Gallagher vs
Heffernan Insurance Brokers: How Do They Compare for Business Insurance?
Gallagher serves technology companies from startups to global firms; Heffernan emphasizes later-stage technology, global expansion and self-insurance planning.
Introduction to the Gallagher vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Comparison
A technology company expanding into new countries or retaining a larger share of its risk should compare Heffernan’s planning with Gallagher’s broader stage range. Both describe technology practices, but the assigned team and the work it will do at renewal determine which service you receive. 20 2 3 Choose Gallagher if you need support across growth stages and executive risk; choose Heffernan if you are planning global expansion or self-insurance.
Buyer Takeaways for Gallagher vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers
Gallagher Buyer Takeaways
- Technology specialists work with companies from startup through global enterprise. 2,7Company-reported. US marketed audiences; no inference of minimum premiums or acceptance of every bootstrapped applicant.
- Get executive-risk and transaction support for needs such as IPOs and M&A. 3Company-reported. US executive and financial risk practice; terms and client eligibility require placement-specific confirmation.
Heffernan Insurance Brokers Buyer Takeaways
- Heffernan’s technology team targets mid- and late-stage firms, including venture-funded and pre-IPO companies. 14,20,21,15Company-reported. Current official positioning. Not a minimum-size, funding-stage, or eligibility determination for any applicant.
- Heffernan offers claims consulting, including help coordinating workers’ compensation carriers and medical triage. 23,29Company-reported. Company descriptions of advocacy and a specialty cargo claims unit. Speed, “$1 billion managed,” and “up to 75% faster” figures are not adopted as verified performance.
Gallagher vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Coverage Lines Compared
| Coverage | Gallagher | Heffernan Insurance Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Builders risk | Listed 11Gallagher arranges builders risk. | Listed 28Heffernan arranges builders risk. |
| Business owner’s policy | Listed 6Gallagher arranges business owner’s policies for small businesses. | Listed 21Heffernan arranges business owner’s policies for small businesses. |
| Cargo and transit | Not listed | Listed 29,30Heffernan arranges marine cargo insurance for freight, import and export businesses. |
| Commercial auto | Listed 6Gallagher arranges commercial auto insurance for small businesses. | Listed 19Heffernan arranges commercial auto insurance. |
| Commercial property | Listed 6Gallagher arranges commercial property insurance for small businesses. | Listed 19Heffernan arranges commercial property insurance. |
| Crime | Listed 3Gallagher arranges crime insurance. | Listed 32Heffernan arranges crime insurance. |
| Cyber liability | Listed 2Gallagher arranges cyber insurance. | Listed 19,22,21Heffernan arranges cyber insurance. |
| Directors and officers | Listed 3Gallagher arranges directors and officers liability. | Listed 19Heffernan arranges directors and officers liability. |
| Employee health and benefits | Listed Gallagher advises small businesses on individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRA). | Listed 24Heffernan advises employers on group health, dental and vision benefits. |
| Employment practices liability | Listed 3Gallagher arranges employment practices liability. | Listed 19Heffernan arranges employment practices liability. |
| Equipment breakdown | Listed 11Gallagher arranges boiler and machinery coverage through its property practice. | Not listed |
| Fidelity bonds | Listed 3Gallagher arranges fidelity bonds. | Listed 32Heffernan arranges employee dishonesty bonds. |
| Fiduciary liability | Listed 3Gallagher arranges fiduciary liability. | Listed 19Heffernan arranges fiduciary liability. |
| General liability | Listed 6Gallagher arranges general liability insurance for small businesses. | Listed 19,21Heffernan arranges general liability insurance. |
| Hired and non-owned auto | Not listed | Listed 32Heffernan arranges hired and non-owned auto liability. |
| Intellectual property | Listed 2Gallagher arranges intellectual-property insurance. | Not listed |
| Kidnap and ransom | Listed 3Gallagher arranges kidnap and ransom insurance. | Listed 19Heffernan arranges kidnap and ransom insurance. |
