Insurer reviews
Eight insurers, judged on their claims record
Each review follows the same structure: regulator complaint data first, then financial strength, then what customers and practitioners actually report. Every negative claim is sourced and dated; conclusions are our opinion on the disclosed data.
NEXT Insurance
A+ (Superior) · founded 2016
Mixed-to-negative on claims behavior. The buying experience is genuinely excellent and Munich Re ownership means claims-paying capacity isn't in doubt — but the data says trouble at claim time: a 2025 NAIC complaint index of 1.63 (63% more complaints than expected, our own pull from NAIC CIS) and NerdWallet's 2022–2024 finding of far-more-than-expected GL and property complaints, led by delays, low settlements and denial-by-exclusion. Buy it for speed and price with eyes open on the exclusions.
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Thimble
None of its own (it's an agent). Underwriting carriers: Markel A (Excellent), Employers A (Excellent). · founded 2016
Claims are the structural weak point: Thimble doesn't pay claims — it hands them to the underwriting carrier and a TPA, and reviewers consistently report slow, impersonal handling with no phone channel. The nuance the marketing won't tell you: its GL carrier (Markel) actually under-indexes on NAIC complaints, while its workers' comp carrier (Employers) over-indexes badly (NerdWallet, 2022–2024). Best treated as a brilliant COI/short-gig tool, not a partner for a contested high-value claim.
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biBERK
A++ (Superior) · founded 2015
Financially bulletproof, operationally rough. The A++ Berkshire balance sheet means covered claims get paid — but 2022–2024 NAIC data shows far more GL and property complaints than its size predicts (NerdWallet's lowest complaints score), and its 3.7/5 Trustpilot is the weakest of the digital carriers, dominated by billing/collections friction and slow human follow-up. Fine while the policy runs clean; frustrating when you need a person to fix something.
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Coterie Insurance
None of its own (MGA). Underwriting carriers Spinnaker, Benchmark and Clear Spring are rated A- (Excellent). · founded 2018
The hardest of the eight to judge — and that's the verdict. Speed-to-bind is proven; the public claims record is largely unproven: no consumer review base, no own complaint index, A- (not A++) carriers behind it, and the few documented BBB cases split between a badly delayed fire claim and a promptly paid roof claim. If a public track record matters to you, Coterie hasn't built one yet.
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Hiscox
A (Excellent) · founded 1901
Mixed-to-concerning. The coverage is well-built for professionals and many policyholders never test it — but the regulator data is the red flag: a complaint index of 1.97 in 2023 and NerdWallet's far-more-complaints-than-expected finding on GL and property (2022–2024), echoed by a 1.6/5 Trustpilot full of denial and slow-claims stories. Fine coverage on paper; claims handling and renewal behavior are the documented weak spots.
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The Hartford
A+ (Superior) · founded 1810
The strongest of the eight on hard data. Complaint indices sit below 1.0 across 2022–2024 — fewer complaints than its size predicts — with an A+ (Superior) AM Best rating affirmed July 2025. The real-world friction is operational (workers' comp case management, billing audits, slow comms), not systemic denial of valid claims. If claims behavior is your deciding criterion, this is the benchmark the others get measured against.
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Progressive Commercial
A+ (Superior) · founded Progressive founded 1937; commercial division since 1971
Concerning on the commercial book. Progressive is dominant, financially strong and unbeatable on speed for commercial auto — but the regulator data is unflattering: complaint indices around 3x expected on commercial auto and property (MoneyGeek, 2026), a 1.5/5 Trustpilot, and recurring reports of unresponsive adjusters. And outside auto it's effectively a marketplace — your GL or BOP claim is handled by whichever partner carrier underwrote it. Buy for the auto specialization; set claims expectations accordingly.
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Simply Business
Not applicable · founded 2005
Not a claims-payer — so its glowing reviews need translating. Simply Business scores well (4.1–4.2 Trustpilot, A+ BBB) precisely because its job ends at placement; once a claim is filed you're in the hands of the matched carrier, whose record may look nothing like the broker's. Used knowingly — as a fast way to compare prices, then checking the matched carrier's complaint record here — it's genuinely useful.
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Disclosure: some links to insurers may be affiliate links — if you get a quote through them we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. That never changes the data: complaint figures, ratings and review themes are reported as published, sources cited and dated. We are not an insurance agent or broker, and nothing here is advice. How we score