NEXT Insurance vs biBERK: Which Is Better?
Two direct, online, giant-backed carriers — Munich Re standing behind one, Berkshire Hathaway behind the other. Six rounds. Real numbers. One honest scorecard.
The verdict
Rounds split 3–3; NEXT Insurance edges it on total score.
This is the closest matchup in the series — don't shop the parent company's name, shop the appetite, the price for your exact risk, and the service reputation underneath it.
Choose NEXT Insurance if…
- • Your trade is unusual or you need nationwide appetite
- • Responsive service matters more to you than one extra ratings notch
Choose biBERK if…
- • You run a simple, low-hazard business chasing the lowest price
- • You want the single highest AM Best rating plus umbrella coverage in-house
Round by round
- Round 1Financial Strength RatingbiBERK winsNEXT Insurance8/10
A+ (Superior)
AM Best rating, reinforced by Munich Re, 2025
- A+ (Superior) rating from AM Best
- Backed by Munich Re after $2.6B deal
- Not AM Best's single highest tier
Source: AM Best, 2025
biBERK9/10A++ (Superior)
Underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries — the highest AM Best tier
- Backed by Berkshire Hathaway's insurance operations
- Berkshire paid ~$62B in claims in 2025
Source: AM Best ratings, biBERK 2026 dossier
This round goes to biBERK.
- Round 2Appetite & Coverage FootprintNEXT Insurance winsNEXT Insurance9/10
1,300+ professions
Broad appetite incl. hard-to-place trades, nationwide in all 50 states
- 1,300+ professions accepted
- Sells nationwide in all 50 states
Source: NEXT 2026 dossier
biBERK5/10PL only, all 50 states
Other lines vary by state and business type
- Only professional liability guaranteed nationwide
- Leans toward lower-hazard, office-based businesses only
Source: biBERK 2026 dossier
This round goes to NEXT Insurance.
- Round 3App & Certificate ExperienceNEXT Insurance winsNEXT Insurance8/10
Certificate within minutes
- Free, unlimited certificates of insurance
- Instant quote and bind, minutes not days
biBERK6/10Adequate, but utilitarian
- No agent required to quote or bind
- Friction reported when customers need help
This one's NEXT's round. Faster certificate, happier customers.
- Round 4Customer Service & Claims ReputationNEXT Insurance winsNEXT Insurance7/10
~4.3/5
NEXT's Trustpilot rating (ERGO NEXT profile)
- ~4.3/5 rating on Trustpilot
- No pattern of piling regulator complaints
- Some automated-underwriting friction on claims/renewals
Source: Trustpilot, NEXT 2026 dossier
biBERK5/10"Disorganized, unresponsive"
- Some reviewers praise staff going extra mile
- Above-expected state-regulator complaint volume, per NerdWallet
- Reviewers cite long holds, AI phone system
So this round goes to NEXT Insurance.
- Round 5Price For Your RiskbiBERK winsNEXT Insurance6/10
#1 overall, 2026
MoneyGeek ranked NEXT best small-business insurer on cost and experience
- Ranked #1 overall on cost, MoneyGeek 2026
- Not cheapest headline price for simple risk
- Premiums are quote-specific, not published rates
Source: MoneyGeek 2026 Business Insurance Study
biBERK8/10up to 20% less
biBERK's no-middleman pricing pitch; GL from ~$30/mo, avg ~$105/mo
- GL from ~$30/month for low-hazard firms
- Up to 20% less than traditional carriers
Source: biBERK 2026 pricing dossier
This round goes to NEXT Insurance.
- Round 6Coverage Lines & In-House BreadthbiBERK winsNEXT Insurance6/10
Auto via Progressive
GL, BOP, workers' comp, PL, property in-house; auto through a partner
- Five lines underwritten fully in-house
- Commercial auto routed through partner Progressive
- No umbrella/excess liability offered
Source: NEXT 2026 dossier
biBERK8/106 lines in-house
Workers' comp, GL, PL, BOP, auto and umbrella — all underwritten by biBERK itself
- Six lines in-house, including commercial auto
- Only carrier here offering umbrella coverage
Source: biBERK 2026 dossier
This one’s biBERK’s. More lines in-house and umbrella coverage tip the scales here.
Which one is for you?
Owner who wants the single strongest balance sheet available
→ biBERK · biBERK's Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries carry AM Best's top A++ rating
Hard-to-place trade or unusual profession
→ NEXT Insurance · NEXT's 1,300+ profession appetite reaches trades biBERK's menu may decline
Low-hazard office or consulting firm chasing the best price
→ biBERK · biBERK's no-middleman pricing runs up to 20% below traditional carriers
Owner who wants workers' comp, auto and umbrella from one in-house carrier
→ biBERK · biBERK underwrites all of it directly; NEXT routes auto through Progressive
Side by side
- Fine for one incidental work vehicle
- One digital account, one carrier
- Covers 1,300+ professions, including hard-to-place trades
- Good fit for sole proprietors and hard-to-place trades needing one vehicle
- Instant online quote-and-bind, no agent required
- Backed by Berkshire, which paid ~$62B in claims in 2025
- AM Best's single highest financial-strength grade available
- All essentials from one A++-backed carrier
- Not a vehicle specialist
- Not built for specialty or multi-truck fleets
- Shorter claims track record than a specialist
- Limited hand-holding for complex risk
- No local agent relationship if you want one
- Higher-than-expected state regulator complaint volume relative to market share (NerdWallet)
- Long hold times and AI phone systems reported
- No cyber, management liability or group benefits