THREE and biBerk are both Berkshire Hathaway small business insurance options, but they package coverage differently. THREE, issued by Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company, combines property, liability, workers’ comp, business auto and cyber in a single policy. biBerk, part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group, sells separate policies direct online and by phone. The choice is mostly about packaging and how you like to buy.
This page is for restaurant and bar owners who like the idea of a Berkshire-backed policy and want to understand the difference between these two storefronts. Details come from each company’s published materials. Coverage is always subject to underwriting and the policy wording, and neither option replaces reading the declarations and exclusions.
Same parent, different products
THREE’s pitch is simplicity: instead of a BOP, a comp policy, an auto policy and a cyber policy with separate forms and renewal dates, it combines those coverages into one policy designed to avoid gaps and overlaps. Its restaurant page says liquor liability and cyber are included automatically, and lists workers’ comp, EPLI, property, professional liability and commercial auto. You can quote online, call its Small Business Advisors, or work with a THREE partner agent.
biBerk takes the traditional product approach, sold direct. It offers workers’ comp, general liability, a BOP, commercial auto, umbrella and cyber as separate policies, with restaurant endorsements such as liquor liability, food spoilage, equipment breakdown, hired and non-owned auto and employment practices. biBerk says it insures businesses directly and does not appoint individual retail agents.
THREE vs. biBerk at a glance
- Policy structure — THREE: one combined policy / biBerk: separate policies for each line
- Issuer and group — THREE: issued by Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company / biBerk: part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group
- How you buy — THREE: online, by phone with Small Business Advisors, or through partner agents / biBerk: direct online or by phone, no retail agents
- Liquor liability — THREE: included automatically, per its restaurant page / biBerk: added by endorsement
- Cyber — THREE: included automatically, per its restaurant page / biBerk: available as its own policy
- Restaurant add-ons — THREE: EPLI and professional liability listed for restaurants / biBerk: spoilage, equipment breakdown, hired and non-owned auto and EPL endorsements
- Food and drink businesses named — THREE: casual and fine dining, quick service, catering, food trucks, snack bars, bars, brewpubs, cocktail lounges, taverns / biBerk: bar and grills, buffets, diners, delis, food trucks, pizzerias, sports bars, taverns, wine bars and more
Picking between one policy and separate policies
Owner who hates paperwork. THREE fits best when you want one policy, one renewal and one place to call, and when your restaurant fits its appetite. THREE also says it wants a call if you add delivery, catering or bartending so it can update the policy, which matters for concepts that evolve quickly.
Brewpub or cocktail lounge. THREE names brewpubs, cocktail lounges and taverns and includes liquor liability on restaurant policies. biBerk names taverns, sports bars and wine bars and adds liquor by endorsement. For either, read the liquor section for assault and battery language and limits. See our brewery insurance page.
Pizzeria with a delivery car or two. Both can include auto: THREE within the single policy, biBerk as a separate commercial auto policy or hired and non-owned endorsement. Compare driver requirements and how delivery use is described.
Operator who wants to customize each line. biBerk fits when you prefer to pick each policy and endorsement separately, add an umbrella, or keep your comp with one carrier while moving property elsewhere later.
Checklist: confirm these on either Berkshire option
- Liquor liability limits — confirm the per-occurrence and aggregate limits and any assault and battery sublimit
- Property values — kitchen equipment, furniture, POS systems and tenant improvements at replacement cost
- Business income — how long it pays and whether a waiting period applies
- Spoilage — especially if you carry expensive proteins, seafood or kegs
- Workers’ comp — accurate class codes and payroll for kitchen, front-of-house and drivers
- Auto — owned vehicles scheduled, or hired and non-owned coverage for staff cars
- EPLI — defense for harassment, discrimination and wrongful termination claims
- Umbrella — whether higher limits are available for leases or events that require them
Factors underwriters weigh
A combined policy does not change what drives price. Underwriters still look at sales and alcohol share, cooking methods and suppression systems, building details, hours and entertainment, payroll by class, vehicles and drivers, and claims history. A late-night cocktail lounge will rate differently from a lunch-only café under either structure.
Good documentation helps with both: suppression inspection tags, hood-cleaning invoices, a written responsible-alcohol-service policy, incident logs and accurate payroll estimates. See restaurant insurance cost factors.
Comparing Berkshire options against the wider market
Provident Financial Group is an independent agency. We do not claim any carrier relationship we cannot show you; which carriers appear in your comparison depends on what is available through our agency for your state and concept. What we can always do is take one application, shop it across our available markets, and put the results next to a THREE or biBerk quote you already have so you can compare coverage line by line.
If you place coverage with us, we handle certificates for landlords and venues and re-market at renewal. Call (866) 964-6660.
Frequently asked questions
Are THREE and biBerk the same company?
No. Both are Berkshire Hathaway options, but THREE is issued by Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Company as a single combined policy, while biBerk sells separate policies direct as part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group.
Does THREE include liquor liability for restaurants?
THREE’s restaurant page says liquor liability is included automatically. Confirm the limits on your own quote.
Can I buy THREE through an agent?
Yes. THREE sells online and by phone, and it also works with partner agents.
Which is simpler to manage?
THREE is designed as one policy with one set of terms. biBerk gives you separate policies, which can mean more pieces but more room to customize.
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