Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Company Review

Pros, cons, and what you need to know
Ann Herro, Insurance Expert Written by Ann Herro
Ann Herro, Insurance Expert
Written by Ann Herro

Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.

Updated

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies at a Glance

  • Established in 1983
  • Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies are rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best
  • Owned by Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
  • A dedicated insurance provider for over three decades
  • Powered by a carefully selected network of independent agents and brokers from all over the country
  • Offers a full range of commercial and personal property and casualty insurance including excess and surplus lines through subsidiary companies

Berkshire Hathaway pros: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies are owned by Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. and are rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best. The company and its subsidiaries offer flexible policy terms and convenient payment options. The company’s insurance products are marketed by a carefully selected network of independent agents and brokers from all over the US.

Berkshire Hathaway cons: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD has a B- rating from the BBB and receives numerous negative customer reviews online.

What Type of Insurance Does Berkshire Hathaway Offer?

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies are licensed in all 50 states, but products vary by state. Depending on the state, you may be able to purchase the following types of coverage from the carrier.

Commercial Insurance

  • Businessowners policies
  • Commercial auto insurance
  • Commercial package policies
  • Commercial property insurance
  • Commercial umbrella insurance
  • Disability insurance
  • General liability insurance
  • Professional liability insurance
  • Workers’ compensation insurance

Personal Insurance

  • Homeowners insurance
  • Personal umbrella insurance

This is not an exhaustive list of policies offered by Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies. You can learn more about the offerings in your area by contacting a local independent insurance agent.

Using our insurance company directory can help you find the best insurance companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs. The company directory can also help you get connected to an agent near you.

What to Know about Berkshire Hathaway

Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. is the parent company of Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies. The carrier distributes commercial and personal lines property and casualty insurance including excess and surplus lines.

The company distributes its insurance solutions through a network of over 6,700 independent insurance agents and brokers nationwide. Berkshire Hathaway is headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and has over $2 billion on written premium and over 950 employees across the US.

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies is rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best. AM Best is a credit rating firm that assesses the creditworthiness of and/or reports on over 16,000 insurance companies worldwide. The AM Best rating points to the insurance company’s ability to pay claims, debts, and other financial obligations in a timely manner. Customers can expect that Berkshire Hathaway has the necessary cash reserves to pay out claims, an essential factor in evaluating any insurance company before purchasing a policy.

What Discounts Does Berkshire Hathaway Offer?

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies offers several discounts for its personal insurance customers. These include the following.

  • Multi policy discounts for homeowners policyholders, condo/unit owners policyholders, landlord insurance, and renters insurance

You can learn more about discounts offered by Berkshire Hathaway by talking to a local independent insurance agent. Independent insurance agents are experts at ensuring that you get all of the discounts that you are eligible for.

Berkshire Hathaway Customer Service

Here's what to know about Berkshire Hathaway’s customer service options.

  • Contact customer service by phone, email, regular mail, or via an online fillable contact form
  • Phone service hours restrictions are not publicized


Hours (ALL TIME ZONES)


Monday-Friday Unknown


Saturday Unknown


Sunday Unknown

For the most personalized service, work directly with your independent insurance agent. If you have questions or concerns about your policy, an independent agent can advocate on your behalf.

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Berkshire Hathaway FAQ

What is Berkshire Hathaway’s average claims response time frame?

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies does not publish information about its average claims response time.

What is Berkshire Hathaway’s customer service availability?

Berkshire Hathaway is available to its customers by phone, email, online, and regular mail. In most cases, customers can call their independent insurance agent for immediate, personal service.

What is Berkshire Hathaway’s claims process?

To report new claims, Berkshire Hathaway’s customers are instructed to call a toll-free claims line. Please have available the following information.

