Pie and biBERK both let a small business buy workers' comp online, and both skip the traditional friction of a broker-only sale. But they come at it from opposite ends: one is a workers' comp specialist that prices with data, the other is a broad small-business insurer whose whole pitch is the balance sheet behind the policy. Here's how they actually compare for a workers' comp buyer.
This is an independent comparison from QuoteSweep, which maps the modern commercial insurance landscape. QuoteSweep does not compete with any of these companies.
TL;DR: Pie is a data-driven, full-stack workers' comp specialist — it underwrites its own policies through The Pie Insurance Company (AM Best A- rated), quotes in about three minutes, and sells direct or through agents. biBERK is a direct-to-business insurer, part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group, that writes workers' comp as one of six small-business lines on A++ (Superior) rated carriers with no brokers. Choose Pie for a fast, WC-focused quote and an agent option; choose biBERK for maximum financial strength behind a direct policy.
The one-line difference
- Pie leads with workers' comp and prices it with a proprietary data model. Since 2023 it's a full-stack carrier, underwriting WC itself through The Pie Insurance Company (AM Best A- rated), with a ~3-minute quote sold both direct and through agents.
- biBERK leads with financial strength. Workers' comp is one of six lines it sells directly online — no brokers — on Berkshire Hathaway carriers rated A++ (Superior) by AM Best, positioning on savings of up to 20% by cutting out the middleman.
Model and coverage
Both sell small-business workers' comp online, but the shape of the offering differs.
- Pie: workers' comp is the core product, priced by data rather than broad class-code averages, which is how it quotes in roughly three minutes. Pie became a full-stack carrier in 2023 and issues WC through The Pie Insurance Company (AM Best A-). Beyond WC, it also offers BOP, commercial auto, general liability, and professional liability / E&O, placed through third-party partner carriers.
- biBERK: workers' comp sits alongside general liability, BOP, professional liability, commercial auto, and umbrella — a broader direct lineup. Its defining feature isn't the WC product specifically; it's that everything is written on Berkshire Hathaway carriers rated A++ (Superior), the highest AM Best financial-strength tier.
The practical read: Pie is a workers' comp specialist that happens to offer other lines through partners; biBERK is a broad direct insurer that happens to include workers' comp.
Pie vs biBERK at a glance
| Pie | biBERK | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Data-driven, full-stack WC specialist | Direct-to-business, broad small-business insurer |
| Workers' comp | ✓ (core line, underwrites itself) | ✓ (one of six lines) |
| WC carrier / rating | The Pie Insurance Company, AM Best A- | Berkshire Hathaway carriers, AM Best A++ (Superior) |
| Other lines | BOP, commercial auto, GL, E&O (via partners) | GL, BOP, professional liability, commercial auto, umbrella |
| Distribution | Direct online + appointed agents | Direct online only, no brokers |
| Quote speed | ~3 minutes (per its site) | Buy online |
| Availability | WC in 39 states + DC | US small businesses |
| Backing | ~$615M+ raised (best-capitalized WC insurtech) | Berkshire Hathaway; not venture-backed |
| Pricing | Quote-based, no flat pricing published | Quote-based; positions on up to 20% savings |
| Founded | 2017 | 2015 |
Neither company publishes flat pricing — workers' comp premium is quote-based either way, priced from your business details.
Backing and distribution
This is where the two diverge most.
- Pie: the best-capitalized workers' comp insurtech. Per third-party reporting, it raised a $315M Series D in 2022 (co-led by Centerbridge Partners and Allianz X), following a $118M Series C in 2021, for roughly $615M+ total. Its own carrier is AM Best A- rated, and it reports 55,000+ policies in force. Pie sells both direct and through a dedicated agent portal and partner program.
- biBERK: not venture-backed — it's part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group, one of the financially strongest insurance groups in the world, writing on A++ (Superior) rated carriers. It reports being trusted by 200,000+ small businesses. biBERK is direct-only, with no agent relationship.
So the backing story is venture scale and a WC-native carrier (Pie) versus a century-strength balance sheet and no outside funding (biBERK). And the distribution story matters if you work with an agent: Pie has an agent channel; biBERK does not.
Who each one fits
- Choose Pie if workers' comp is your priority, you want a fast, data-priced quote (about three minutes), and you value the option to buy either direct or through your agent. It writes WC in 39 states plus DC.
- Choose biBERK if you want to buy directly online, value the strongest possible financial strength (Berkshire's A++ rated carriers) behind the policy, and may want to bundle other lines like umbrella or commercial auto in the same direct purchase.
For a workers' comp buyer, the deciding factors are usually specialization versus balance sheet, and whether you want an agent in the loop. Pie is the WC specialist with an agent channel; biBERK is the broad, direct, Berkshire-backed option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do both Pie and biBERK sell workers' comp?
Yes. Workers' comp is Pie's core line, which it underwrites itself through The Pie Insurance Company (AM Best A- rated). biBERK also writes workers' comp, as one of six small-business lines, on Berkshire Hathaway carriers rated A++ (Superior).
What's the main difference between them?
Focus and backing. Pie is a data-driven workers' comp specialist that quotes in about three minutes and sells direct or through agents. biBERK is a direct-to-business insurer, part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group, that leads on financial strength and sells online with no brokers.
Which one is cheaper?
Neither publishes flat pricing, so it depends on your business and coverage. biBERK positions on savings of up to 20% by removing the middleman; Pie prices workers' comp from your business details using its data model. Compare quotes for the same coverage.
Can I buy through an agent?
Only with Pie. Pie sells direct online and through appointed agents, with a dedicated agent portal and partner program. biBERK is direct-only and works without brokers.
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The bottom line
Pie and biBERK both make small-business workers' comp easy to buy online, and differ on what they're really selling. Pie is the workers' comp specialist — data-priced, fast, full-stack, with an agent channel and venture-scale capital behind it. biBERK is the direct, broad small-business insurer whose edge is Berkshire Hathaway's A++ financial strength. Match the choice to whether you want WC specialization and an agent option, or maximum balance-sheet strength behind a direct policy.
Compare both, plus the rest of the field, on the workers-comp hub, or read the full Pie and biBERK profiles.
