biBerk vs NEXT Insurance: coverage, buying and claims

How each one works

biBerk is Berkshire Hathaway’s direct-to-business insurance operation. Berkshire’s 2025 annual report says Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company and its affiliates underwrite workers’ comp, property, commercial auto, general and professional liability mainly through two online platforms, biBerk and Three, writing policies on an admitted basis from Stamford, Connecticut. Insurance Journal reported in May 2017 that the unit started about a year earlier as “Cover Your Business” and took the biBERK name in March 2017.

biBerk sells directly to you, with no broker in between. On its website it says cutting out the middleman lets it price policies up to 20% below other providers; that is the company’s own claim, and your price depends on your quote.

NEXT was founded in 2016 in Palo Alto, California, and says it now serves more than 750,000 US small businesses in more than 1,300 professions. ERGO, the primary insurance arm of Munich Re, completed its purchase of NEXT on July 1, 2025, at a valuation of $2.6 billion, and in January 2026 the company began operating as ERGO NEXT Insurance.

NEXT’s site describes Next Insurance, Inc. and its affiliates as a licensed insurance agency and says policy obligations rest with the issuing insurance company. Check which insurer is named on your quote and policy.

biBerk and NEXT side by side

The table summarizes what each company publishes about itself as of October 2026. Product menus and state availability change, so confirm details on a live quote.

Coverage differences

Both sell the core small business lines: general liability, a business owner’s policy, workers’ compensation, professional liability (E&O) and commercial auto. The differences are at the edges, and it helps to start from the coverage your contract, landlord or state requires.

biBerk’s coverage menu adds umbrella liability and cyber. Its cyber cover is an add-on to a general liability, professional liability or business owner’s policy rather than a standalone policy, and biBerk’s site says some incident response services are available only on the BOP add-on.

NEXT’s menu adds standalone commercial property, business personal property, tools and equipment, product liability, employment practices liability and liquor liability. Umbrella and cyber do not appear in its coverage menu as of October 2026, so ask directly if you need either.

Who each tends to fit

Neither is the right answer for every business. These are fit factors drawn from what each company publishes, not judgments of quality.

• biBerk may suit an owner who wants to buy straight from a Berkshire Hathaway carrier, handle everything online or by phone and add umbrella or cyber cover to the same account.
• biBerk lists industries beyond trades and services, such as landlords, apartment buildings, hotels, townhouse associations and medical offices.
• NEXT may suit contractors, cleaners, fitness pros and other trades that need tools and equipment cover or fast certificates for job sites, given its focus on 1,300+ professions.
• NEXT may also suit a business that wants an agent involved, since it quotes and binds through agents as well as directly.
• Either can fit a sole proprietor buying a first general liability policy; compare the limits, deductibles and exclusions, not only the monthly price.

Buying, service and claims

Both quote online in minutes. NEXT says you can buy in under 10 minutes and that general liability starts at $19 a month, a figure it bases on existing premiums of active policies as of April 1, 2026 and does not guarantee. biBerk does not publish a starting price; it says you answer a few questions, choose coverage, pay online and get coverage straight away.

For service, NEXT offers 24/7 online access to policies, certificates of insurance and additional insureds, with licensed US-based advisors and chat on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central. biBerk sells and services through its website and licensed staff by phone.

biBerk lets you report a claim online for each product line or by phone at 1-844-472-0966. It assigns a representative, sends updates by email and takes documents such as photos or demand letters by email. NEXT’s policy documents and online account explain how to report a claim; check them before you buy.

Why comparing several quotes matters

Each insurer underwrites your business individually, so the same company can be cheap for one trade and expensive or unavailable for another. NEXT’s own fine print says not all applicants qualify and rates vary by state, and biBerk’s coverage maps show that available lines differ from state to state.

When you compare, line up the same limits, deductibles, additional insured wording and exclusions, and check who issues each policy. If neither offers a line you need at the limits you need, you will need another insurer anyway. A broker such as Florin can compare quotes from several insurers alongside the direct options.