  • Policy number
  • A description of how, when, and where the incident occurred
  • Names, addresses, phone numbers of injured/involved parties or witnesses
  • The insured driver’s name, address, phone number (for commercial auto claims)
  • The employer’s tax ID number, the injured/ill employee’s SSN and personnel file and any accident reports (for workers’ compensation claims)
  • Legal correspondence (for liability claims)

You can also report claims online via a fillable form. You’ll be asked to select the type of policy and provide your policy number, a short description of the loss, injury, or incident, and more.

Downloadable disability insurance claim forms are provided on the company’s website, as well as the ability to upload photos and documents for all of your claims.

Customers can log in to the online service center to do the following.                                                  

  • Check on the status of an existing claim
  • Converse with your claims adjuster
  • View policy loss history
  • Report a claim online (for most types of policies)

Does Berkshire Hathaway create a user-friendly experience for customers?

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies has a user-friendly website that offers a variety of resources including loss control training videos and flyers, as well as an online policyholder service center. The Policyholder Service Center provides access to a wide range of customer resources including bill payments, view and download your policy, report a claim, and more.

Does Berkshire Hathaway have good homeowners insurance?

Berkshire Hathaway’s homeowners insurance is designed for owners/occupants of one- to four-family dwellings, including townhouses and row homes, purchaser occupants, life estate arrangements, season dwellings, and homes under construction.

The company also offers renters insurance and condo unit owners insurance. It may also offer coverage to residences owned by business entities such as LLCs or corporations where certain incidental business activities occur.

Policyowners can add on coverage like identity fraud protection, home systems protection, and more. The company offers flexible payment options for its homeowners insurance policyholders, toll-free and online claims reporting, and the online Policyholder Service Center.

There are also a wide range of  deductible options and discounts available including multi-policy discounts.

Is Berkshire Hathaway a good insurance company?

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies has the backing of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., one of the most financially stable companies around. The company offers a wide range of policies for businesses and individuals. Unfortunately, the company has received numerous customer satisfaction complaints and receives a B- rating from the BBB. But overall, Berkshire Hathaway can be considered a good insurance company.

Berkshire Hathaway Customer Reviews

Wallethub
“Worst insurance company out there. Underestimated the damage to my property and won't be willing to help me through these crucial and critical times. They'll just eat your hard-earned money and walk away with it.”


Wallethub
“Don't use this insurance company for your home, they are the worst customer service in the world. Never reply to your email, always the voicemail. Don't use this company unless you want your life miserable.”


Wallethub
“No one wants to file a claim, but in doing so, that's when you find out the worth of a company. I filed a claim 9/27/20 and still have not received a decision on my loss from Hurricane Laura. Now, since I haven't gotten the repairs done, Hurricane Delta came through and I have water damage inside the house. My adjuster never answers his phone even though the customer service person says he's in. He also never returns messages. Terrible company when it comes to losses and customer service. I will be looking for a different company.”


Better Business Bureau
5 Stars
“I can’t believe how professional and easy they were! I would recommend them to anyone. Very courteous and always called me back right away! I have nothing but great things to say!”


Better Business Bureau
5 Stars
“I had an awesome experience. The rep was kind, friendly, and very helpful. The online chat is truly a blessing. Thank you for all your help.”


TrustedChoice.com's Final Review

We award Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies a final rating of 3.0 out of 5 stars. Its high ratings from AM Best speak to its unquestionable financial strength, one of the most important factors in choosing any insurance company.

The carrier provides a variety of property and casualty insurance solutions for individuals and businesses. Policies come with flexible options, payment plans, and discounts (where applicable).

Customers report both positive and negative experiences with the carrier, and the BBB gives the company a B- due to the volume of complaints.

Berkshire Hathaway works with independent insurance agents nationwide. Your agent can help you determine if choosing the carrier for your personal or business insurance needs is right for you. You can use our national carrier directory to find the best insurance companies to meet your needs. The directory will help you locate companies that specialize in what you need, and can help you get connected to an agent near you.

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https://www.guard.com

https://www.berkshirehathaway.com

https://www.bbb.org

https://www.ambest.com

https://www.wallethub.com