| Last-mile delivery | Not listed | Listed 30Heffernan arranges insurance for final-mile delivery businesses. |
| Management liability | Not listed | Listed 30Heffernan arranges management liability insurance. |
| Medical malpractice | Not listed | Listed 31Heffernan arranges medical malpractice insurance. |
| Product liability | Listed 2Gallagher arranges product liability insurance. | Not listed |
| Product recall | Listed 12Gallagher arranges product-recall insurance. | Not listed |
| Professional errors and omissions (E&O) | Listed 6Gallagher arranges professional errors and omissions insurance for small businesses. | Listed 21Heffernan arranges professional errors and omissions insurance for small businesses. |
| Representations and warranties | Listed 3Gallagher arranges representations and warranties insurance. | Listed 33Heffernan arranges representations and warranties insurance. |
| Surety bonds | Listed 7Gallagher arranges surety bonds. | Listed 29,26Heffernan arranges surety bonds, including through a linked online bond portal. |
| Technology errors and omissions (E&O) | Listed 2Gallagher arranges technology errors and omissions insurance for technology businesses. | Not listed |
| Trucking | Not listed | Listed 30Heffernan arranges insurance for trucking and logistics businesses. |
| Umbrella and excess liability | Listed 10Gallagher arranges umbrella and excess liability. | Listed 30Heffernan arranges excess and umbrella insurance. |
| Workers’ compensation | Listed 6Gallagher arranges workers’ compensation insurance for small businesses. | Listed 19,21Heffernan arranges workers’ compensation insurance. |
A listing may be arranged through an insurer or partner. “Not listed” means this catalogue has no separate offering recorded; ask the provider whether it can quote the coverage and request the policy terms.
Gallagher vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Research by Coverage Line
Open what Gallagher and Heffernan Insurance Brokers each document for one coverage line.
Builders Risk Insurance
Business Owner’s Policy
Commercial Auto Insurance
Commercial Property Insurance
Crime Insurance
Cyber Insurance
D&O Insurance
Employee Health Benefits
Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Fidelity Bonds
Fiduciary Liability Insurance
General Liability Insurance
Kidnap and Ransom Insurance
Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance
Representations and Warranties Insurance
Surety Bonds
Umbrella and Excess Liability Insurance
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Current Reliability Scores for Gallagher and Heffernan Insurance Brokers
Each score uses the rubric for that provider’s documented role. Providers with more than one role may have a score for each.
Gallagher Reliability Scores
BrokerBroker
5.5/ 10Heffernan Insurance Brokers Reliability Scores
BrokerBroker
5.0/ 10Gallagher and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Review Scores for 2026
These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.
Gallagher Review Score
Review Score
3 rated sources
Gallagher has strong Trustpilot feedback and a favorable historical large-commercial survey result. Neither directly measures today’s US small-business service.
Read Gallagher reviewsHeffernan Insurance Brokers Review Score
Review Score
1 rated source
Heffernan’s available review sample is small and local, with a low Google rating for one office. Check the team that would actually serve your business.
Read Heffernan Insurance Brokers reviewsKey Differences Between Gallagher and Heffernan Insurance Brokers
Choose the Practice, Not Just the Brokerage Brand
Heffernan also has a small-business division, and Gallagher has a separate small-business offering. That matters for a bootstrapped applicant: a sophisticated technology practice doesn’t tell you what service tier or minimum engagement size a smaller account actually gets. Ask who would lead the work now and how the account moves between teams as it grows. 21 7 8
Heffernan’s Quick Insure route concerns selected products and is not evidence of an instant growth-stage technology program. Likewise, Gallagher’s small-business inquiry does not promise a complete quote in the form itself. 26 8
Put Retained Risk Into the Proposal
Later-stage companies managing total risk cost can ask about self-insurance, large deductibles or captives; these are financing strategies to evaluate, not standard insurance policies. 19,20,31Company-reported. Company-described capabilities. Captive feasibility, funding, and domicile are not established by the marketing copy.
