Berkley Aspire Insurance Company Review

Pros, cons, and what you need to know
Ann Herro, Insurance Expert Written by Ann Herro
Ann Herro, Insurance Expert
Written by Ann Herro

Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.

Updated

Berkley Aspire at a Glance

  • Berkley Aspire provides excess and surplus lines coverage on a national basis for small- to medium-sized businesses
  • Products include primary and excess general liability insurance, property insurance, and inland marine insurance
  • Works exclusively with independent insurance agents
  • Parent company W.R. Berkley Insurance Group has an A+ rating from AM Best that extends to its subsidiaries

Berkley Aspire pros: Berkley Aspire writes from small, minimum premium policies to accounts over six figures. Berkley Aspire differentiates itself by striving to make excess and surplus lines coverage easy to transact. The company works with a highly qualified group of independent insurance agents across the US. Offers direct bill and foregoes renewal applications for 80% of its small business clients.  Berkley Aspire focuses on specific industries and risk types to ensure the expertise necessary to underwrite these types of complex risks. The company can consider more than a thousand classes of business, but focuses on the following industries: construction, dealer/distributors, habitational, installation & repair services, manufacturing, retail, restaurants, and special events.

Berkley Aspire cons: Berkley Aspire is not individually rated by AM Best, however, its parent company, W.R. Berkley Corporation, is highly rated. Direct customer service options are limited. Customer reviews are not available to evaluate the satisfaction of the company’s past and current clients.

What Type of Insurance Does Berkley Aspire Offer?

Berkley Aspire specializes in the following product lines.

  • General liability insurance
  • Property insurance
  • Excess liability insurance
  • Inland marine insurance
  • Employment practices liability insurance
  • Cyber liability insurance
  • Employee benefits liability insurance
  • Owners and contractors protective insurance

The company can consider more than a thousand classes of business, but focuses on the following industries: construction, dealer/distributors, habitational, installation & repair services, manufacturing, retail, restaurants, and special events.

Using our insurance company directory can help you find the best insurance companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs. The company directory can also help you get connected to an agent near you.

What to Know about Berkley Aspire

Berkley Aspire provides excess and surplus lines coverage on a national basis for small to medium-sized insureds with low to moderate insurance risk. Its product lines include primary and excess general liability, property, and inland marine. Berkley Aspire serves a limited distribution channel consisting of select Berkley member company appointed independent insurance agents.

Berkley Aspire is a subsidiary of W.R. Berkley Corporation. The Berkley companies, or operating units like Berkley Aspire, are positioned throughout the US. Each company, including Berkley Aspire, develops the skills and expertise necessary to reach its targeted market. Berkley Aspire can react as quickly and effectively as a small business, while offering the stability and resources of W.R. Berkley Corporation.

The carrier has earned strong ratings from AM Best and several other major rating services. AM Best is a credit rating firm that assesses the creditworthiness of and/or reports on over 16,000 insurance companies worldwide. The AM Best rating points to the insurance company’s ability to pay claims, debts, and other financial obligations in a timely manner. Customers can expect that Berkley Aspire has the necessary cash reserves to pay out claims, an essential factor in evaluating any insurance company before purchasing a policy.

What Discounts Does Berkley Aspire Offer?

Berkley Aspire does not publish any information about specific discounts or savings opportunities that the company offers.

Berkley Aspire Customer Service

Here's what to know about Berkley Aspire’s customer service options.

  • Mail, phone, and email service options are available
  • Phone service has the following hours restrictions


Hours (MST)


Monday-Friday 7:30 am – 4:30 pm

For personal service, it’s best to work with your independent insurance agent. If you have questions or concerns about your policy, an independent agent can advocate on your behalf.

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Berkley Aspire FAQ

What is Berkley Aspire’s average claims response time frame?

Berkley Aspire does not publish information about its average claims response time frame. The company simply promises, “fast, fair claims service.” The company touts its experienced claim professionals who are experienced in the nuances of excess and surplus lines insurance. Berkley Aspire also works with a network of independent adjusters, attorneys, and experts to help with investigations and the claims resolution process.

What is Berkley Aspire’s customer service availability?

Berkley Aspire has a rather simple website with traditional means of customer service, including phone, email, and regular mail. Customers will receive personal and more comprehensive service by contacting their independent insurance agent.

What is Berkley Aspire’s claims process?

Berkley Aspire customers can report a claim to their agent, or they may report a claim directly to the carrier.

Claims can be reported to Berkley Aspire directly by email, and must include the following information.

  • Business name
  • Contact name, phone number, and email address
  • Policy number
  • Date of loss
  • Brief description of the claim
  • Names and contact information for other involved parties

In most cases, it may be best to work directly with your independent insurance agent throughout the claims process.

Does Berkley Aspire create a user-friendly experience for customers?

Berkley Aspire has a simple website with traditional customer service options. Customer are encouraged to work with their independent insurance agent for most issues. Working with an independent insurance agent ensures that you’ll get the personalized, expert service that you need when purchasing or changing or policy, or when filing a claim.

Does Berkley Aspire have good business insurance?

Berkley Aspire focuses on the excess and surplus lines market for covering hard-to-place, unusual, and high risks not typically written by the standard markets. The company’s stated goal is to provide innovative, market-leading, and uncomplicated business services for independent agents and their clients. It focuses on providing fast turnaround on quotes, professionalism, and delivering strong customer service.

Your independent insurance agent can help you decide if the products and services offered by Berkley Aspire are right for your unique risks.

Is Berkley Aspire a good insurance company?

Berkley Aspire is a strong company with the financial backing and stability of W.R. Berkley Corporation. That alone speaks to the company’s longevity and ability to pay claims. It is difficult to evaluate if the company lives up to its customer service promises, as there are no customer reviews available on the web. Overall, however, Berkley Aspire can be considered a good insurance company for certain businesses that are in need of surplus lines or excess coverage. 

TrustedChoice.com's Final Review

We award Berkley Aspire a final rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. To begin with, the parent company’s high ratings from AM Best speak to its unquestionable financial strength, one of the most important factors in choosing any insurance company.

The carrier provides a variety of excess and surplus lines business insurance options for small to mid-market companies who cannot find coverage from traditional carriers.

The company works exclusively with independent insurance agents, which is a positive. Independent insurance agents will get to know you and your business, and can provide the personalized service you need no matter which carrier you choose. If you are in one of Berkley Aspire’s preferred industries and are in need of specialized coverage, we recommend looking into Berkley Aspire with the help of your independent insurance agent.

You can also use our insurance company directory to find the best insurance companies to meet your needs. You’ll be able to locate companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs and get connected to an independent agent near you.

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https://www.berkleyaspire.com

https://www.bbb.org

https://www.ambest.com