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The Hartford vs THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

The Hartford offers small businesses online or agent-assisted quotes through subsidiary insurers; THREE also offers an online quote, with BHDIC named on its sample policy. Compare the actual issuing company and form for each product, not the two group brands. 2,4,1,29,38

Introduction

Coverage Comparison

CoverageThe HartfordTHREE by Berkshire Hathaway
Business owner’s policyListed 9,1The Hartford offers business owner’s policies combining property and liability coverage.Listed 38,30Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
Commercial autoListed 17,1The Hartford offers commercial auto insurance as a business coverage; small businesses cannot currently buy it online and may be quoted through a local agency.Listed 38,30Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
Commercial propertyListed 11,1The Hartford offers commercial property insurance.Listed 38,30Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
CrimeListed 19The Hartford offers crime insurance as a management-liability coverage option.Not listed
Cyber liabilityListed 13,1The Hartford offers cyber insurance and data-breach coverage.Listed 38,30Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
Directors and officersListed 19,20The Hartford offers directors and officers liability for private, public and nonprofit organizations.Listed 38Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
Employment practices liabilityListed 16,1The Hartford offers employment practices liability through business owner’s and management-liability products; EPL built into its business owner’s policy is not available in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York.Listed 38Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
Equipment breakdownNot listedListed 38,30THREE 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.
Fiduciary liabilityListed 19The Hartford offers fiduciary liability as a management-liability coverage option.Listed 38Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
General liabilityListed 10,1The Hartford offers general liability insurance.Listed 38,30Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
Hired and non-owned autoListed 18,17The Hartford offers hired and non-owned auto coverage.Not listed
Kidnap and ransomListed 19The Hartford lists kidnap and ransom/extortion among its management-liability coverage options.Not listed
Liquor liabilityNot listedListed 38Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy if required; the quote and issued form determine availability and protection.
Management liabilityListed 19The Hartford offers management-liability packages, including Private Choice Premier.Not listed
Professional errors and omissions (E&O)Listed 15The Hartford offers professional liability insurance for service businesses.Listed 38Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
Technology errors and omissions (E&O)Listed 14,13The Hartford offers technology errors and omissions coverage through its FailSafe product.Not listed
Tools, equipment and inland marineListed 23The Hartford offers inland marine insurance for midsize and large businesses.Listed 38Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.
Umbrella and excess liabilityListed 21,22The Hartford lists commercial umbrella insurance among its business coverage options.Not listed
Workers’ compensationListed 12,1The Hartford offers workers’ compensation insurance.Listed 38,30Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.

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.

Current Spot Scores

Each score uses the rubric for that provider’s documented role. Providers with more than one role may have a score for each.

The Hartford

Carrier

Carrier & MGA

7.3/ 10

Assessed provider: The Hartford. Scope: The Hartford's US property-and-casualty carrier activity at named insurer level, centered on Hartford Fire Insurance Company and related writing companies disclosed in current legal notices and regulator records. The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. is parent/holding-company context; life, benefits, Navigators and other entities are not merged into Hartford Fire's scored evidence.

Provider assessment

THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

Carrier

Carrier & MGA

No Spot Score

Assessed entity: Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company. Scope: Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company (BHDIC), the insurer named on the displayed THREE sample policy. THREE is the commercial product/DBA label. This assessment uses BHDIC-specific evidence only; information about parent companies, affiliates, brokers and other Berkshire insurers is not transferred to BHDIC.

Provider assessment

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.

The Hartford

4.9/ 10

Review Score

5 rated sources

The Hartford’s service record is mixed: NerdWallet rates it 4.5/5 but reports below-average small-business satisfaction. Low Trustpilot ratings add a service concern, although they mix policy types.[1][2][4][5][6][7]

Read The Hartford reviews

THREE by Berkshire Hathaway

7.3/ 10

Review Score

2 rated sources

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

Read THREE by Berkshire Hathaway reviews

Key Differences Between The Hartford and THREE

Business Roles and Access to Insurers

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

Small businesses can buy insurance under The Hartford brand through its subsidiaries and independent agents; the brand itself is not the insurer named on the policy. The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. is the financial holding company behind the brand. 4,25,21,7Company-reported. Group legal-notice and producer-compensation disclosures as of 16 September 2026. The issuing company and any producer of record still have to be read from a quote or policy.

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. 29,30,31Company-reported. 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.

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.

The Hartford markets small-business insurance to SaaS companies, software startups, cloud and IT consulting firms, and other small businesses, and separately sells midsize/large commercial and employer benefits products. 1,2,24,23Company-reported. Company marketing pages reviewed 16 September 2026. Marketing a SaaS page is not a finding that every software company is eligible.

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. 29,35Company-reported. 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.

