Old Republic pros
- Has a variety of specialty coverage options
- Receives fewer complaints than expected for its size
- Sells freight insurance and coverage for large fleets
Berkshire Hathaway pros
- Has the highest possible financial stability rating
- Offers a broad range of coverage options
- Broad coverage options, depending on the subsidiary
How Old Republic’s market share compares with Berkshire Hathaway’s
Old Republic is the third-largest insurer, with 4.1% of the total market, according to a March 2025 NAIC report. Berkshire Hathaway is the fifth-largest commercial auto insurer, with 3.7% of the total market share.
How Old Republic’s direct premiums written compares with Berkshire Hathaway’s
Old Republic has about $2.9 billion in direct premiums written, according to the NAIC report. Berkshire Hathaway has about $2.6 billion in direct premiums written.
How Old Republic’s NAIC complaint data compares with Berkshire Hathaway’s
When evaluating commercial car insurance companies, it’s a good idea to check the NAIC complaint index. The complaint index tracks the number of complaints an insurer receives compared to its market share.
An index of 1.0 means the company receives the expected number of complaints for its size. A score above 1.0 means it receives more complaints than expected, and a score below 1.0 means fewer complaints – a lower score is better.
For 2024, Old Republic’s complaint index was 0.75. The complaint index for Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiary, National Liability & Fire Insurance Company, was 3.5.
How Old Republic’s AM Best rating compares with Berkshire Hathaway’s
One of the most important considerations when choosing a commercial auto insurance company is financial stability. Before you pick an insurer, it’s a good idea to check its rating from AM Best, a credit rating agency that grades insurance companies based on their ability to meet financial obligations and pay claims.
Old Republic, as of April 2024 – its latest rating – had an A+ rating. Berkshire Hathaway, as of April 2025, had an A++ rating. Both ratings are strong, but Berkshire Hathaway is seen as more financially stable than Old Republic.
How Old Republic’s rates compare with Berkshire Hathaway’s rates
Old Republic doesn’t publish its commercial auto insurance rates online. To get a quote, you must contact one of its subsidiaries.
Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiary biBerk publishes sample rates online for certain vehicle types. Here are the general price ranges we found:
- Smaller vehicles used for commuting: $600 to $1,500 per vehicle per year
- For-hire trucking: $5,000 to $15,000 per vehicle per year
- Livery vehicles: $2,000 to $6,000 per vehicle per year
Commercial car insurance premiums are different for every business. Rates depend on a variety of factors, like your location, coverage options, vehicle types, driving history and industry.
To give you an idea of how much your insurance might cost, Insureon, a small-business insurance agency, says the average cost for a commercial auto policy is $147 per month, or $1,762 annually.
Can I buy an Old Republic policy online?
Old Republic sells commercial auto insurance through a network of subsidiaries. Each underwriting company specializes in different industries, such as construction, manufacturing, healthcare, retail or aerospace.
To purchase a commercial car insurance policy from Old Republic, you’ll need to choose which subsidiary is right for your industry and coverage needs. You can learn more about the subsidiaries on Old Republic’s website.
Once you select the right subsidiary, you can contact the company directly to get a quote and purchase a policy. Here’s a list of the insurers that underwrite commercial auto insurance and their main phone number:
- BITCO Insurance Companies: (800) 475-4477
- Great West Casualty Company: (800) 228-8602
- Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada: (800) 530-5446
- Old Republic Insured Automotive Services: (800) 331-3780
- Old Republic Risk Management: (262) 797-3400
- Old Republic Specialty Insurance Underwriters: (224) 283-6434
- PMA Companies: (800) 222-2749
Can I buy a Berkshire Hathaway policy online?
To buy a commercial car insurance policy from Berkshire Hathaway, you’ll need to choose the subsidiary that’s right for your industry and coverage needs. Once you select a subsidiary, you can call the company directly to start the purchase process.
