Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance vs Markel: General Liability Insurance

Markel Insurance describes general liability for IT and technology service businesses, including software, hardware and consultants. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance lists primary GL for commercial real estate, retail and energy, with a $50,000 minimum premium per policy.

Montgomery Risk Partners prepared this library from Spot.Insure comparison research and underlying public records.Research updated 2026-09-30

BHSI lists primary GL for classes including construction, retail and energy with a $50,000 minimum premium; Markel describes occurrence or claims-made GL for IT and technology businesses.

Sources and records

  1. 01
    Casualty

    Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance · US casualty product lines and features: Primary General Liability lines 10-34; Primary Products/Completed Operations Liability 35-44; Lead Umbrella and Excess Casualty 46-63 · accessed 2026-09-28

  2. 02
    Casualty Appetite Guide - U.S.

    Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance · Casualty appetite PDF page 1: $50K minimum premium, GL/products/lead umbrella/excess lines, selected $10M excess capacity, placement forms and target/avoided classes; guide dated 2026-07-15 · accessed 2026-09-28

  3. 03
    Commercial Insurance Guide

    California Department of Insurance · Commercial General Liability; Commercial Automobile; What Should I Expect from a Broker-Agent?; How Are Commercial Policies Rated? · accessed 2026-09-16

  4. 04
    Commercial general liability insurance

    Insurance Information Institute · Coverage A; Coverage B; Coverage C; Purchasing commercial general liability insurance · accessed 2026-09-16

  5. 05
    Commercial General Liability Coverage Form

    ISO; specimen hosted by Hiscox · I.A pp.1–5; I.B pp.6–7; I.C pp.7–8; Supplementary Payments p.8; II pp.9–10; III p.10; IV pp.10–12 · accessed 2026-09-16

  6. 06
    IT Professionals E&O Insurance

    Markel · General liability section; occurrence or claims-made availability for advertising and personal injury; limited to IT-professional context. · accessed 2026-09-30

What Are the Key Differences Between Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Markel Insurance General Liability Insurance?

Cross-industry appetite and technology focus

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance lists construction, commercial real estate, retail, financial institutions and energy among its primary GL target classes. Markel’s cited product page focuses on IT and technology service businesses, including software, SaaS, hardware and consultants. Technology companies can ask Markel how its specialist page applies; businesses in BHSI’s listed classes can compare the proposed primary form and eligibility. [2] [6]

Trigger alternatives and minimum premium

Markel says GL advertising and personal-injury coverage for the listed technology classes may be available on an occurrence or claims-made basis, subject to the issued policy and jurisdiction. BHSI’s guide sets a $50,000 minimum premium per policy. Buyers should compare trigger, retroactive date if applicable, limits and total cost; Markel’s page does not establish quote timing, while BHSI gives a clear premium threshold. [6] [2]

What Should You Confirm in Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Markel Insurance General Liability Insurance Quotes?

  • Ask Markel which trigger and jurisdiction terms are available for your business. [6]
  • Ask BHSI whether your account meets its appetite and premium minimum. [2]

Provider coverage details

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

  • coverage: BHSI markets primary general liability, with contractor broad-form coverage, gradual-pollution features and flexible limits in its product overview. BHSI US specialty commercial primary GL. Material limitation: These are overview features, not universal policy grants; forms and endorsements vary.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: The casualty guide lists primary GL forms and identifies commercial real estate, retail/grocery, financial institutions, construction and energy as target classes. US casualty appetite guide dated 2026-07-15. Material limitation: Guide includes classes to avoid and $50,000 minimum policy premium; acceptance is underwritten.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: BHSI’s casualty appetite guide sets a $50,000 minimum premium per policy and lists primary GL as an eligible line. Selected US casualty accounts under guide dated 2026-07-15. Material limitation: Minimum premium is appetite guidance, not a quoted price or guaranteed minimum for all products.company-reportedSource ↗

Markel Insurance

  • role: Markel describes offering general liability for the audience stated on the cited product page. general liability marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • eligibility: IT and technology service businesses, including software/SaaS, hardware businesses, and consultants listed by Markel. general liability marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • coverage: The cited product page describes general liability with advertising and personal injury coverage available on an occurrence or claims-made basis for the IT-professional classes on this page. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. general liability marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • application: The page invites prospective customers or brokers to contact Markel or the named underwriting team. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. general liability marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement.company-reportedSource ↗
  • limits: The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred.not-disclosedSource ↗

Use this comparison as a starting point for a discussion about your business and its insurance needs.

Contact Montgomery Risk Partners