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THREE by Berkshire Hathaway vs USI Insurance Services

THREE provides an online quote route for eligible small businesses; USI is a middle-market brokerage and does not publish a self-service commercial quote flow. THREE is a direct starting point for a smaller risk, while USI is suited to buyers seeking broker coordination across a larger program. 1,10,22,14

Introduction

Coverage Comparison

CoverageTHREE by Berkshire HathawayUSI Insurance Services
Business owner’s policyListed 10,2Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Not listed
Cargo and transitNot listedListed 22USI arranges cargo and transit insurance.
Commercial autoListed 10,2Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 21,23USI arranges commercial auto insurance.
Commercial propertyListed 10,2Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 22,21USI arranges commercial property insurance.
CrimeNot listedListed 23USI arranges crime insurance.
Cyber liabilityListed 10,2Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 22,27,21USI arranges cyber insurance.
Directors and officersListed 10Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 22,23USI arranges directors and officers liability insurance.
Employee health and benefitsNot listedListed 26USI advises employers on health-plan design, medical costs, pharmacy and benefits administration.
Employment practices liabilityListed 10Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 23USI arranges employment practices liability insurance.
Equipment breakdownListed 10,2THREE 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.Not listed
Fiduciary liabilityListed 10Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 23USI arranges fiduciary liability insurance.
General liabilityListed 10,2Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 21,23USI arranges general liability insurance.
Kidnap and ransomNot listedListed 23USI arranges kidnap and ransom insurance.
Liquor liabilityListed 10Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy if required; the quote and issued form determine availability and protection.Not listed
Management liabilityNot listedListed 23USI arranges management liability coverage, including directors and officers, employment practices, fiduciary and crime insurance.
Medical malpracticeNot listedListed 25USI arranges medical malpractice insurance.
Product liabilityNot listedListed 22,21USI arranges product liability insurance.
Professional errors and omissions (E&O)Listed 10Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 23USI arranges professional errors and omissions insurance.
Representations and warrantiesNot listedListed 24USI arranges representations and warranties insurance.
Surety bondsNot listedListed USI arranges contract, commercial and international surety bonds.
Technology errors and omissions (E&O)Not listedListed 22USI arranges technology errors and omissions insurance.
Tools, equipment and inland marineListed 10Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Not listed
Umbrella and excess liabilityNot listedListed 21,23USI arranges umbrella and excess liability.
Workers’ compensationListed 10,2Marketed within THREE’s combined commercial policy; the quote and issued form determine the protection.Listed 21,23USI arranges workers’ compensation insurance.

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.

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

USI Insurance Services

Broker

Broker

5.3/ 10

Assessed provider: USI Insurance Services. Scope: USI Insurance Services LLC and its U.S. brokerage and risk-consulting operation for property-casualty, technology, executive, employee-benefit and related commercial risks; the evidence covers placement and claims-support roles and does not identify USI as a risk-bearing insurer.

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.

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

USI Insurance Services

6.4/ 10

Review Score

1 rated source

USI’s public feedback is too sparse and office-specific for a firmwide verdict. Check the local team’s responsiveness and experience with your type of business.[4][6][8]

Read USI Insurance Services reviews

Key Differences Between THREE and USI Insurance Services

Business Roles and Access to Insurers

THREE’s documented role shapes who handles underwriting and how you reach a 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. 1,2,3Company-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.

USI Insurance Services documents its own insurance role and access arrangement.

USI describes itself as a U.S. insurance brokerage and consulting firm that arranges property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program, and retirement solutions. The reviewed official pages do not identify USI as the insurer that issues commercial policies. 14,13,20,33Company-reported. Brand and operating description on current USI about and homepage materials, plus the 31 August 2026 Aon announcement’s About USI text. Role of any affiliate insurer is outside this fact.

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.

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. 1,7Company-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.

USI says it has served over 500,000 clients nationwide and positions itself as a middle-market brokerage and consulting firm. Its Technology practice describes clients including software, hardware, networking, semiconductors, or communications companies from early seed stage through IPO. Public pages do not publish a minimum revenue, headcount, or California-startup eligibility screen. 14,22,33Company-reported. Company marketing of client types. Not an underwriting appetite or guaranteed acceptance statement.

These entry points show how to start; they do not confirm eligibility or that coverage has been bound. 1 1 10 14 22 22

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. 1,3Company-reported. U.S. business insurance quote application. Company-described online and phone process; no customer form was submitted and no binding outcome was tested.

USI does not publish a self-serve commercial quote flow on the reviewed pages. Technology and P&C inquiries are directed to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local office. The contact page includes a website message box that USI warns is not secured in transit and should not be used for sensitive information. Small- and medium-sized management-liability inquiries are also directed to Select.Business@usi.com. No public binding timetable or online eligibility tool was found. 22,21,17,29Company-reported. Public inquiry paths as of access date. Not an application completeness or speed claim.

What to Confirm in Quotes

Ask USI who will lead the placement and how it is compensated. Ask THREE whether your size and requested commercial lines fit its product and issuing company. 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

CriteriaTHREE by Berkshire HathawayUSI Insurance Services
Business role

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. 1,2,3Company-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. 8,7Company-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.