Here’s a list of the companies that underwrite commercial auto insurance for Berkshire Hathaway, and how you can get a quote:
- Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies: Call (800) 488-2930
- Guard Insurance Companies: Call (800) 673-2465
- Three: Online quote or call (800) 507-4495
- biBerk: Online quote or call (844) 472-0967
Types of coverage Old Republic offers
Each of Old Republic’s subsidiaries offer different types of coverage. These five coverages are standard with most Old Republic commercial auto insurance policies:
- Liability: Pays up to $1 million for injuries to others as well as damage to other cars or property when your driver is at fault for the accident.
- Collision: Pays to repair or replace your vehicle if you hit another vehicle or object.
- Comprehensive: Pays to repair or replace the vehicle if it is damaged by something other than collision, such as vandalism, fire or storm damage.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): Pays for damage and injuries when another party hits you but doesn’t have any or enough liability insurance to cover the loss.
- Medical payments: Pays for medical bills incurred by your driver or passengers regardless of fault.
Depending on the Old Republic subsidiary you choose, you can also get optional endorsements, like bulk commodity insurance, cargo insurance, gap insurance, vehicle service contracts and excess liability limits for catastrophic losses.
Types of coverage Berkshire Hathaway offers
Berkshire Hathaway offers commercial auto insurance through its subsidiaries. There are five areas that most Berkshire Hathaway commercial auto insurance policies cover:
- Liability: This pays for injuries to others as well as damage to other cars or property when your driver is at fault for the accident.
- Collision: This pays to repair or replace your vehicle if it strikes another object, overturns, rolls or is in a collision with another vehicle where your driver is at fault for the accident.
- Comprehensive: This pays to repair or replace the vehicle if it is damaged by something other than collision, such as vandalism, fire or storm damage.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): This pays for damage and injuries when another party hits you but doesn’t have any or enough liability insurance to cover the loss.
- Medical payments: This pays for medical bills incurred by your driver or passengers regardless of fault.
Some of Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiaries might offer add-on coverages. To find out what coverage options are available for your business, you can speak to an agent.
Types of commercial vehicles Old Republic covers
Old Republic sells commercial auto insurance for the following vehicles:
- Passenger vehicles
- Vans
- Light trucks
- Dump trucks
- Tractor trailers
- Freight trucks
- Dump body trailers
Types of commercial vehicles Berkshire Hathaway covers
Berkshire Hathaway’s commercial auto policies are available for the following types of business vehicles:
- Cars
- Limousines
- Pickup trucks
- Buses
- Food trucks
- Motorhomes
- Tractor tractors
- Motorcycles
- Emergency vehicles
- Delivery vans
- Tow trucks
- Box trucks
- Flatbed trucks
Who should get Old Republic’s policy?
Old Republic is a good commercial auto insurance company for small business owners who want specialty coverages. The company’s subsidiaries offer a variety of insurance products that are tailored to the needs of businesses in specific industries, such as construction, manufacturing, retail and many others.
Old Republic also stands out for its superior financial stability, which is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a commercial auto insurance company. Old Republic also receives fewer complaints than expected for its size.
However, Old Republic has a limited digital experience. To get a quote or purchase a policy, you must select the right subsidiary for your business and call an agent. Because of that, Old Republic isn’t a great option for business owners who want to buy coverage or compare rates immediately.
Who should get Berkshire Hathaway’s policy?
Berkshire Hathaway stands out for its superior financial stability rating, which is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a commercial car insurance company. Its A++ score is the highest AM Best rating possible, indicating that the company can meet its obligations and is not at risk of going out of business.
However, some of Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiaries receive many more complaints than expected for their size.
Berkshire Hathaway’s coverage options, functionality and policy rates will vary depending on the subsidiary issuing the policy. If you’re thinking about purchasing commercial auto insurance from Berkshire Hathaway, you might need to research several subsidiaries in order to find the best one for your needs.
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