ERGO NEXT Insurance vs 
THREE by Berkshire Hathaway: How Do They Compare for Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
What Is ERGO NEXT Insurance?
ERGO NEXT fits small businesses that want to quote, buy and manage general liability, workers' comp or a BOP online; if you need commercial auto, bonds or complex specialty cover, you'll be sent to partners or should use a broker. Staff-handled policy changes can take 7–10 business days. 1,2,3
Read the ERGO NEXT Insurance profile
Read the ERGO NEXT Insurance Workers’ Compensation 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. 5,6
Read the THREE by Berkshire Hathaway profile
Read the THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Workers’ Compensation Insurance page
What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Workers’ compensation can pay medical care and part of an employee’s lost wages after a work-related injury or illness. If you have staff, check who is covered in each state; owners, contractors and some workers may be treated differently. 8,9,10,11
Key Differences in Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Buying and Reporting a Claim
ERGO NEXT describes a roughly 10-minute online questionnaire, customizable coverage and purchase with coverage effective the day after payment. It says policyholders can report a workers' comp claim any time through an online account or its app. THREE lists the line inside its combined BOP and offers an online quote with licensed advisor help. For an employer who needs quick proof and an accessible claim route, compare the effective date and reporting instructions in both proposals. 4 7 5
Benefits and Package Terms
ERGO NEXT lists medical costs, lost wages, retraining, permanent-injury benefits, employer's liability and survivor benefits. THREE markets workers' compensation within its BOP but leaves line limits and deductibles to the quote summary. The categories are not a substitute for a state-specific schedule, so compare the benefit wording and employer-liability amounts on the actual forms. 4 6
What to Confirm in Workers’ Compensation Insurance Quotes
- Ask ERGO NEXT which carrier will issue the policy, what state benefits apply, and how claims are reported through the account or app. 4
- Ask THREE to confirm workers' comp inclusion and provide the carrier, effective date, benefit schedule and deductible. 7 6
- Compare whether employer's liability, retraining and survivor benefits match the workforce needs. 4 6
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.
ERGO NEXT Insurance
Review Score
5 rated sources
NEXT’s favorable ratings come with a warning: NerdWallet reports more commercial liability complaints than expected. Check complaint handling and support before relying on its headline scores.[1][4][6][7][10]
Read ERGO NEXT Insurance reviewsTHREE by Berkshire Hathaway
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 reviewsOffering Details
ERGO NEXT Insurance vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway: Workers’ Compensation Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | ERGO NEXT Workers' Compensation Insurance | THREE Business Owners Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | ERGO NEXT sells workers' compensation as a standalone online policy for small businesses with employees. 4Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23; the page does not name every carrier or state fund route it may use. | THREE presents Workers’ Compensation as a component of its combined Business Owners Policy rather than identifying it as a separate standalone policy on the reviewed product page. 7Company-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 | The workers' compensation product page does not name an issuing insurer for this line. ERGO NEXT's terms elsewhere say the issuing carrier can vary by product and state, so the insurer for a specific quote must be confirmed on the policy. 4Not found in reviewed sources. Checked the workers' compensation product page on 2026-09-23; no carrier is disclosed there. | The linked sample policy's declarations identify Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company as issuer. 6Company-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 | ERGO NEXT markets workers' compensation to business owners with employees, self-employed owners who want optional coverage, and owners in states or industries where coverage is legally required. 4Company-reported. Product page eligibility framing; state-by-state mandate details and underwriting appetite are not published on this page. | The reviewed product page does not state separate eligibility rules for Workers’ Compensation; the general quote and advisor route is not proof that a particular business qualifies for it. 7,5Not publicly disclosed. Eligibility and state availability remain unestablished for an individual risk until THREE returns its quote and applicable forms. |
| Coverage Features | ERGO NEXT says the policy can cover medical expenses, lost wages, job retraining, permanent-injury benefits, employer's liability and survivor or death benefits for work-related injuries and illnesses. 4Company-reported. Product page coverage list; the issued policy and state law control actual benefits. | THREE's Business Owners Policy page lists Workers’ Compensation 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. 7,6Company-reported. Official THREE package marketing for Workers’ Compensation. The sample policy is state-selectable and does not establish that this item is included in every quote or issued policy. |
| Limits and Retentions | Published per-claim benefit limits or premium rating detail were not found on the workers' compensation product page; benefit levels for medical and wage-replacement claims are generally set by state law rather than the policy. 4Not publicly disclosed. Checked the workers' compensation product page on 2026-09-23. | The reviewed public product page does not state a separate limit or deductible for Workers’ Compensation; THREE says the quote-specific insurance summary lists limits and deductibles. 7,6Not publicly disclosed. No number is inferred from the sample policy. The quote and issued declarations control the buyer-specific limit and deductible. |
| How to Apply | ERGO NEXT describes a roughly 10-minute online questionnaire, coverage customization, and an online purchase, with coverage effective the day after payment. 4Company-reported. Product page quote-flow description. | THREE directs small-business prospects to an online quote and says licensed Small Business Advisors can help with the process. 5Company-reported. This is the route for the overall THREE product. It does not show whether Workers’ Compensation will be offered for a particular business or whether a customer can bind that line without an issued policy. |
| Claims Support | ERGO NEXT says policyholders can file a workers' compensation claim anytime through their online account or the ERGO NEXT app, and that the company aims to make claims decisions as quickly as possible. 4Company-reported. Product page claims description; speed and outcome statements are company-reported and not independently measured here. | Confirm in your quote. |
Full Comparison
More ERGO NEXT Insurance vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Comparisons
Other Workers’ Compensation Insurance Comparisons
Sources
ERGO NEXT Insurance
- Business Insurance for Small Businesses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Primary coverage selector; intended customers; product descriptions; online quote, purchase, documents, certificate and claims sections. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Commercial Auto Liability Insurance. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Commercial Auto hero; Progressive partner disclosure and external quote link; appointed-agent availability limitation. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- My Account FAQs. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Electronic documents; policy and payment changes; cancellation; certificates and additional insureds. Accessed 2026-09-15.
- Workers' Compensation Insurance. ERGO NEXT Insurance; What is Workers' Compensation insurance?; coverage list; eligibility statements; Get a quote three-step process; claims filing description. Accessed 2026-09-23.
THREE by Berkshire Hathaway
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guide
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Opening definition; mandatory coverage except Texas opt-in; exclusive remedy; monopolistic state funds; self-insurance note. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Small Business Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Typically covers medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and lost wages; check with your state insurance department; ask these questions / who qualifies as a covered employee (contractors, part-time staff, interns); payroll and type-of-work rating factors. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- DWC employer information. California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers’ Compensation; Opening trade-off and California requirement; basic benefits including medical care, temporary and permanent disability, supplemental job displacement, return-to-work supplement and death benefits; out-of-state employer note. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Employer resources. Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation; In Texas, private employers can choose to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage, but it is not required in most cases; lost wages and medical benefits; except when gross negligence results in a fatality, coverage limits liability. Accessed 2026-09-16.