USI describes itself as a U.S. insurance brokerage and consulting firm that arranges property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, program, and retirement solutions. The reviewed official pages do not identify USI as the insurer that issues commercial policies. 14,13,20,33Company-reported. Brand and operating description on current USI about and homepage materials, plus the 31 August 2026 Aon announcement’s About USI text. Role of any affiliate insurer is outside this fact.

USI’s commissions page states that, as a licensed insurance producer, it may advise on insurance contracts, sell insurance, and obtain coverages for clients. Privacy and staff materials identify the operating company as USI Insurance Services LLC. Current California producer-license status remains independently unverified. 20,19,34Company-reported. Producer role as described by USI. Does not verify license class, surplus-lines authority, or appointment status.

On 31 August 2026, Aon plc announced a definitive agreement to acquire USI from KKR and other shareholders for a $17.0 billion purchase price, with closing expected in the fourth quarter of 2026 subject to customary conditions including regulatory approvals. Aon stated that Aon and USI will continue to operate independently until the closing date. The reviewed announcement does not establish that the transaction has closed. 33Company-reported. Announced transaction status as of the 31 August 2026 release. Does not change a buyer’s existing policy terms by itself.

Customer focus

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. 1,7Company-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.

USI says it has served over 500,000 clients nationwide and positions itself as a middle-market brokerage and consulting firm. Its Technology practice describes clients including software, hardware, networking, semiconductors, or communications companies from early seed stage through IPO. Public pages do not publish a minimum revenue, headcount, or California-startup eligibility screen. 14,22,33Company-reported. Company marketing of client types. Not an underwriting appetite or guaranteed acceptance statement.

Application process

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. 1,3Company-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. 6Company-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.

USI does not publish a self-serve commercial quote flow on the reviewed pages. Technology and P&C inquiries are directed to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local office. The contact page includes a website message box that USI warns is not secured in transit and should not be used for sensitive information. Small- and medium-sized management-liability inquiries are also directed to Select.Business@usi.com. No public binding timetable or online eligibility tool was found. 22,21,17,29Company-reported. Public inquiry paths as of access date. Not an application completeness or speed claim.

Sources

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.

USI Insurance Services Official Website

  1. Insurance Brokerage and Consulting. USI Insurance Services; Practice tiles for property and casualty, employee benefit consulting, personal risk, PATH, and Valhalla headquarters footer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. The Power of ONE. USI Insurance Services; History, client-count, nationwide office, and P&C / benefits / personal risk / retirement description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. The USI ONE Advantage. USI Insurance Services; Omni, Network, and Enterprise planning process description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Find a USI office near you. USI Insurance Services; More than 10,000 professionals, over 200 U.S. offices, serving every state. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  5. Contact Us. USI Insurance Services; Unsecured website message note, Valhalla corporate office, claims-assistance instruction to contact a USI office. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  6. Disclaimer. USI Insurance Services; General-information disclaimer and no-warranty language. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  7. Privacy. USI Insurance Services; Privacy notice identifying USI Insurance Services, California appendix, and disclosure of personal information to insurance carriers as needed to provide services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  8. Commissions and Fees. USI Insurance Services; Licensed-producer authority, insurer-paid commission default, contingent compensation, and client request right. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  9. P&C Insurance and Risk Consulting. USI Insurance Services; Listed P&C risk exposures, claim advocates, and pcinquiries@usi.com contact. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  10. Technology Insurance. USI Insurance Services; Technology practice client types, seed-to-IPO range, and listed insurance placement lines including PrivaSafe. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  11. Business Services. USI Insurance Services; Listed coverage solutions including D&O, EPL, crime, fiduciary, E&O, cyber, kidnap and ransom, and claim advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Private Equity. USI Insurance Services; Representations and warranties insurance, employee benefits due diligence, and post-close P&C and benefits servicing. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  13. Healthcare. USI Insurance Services; Medical professional (malpractice) liability, required bonding, and other listed healthcare specialty coverages. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  14. Employee Benefits. USI Insurance Services; Employer benefit consulting services and EBsolutions@usi.com contact. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  15. USI Exclusive PrivaSafe. USI Insurance Services; Manuscripted cyber and privacy program description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  16. Protect Your Organization From Increasing Third-Party Cyber Exposures. USI Insurance Services; PrivaSafe risk-transfer description and review of existing cyber and technology E&O policies before marketing. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  17. Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks. USI Insurance Services; ExecuSafe program for D&O and management liability, including EPL, fiduciary, and crime; Select.Business@usi.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  18. Reduce Claims and Costs by Optimizing Your Risk Control. USI Insurance Services; USI PATH proprietary risk-control platform description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  19. Client Emergency Preparedness Claims Kit. USI Insurance Services; Updated May 2021 claims-reporting table directing some lines to the insurer and executive, professional, and cyber lines to the USI account team or claims consultant. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  20. Natural Disaster Planning. USI Insurance Services; Commercial P&C claims contact via client service team or local office; Select/Small Commercial contacts. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  21. Aon to acquire USI to establish the premier U.S. middle-market platform. Aon plc via PR Newswire; 31 August 2026 announcement; independent operation until expected Q4 2026 close; About USI description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  22. USI Insurance Services LLC associate biography (San Francisco). USI Insurance Services; Letterhead naming USI Insurance Services LLC, 575 Market St Suite 3750 San Francisco, CA, and CA DOI License # 0G11911. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated . Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers; 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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