These entry points show how to start; they do not confirm eligibility or that coverage has been bound. 4 2 1 29 29 38

The Hartford says eligible small-business buyers can get a free quote online in minutes or by phone, and can also buy through independent agents. Its public quote-and-buy portal shows steps from Basics through Payment and Confirmation. It also says buyers can purchase without an agent. Commercial auto for small businesses is not currently offered on that online path and may be quoted through a local agency or Tivly. Management-liability pages direct buyers to find a local agent. 2,1,8,7,17,19Company-reported. Public quote portal viewed without submitting an application on 16 September 2026. Quote speed and binding are not independently verified and are not the same as coverage in force.

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. 29,31Company-reported. U.S. business insurance quote application. Company-described online and phone process; no customer form was submitted and no binding outcome was tested.

What to Confirm in Quotes

Ask The Hartford which subsidiary issues your proposed line. Ask THREE to confirm the state-specific issuer and how the quoted combined sections are documented. 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

CriteriaThe HartfordTHREE by Berkshire Hathaway
Business role

Small businesses can buy insurance under The Hartford brand through its subsidiaries and independent agents; the brand itself is not the insurer named on the policy. The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. is the financial holding company behind the brand. 4,25,21,7Company-reported. Group legal-notice and producer-compensation disclosures as of 16 September 2026. The issuing company and any producer of record still have to be read from a quote or policy.

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. 29,30,31Company-reported. 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.

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. 36,35Company-reported. 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.

Customer focus

The Hartford markets small-business insurance to SaaS companies, software startups, cloud and IT consulting firms, and other small businesses, and separately sells midsize/large commercial and employer benefits products. 1,2,24,23Company-reported. Company marketing pages reviewed 16 September 2026. Marketing a SaaS page is not a finding that every software company is eligible.

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. 29,35Company-reported. 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.

Application process

The Hartford says eligible small-business buyers can get a free quote online in minutes or by phone, and can also buy through independent agents. Its public quote-and-buy portal shows steps from Basics through Payment and Confirmation. It also says buyers can purchase without an agent. Commercial auto for small businesses is not currently offered on that online path and may be quoted through a local agency or Tivly. Management-liability pages direct buyers to find a local agent. 2,1,8,7,17,19Company-reported. Public quote portal viewed without submitting an application on 16 September 2026. Quote speed and binding are not independently verified and are not the same as coverage in force.

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. 29,31Company-reported. U.S. business insurance quote application. Company-described online and phone process; no customer form was submitted and no binding outcome was tested.

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. 34Company-reported. 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.