Gallagher’s casualty practice describes multiple program structures, coverage-gap analysis and coordination with finance and operations. Ask both for the assumptions behind any higher deductible or other alternative structure: expected retained losses, funding needs and administrative work matter alongside premium. Neither practice page establishes that a particular structure is appropriate or available for your company. 10
Compare Claims Duties by Line
Heffernan documents workers’ compensation consulting and medical triage, plus a separate marine-cargo unit with claims authority. Gallagher documents specialist executive-risk claims advocacy. These are different scopes: do not apply cargo settlement authority to an ordinary technology policy or executive-risk support to every line without confirmation. 23 29 3
What Should You Confirm in Gallagher and Heffernan Insurance Brokers Quotes?
- Which practice and named advisors serve your present size, and what work is included before renewal?
- What analysis supports each retained-risk option, including claims administration and capital needs?
- Obtain current California producer and product confirmation; office presence and published license numbers are not enough.
- Request itemized remuneration: Heffernan’s reviewed pages do not supply an ordinary brokerage fee schedule, while Gallagher discloses possible compensation types rather than your price. 19 25 4
Gallagher vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Services Compared
What each provider documents about the services you may need
| Criteria | Gallagher | Heffernan Insurance Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Customer focus | Gallagher’s technology specialists serve startups, middle-market businesses and global enterprises, with a separate small-business option for IT and technology firms. 2,7Company-reported. US marketed audiences; no inference of minimum premiums or acceptance of every bootstrapped applicant. Ask which service and fee model fits a bootstrapped business because reviewed Gallagher technology and small-business pages set no minimum premium, funding stage or revenue requirement. 2,7,8Not publicly disclosed. Public pages and inquiry form reviewed on 2026-09-16; not evidence of no minimum. | Technology companies in mid-to-late stages, including venture-funded and pre-IPO firms, can work with Heffernan’s specialty practice; its small-business team serves sole proprietors through fast-growing firms. 14,20,21,15Company-reported. Current official positioning. Not a minimum-size, funding-stage, or eligibility determination for any applicant. |
| Application process | You can begin through an advisor inquiry with company, contact, business, coverage, employee and revenue details, or call/schedule with an advisor; this does not establish instant binding or a turnaround time. 8,9Company-reported. Public form inspected without submission; no quote, account creation or actual purchase tested. | You can start with an inquiry form asking for contact details, insurance needs and an operations description; the form was not submitted, so quote results and binding steps were not established. 25Verified. Chrome inspection of the unsubmitted Contact Form 7 on heffins.com/contact-us/. No fields completed and no submission. Downstream underwriting and post-submission behavior not tested. The wording was checked against the stored inspection record on 24 September 2026; the website was not revisited. Technology buyers work with a specialist broker who gathers insurer quotes and helps choose coverage; Heffernan does not promise a universal quote or binding time for growth-stage programs. Quick Insure is a separate path for selected personal and short-term business products. 20,22,26,25Company-reported. Service descriptions. Technology-page FAQ “how do I get” language is educational process copy, not a measured SLA. |
| Servicing and renewals | Ask which Gallagher tools your engagement includes: Go supports client self-service, Submit tracks submissions and documents, and Verify manages certificates. 2Company-reported. Company-described technology-practice tools; no logged-in testing or universal account entitlement. Former Woodruff Sawyer clients can use separate portals for benefits, policies, claims, certificates and auto ID cards; confirm which login serves your account. 1Company-reported. Transition-page descriptions; no portal functionality tested. Gallagher describes pre-renewal meetings across finance, HR, operations and risk teams, plus contract review and coverage-gap analysis; agree on the timeline and deliverables for your account. 10Company-reported. Casualty-practice service description, not a promise for all small-business engagements. | Heffernan says clients receive claims, loss-control, HR and risk-management support, with digital access to documents and certificates; confirm which tools and services your engagement includes. 19,36,23Company-reported. Official feature descriptions only; no authenticated client account or measured service levels. |
