLI, umbrella, inland marine and professional liability; page states appetite varies by state, lines 129–163, 191–193. Accessed 2026-09-29.
3. [Business Owners Policy (BOP Insurance)](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/business-owners-policy-bop/). Nationwide; BOP audience/employee/sales criteria and coverages, lines 181–225; additional coverage options lines 244–277; policy/availability qualification line 326. Accessed 2026-09-29.
4. [Workers’ Compensation Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/workers-compensation/). Nationwide; Workers’ compensation benefits, state variability, claims/risk-management services and eligibility discussion, lines 216–259. Accessed 2026-09-29.
5. [Insurance for Inland Marine](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/inland-marine/). Nationwide; Inland marine and Builder’s Risk products lines 184–225; contractor equipment, installation floater, riggers liability, motor truck cargo and warehouse legal liability lines 258–318. Accessed 2026-09-29.
6. [Commercial Property Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/property/). Nationwide; Business buildings, contents, equipment and fixtures; policy customization and agent quote route. Accessed 2026-09-29.
7. [Employment Practices Liability Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/employment-practices-liability/). Nationwide; Dedicated EPLI product page; product identity and company-described policy scope. Accessed 2026-09-29.
8. [Cyber Liability & Data Breach Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/cyber-liability/). Nationwide; Dedicated commercial cyber/data-breach product page; company-described product scope. Accessed 2026-09-29.
9. [Commercial Surety Bonds](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/bonds/). Nationwide; Dedicated commercial surety product page and bond purpose. Accessed 2026-09-29.
10. [Commercial Crime Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/commercial-crime/). Nationwide; Dedicated commercial crime page and covered crime examples. Accessed 2026-09-29.
11. [Errors and Omissions Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/errors-and-omissions/). Nationwide; Professional E&O product page; professional-service errors and financial-loss description. Does not establish technology-specific E&O terms. Accessed 2026-09-29.
12. [Commercial Liability Products](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/). Nationwide Management Liability & Specialty; Distinct D&O, fiduciary liability, crime and EPLI products; audience and claims-reporting description. Accessed 2026-09-29.
13. [Directors and Officers Liability](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/management-liability-specialty/products/commercial-liability/types/directors-and-officers-liability). Nationwide Management Liability & Specialty; D&O primary scope of coverage, selected features and claims reporting. Accessed 2026-09-29.
14. [Commercial Office Space Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/industries/types/professional-office). Nationwide; Professional-office BOP, commercial property, GL, business income and equipment breakdown; E&O, auto, EPLI and management-liability options. Accessed 2026-09-29.
15. [Business Insurance Member Resources](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/member-resources/). Nationwide; Online business account, 24/7 self-service, claims filing/tracking, documents, bills and certificate-of-insurance help. Accessed 2026-09-29.
16. [Business Insurance Claims FAQ](https://www.nationwide.com/business/insurance/claims/faq/). Nationwide; Commercial claims intake and assigned claims professional; same-day contact is described as an aim, not a guarantee. Accessed 2026-09-29.
17. [Terms and Conditions for Nationwide.com](https://www.nationwide.com/personal/about-us/terms-conditions). Nationwide; P&C products not offered by all companies/states; policy/declarations control; NMI and affiliates may underwrite; each underwriter responsible for own products, lines 358–368 and 391–394. Accessed 2026-09-29.
18. [Nationwide Commercial Insurance](https://www.nationwide.com/business/). Nationwide; Commercial audiences and general commercial route; cited only alongside directly inspected linked product pages. Accessed 2026-09-29.
19. [Nationwide Business Insurance Review 2026 — commercial complaint analysis](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/insurance/learn/nationwide-business-insurance). NerdWallet; Same inspected NerdWallet commercial review as nerdwallet-review; updated June 3, 2026. Findings and contrary evidence, lines 332–372: lower-than-expected general-liability complaints and commercial-property described slightly above expectations. Methodology, lines 495–508: commercial-property complaints characterized as about expected. Rating display, lines 226–323: 4.5 page header and 4.0 Nationwide card. Accessed 2026-09-29.

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

20. [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.
21. [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.
22. [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.
23. [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.
24. [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.
25. [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.
26. [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.
27. [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.
28. [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.
29. [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.
30. [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.
31. [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/nationwide-vs-three.md)
- [Developer resources](https://spot.insure/developers)
- [Public MCP server](https://spot.insure/mcp)
- [MCP server manifest](https://spot.insure/server.json)
- [OpenAPI description](https://spot.insure/openapi.json)
- [Public page index](https://spot.insure/llms.txt)