Sources

The Hartford Official Website

  1. SaaS Insurance for Your Business. The Hartford; Audience list (software startups, SaaS, IT consulting); Get a Business Owner’s Policy; What Is Business Owner’s Policy Insurance?; general liability introduction and Get a Quote; Get Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Property Insurance for Your Business; Benefits of The Hartford’s WC Insurance for Employers and Employees; cyber insurance and data breach descriptions; Get a quote for cyber insurance; EPLI introduction and Private Choice Premier; add-ons (workers’ compensation, data breach, commercial auto); technology professional liability mention; small-business availability banner; industry-average premium footnote; footnote 2 state restrictions; footer product-availability disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Small Business Insurance | Get a Quote. The Hartford; Small-business positioning; BOP package; product list including professional liability, cyber, EPLI, commercial auto; quote in minutes and COI 24/7; phone 855-487-0783; availability footnote that products are not available in all states or for all businesses. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. California Business Insurance. The Hartford; Coverages marketed for California (BOP, general liability, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, commercial property, professional liability); statement that California buyers can get a quote online or by phone; company-reported California customer averages. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Legal Notice. The Hartford; The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. holding-company description; no representation that all products are available in all locations; P&C writing-company table as of December 31, 2025 including Hartford Fire (NAIC 19682) and Hartford Underwriters (NAIC 30104); life writing companies including Hartford Life and Accident (NAIC 70815). Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. The Hartford Announces First Quarter 2025 Financial Results. The Hartford; Boilerplate: The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (formerly Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.), NYSE: HIG, operates through subsidiaries under the brand The Hartford, headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  6. About Us. The Hartford; Property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds positioning; more than 200 years of operation. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  7. Find a Local Insurance Agent. The Hartford; Small-business and midsize agent locators; FAQ that buyers can purchase without an agent by calling or quoting online; statement that agents may charge fees. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  8. Small Business Insurance Quote. The Hartford; Public first screen: business-status and structure questions; steps labeled Basics, Coverages, Details, Price, Review, Payment and Confirmation; help phone 1-855-431-1252 (M–F 8am–8pm ET). Accessed 2026-09-16.
  9. Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) Insurance. The Hartford; Get a Business Owner’s Policy; What Is Business Owner’s Policy Insurance?; BOP contents (property, general liability, business income); optional add-ons including workers’ compensation, professional liability, commercial auto and cyber; products-not-available-in-all-states footnote; last updated May 20, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  10. General Liability Insurance. The Hartford; General liability introduction and Get a Quote; stand-alone GL and BOP bundling; products-completed operations; technology-company example; subsidiary-offering disclosure; last updated May 20, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  11. Commercial Property Insurance. The Hartford; Get Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Property Insurance for Your Business; property and business-interruption descriptions; technology firms among common buyers; COI online; claims phone 800-327-3638; last updated August 13, 2025. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Workers' Compensation Insurance Plans. The Hartford; Benefits of The Hartford’s WC Insurance for Employers and Employees; quote route; state-requirement quiz (some states require a state-run program); pay-as-you-go billing; My Workers’ Comp Connection portal; provider-network and pharmacy statements. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  13. Cyber Insurance for Small Businesses. The Hartford; Cyber insurance and data breach descriptions; BOP-endorsed cyber, CyberChoice First Response and FailSafe; Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance Coverage: FailSafe; Get a quote for cyber insurance; Cyber Center; FirstResponse hotline 800-370-0605; last updated March 10, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance | Technology E&O. The Hartford; Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance Coverage: FailSafe Technology Liability Product Suite (E&O, security, data privacy and network security, personal injury, intellectual property, media liability); software and SaaS buyer classes; last updated September 19, 2024. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. Professional Liability Insurance Coverage. The Hartford; Who Needs Professional Liability Insurance Coverage?; industry offering list; miscellaneous professional liability; Errors & Omissions Insurance for Technology Companies; claims-made versus occurrence; My Account COI requests; last updated May 4, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  16. Employment Practices Liability Insurance | EPL Insurance. The Hartford; EPLI introduction; Hartford-provided EPLI; BOP inclusion; Private Choice Premier and Employers Premier Choice; footnote 2: built-in EPL coverage is not available in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York, and the described EPL program does not apply to EPL written in California; last updated November 26, 2025. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  17. Commercial Auto Insurance Coverage. The Hartford; Small-business availability banner: not currently offered online for small businesses, with quotes through a local agency or partner; hired and non-owned auto description; footer product-availability disclosure; last updated August 27, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  18. Hired and Non-Owned Vehicle Insurance | HNOA. The Hartford; Hired and non-owned auto offering; liability-only limitations; availability banner; commercial-auto referral disclosure; last updated August 27, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  19. Management Liability Insurance | Get a Quote. The Hartford; Opening Private Choice Premier package description (D&O, EPL, fiduciary, crime, kidnap and ransom/extortion) and agent route; Who Does Management Liability Insurance Protect?; Fiduciary Liability Insurance; Crime Insurance; option to add certain coverages to a BOP; management-liability organization sections. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  20. Directors and Officers Liability Insurance. The Hartford; Agent-facing D&O solutions for public companies, financial institutions, and private or nonprofit organizations through Private Choice Premier; management-liability organization sections. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  21. Commercial Insurance. The Hartford; Insurer self-description; What Does Business Insurance Cover?: Commercial Umbrella Insurance; Other Business Coverages; about-10-minute quote claim; products not available in all states; coverages offered by P&C subsidiaries listed in the Legal Notice. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  22. Business Insurance Coverage. The Hartford; What Does Business Insurance Cover?: Commercial Umbrella Insurance; Other Business Coverages (EPL, data breach and others); products-not-available-in-all-states footnote; last updated July 28, 2025. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  23. Inland Marine Insurance Solutions. The Hartford; Inland Marine Insurance Solutions introduction; midsize and large inland-marine programs including technology equipment; Quick Quote submissions; premium-start statement for larger businesses; Find an Agent or Broker. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  24. Employee Benefits Insurance. The Hartford; Employer income-protection and related benefits; footer naming Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company and Hartford Fire Insurance Company as underwriting companies. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  25. Producer Compensation Property & Casualty. The Hartford; Distribution through agents and brokers; base, contingent and supplemental commissions; employee sales compensation; surplus-lines brokers; producer-charged customer fees that are not Hartford premium. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  26. Insurance Claim Center. The Hartford; Phone and online reporting; online claim status; mobile app for claims, policy details and billing. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  27. General Liability Claims | File A Claim. The Hartford; 24/7 phone 800-327-3636; online general-liability claim form; policy-type selector including cyber, employee benefits, property and workers’ compensation. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  28. Hartford Fire Insurance Company. California Department of Insurance; NAIC 19682; California Company ID 0085-1; authorized 01/07/1870; license status UNLIMITED-NORMAL; property and casualty; domicile Connecticut; authorized lines including liability, fire, workers’ compensation, automobile, surety and marine. Accessed 2026-09-16.

THREE by Berkshire Hathaway Official Website

  1. THREE by Berkshire Hathaway — small business insurance. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. FAQs: Understanding THREE. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Filing a Claim: Call to get started. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 2025 Annual Report / Form 10-K. 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.
  8. Links to Berkshire Hathaway Subsidiary Companies. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.; Published subsidiary-company list; BHDIC (THREE), BHSI, and biBERK shown separately, lines 11–16. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  9. THREE online quote application. 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.
  10. Business Owners Policy | THREE. 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.
  11. Benefits | THREE. 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.
  12. 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 . 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. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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