| Claims assistance | Gallagher describes specialized claims advocacy, including attorneys, for executive-risk customers working with insurers; this is support, not a guarantee of payment or claims quality. 3Company-reported. Executive-risk practice only; insurer decision-making, counsel role, charges and service scope require confirmation. | Heffernan describes claims consulting from intake through resolution, including carrier liaison and medical triage; its marine-cargo program separately claims authority to adjust, settle and pay. These are service claims, not a promise that your loss is covered. 23,29Company-reported. Company descriptions of advocacy and a specialty cargo claims unit. Speed, “$1 billion managed,” and “up to 75% faster” figures are not adopted as verified performance. |
| Fees and compensation | Request placement-specific compensation because Gallagher may receive commissions, fees, contingent and supplemental commissions or affiliate/intermediary payments; no startup fee schedule is published. 4Company-reported. US compensation disclosure; no fee-free or uniform commission assumption. | Request the account-specific commissions, fees, contingent compensation and separately billed services because reviewed pages do not publish a standard fee schedule; lack of a published schedule does not mean the work is free. 14,19,20,25,18,26Not found in reviewed sources. Public commercial pricing search on 16 September 2026. Educational FAQ dollar ranges and Irish Heffernan.ie commission PDFs are out of scope and were not used. |
Sources for Gallagher vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers
Gallagher Official Website
- Woodruff Sawyer Is Now Gallagher. Gallagher; Opening; Executive and Financial Risk consulting; Continued access to client portals; contact form. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Insurance. Gallagher; Introduction; Solutions and coverages for the technology industry: Technology errors and omissions including cyber, Intellectual property insurance, Product liability, Employee benefits; Data-driven insights; global network. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Executive and Financial Risk Insurance. Gallagher; Opening (insurance broking and placement); three key services; Directors and Officers; IPO and direct listings; Employment Practices; Fiduciary; Employee Dishonesty (Crime) and Fidelity Bond; Kidnap, Ransom and Extortion; M&A Transactional Insurance. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Compensation Disclosure. Gallagher; Commissions and Fees; Contingent Commissions; Supplemental Commissions; Other Carrier Services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Legal Information. Gallagher Small Business; Producer identification immediately above Quick Links. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- The Right Insurance for Your Small Business. Gallagher Small Business; Choose Your Coverage: Business Owner’s Policy, General Liability, Professional Liability/Errors and Omissions, Buildings and Property, Auto, Workers’ Comp; carrier network placement; contact route. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Insurance for Technology & IT Businesses. Gallagher Small Business; Protection for IT Professionals & Their Technology-Based Businesses; recommended coverage menu, including Surety Bond Programs; Connect With An Advisor. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Connect With an Advisor. Gallagher Small Business; Form fields from company name through annual revenue; acknowledgment. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Contact Us. Gallagher Small Business; Get a Quote; Speak With An Advisor; Schedule Time with Us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Casualty Insurance. Gallagher; Holistic approach: Automobile, Workers Compensation, General and Product, Umbrella and Excess; customized excess casualty program design and placement; Robust casualty risk analysis. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Property Insurance. Gallagher; Introduction on building property programs with underwriters; Our services include: Builder’s risk, Boiler and machinery; global reach; Appraisal services. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Product Recall Insurance. Gallagher; Product Recall team paragraph: custom Product Recall, Product Contamination and Restaurant Contamination insurance, working directly with carriers; Product recall insurance coverage. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- AI Insurance Solutions. Gallagher; AI designed to protect trust in a changing risk landscape. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Heffernan Insurance Brokers Official Website
- Heffernan Insurance Brokers. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; What we offer; Independent since 1988; Built for what’s next; footer copyright and License #0564249; Quick Insure; Get a quote; Propeller bond-portal disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Our Story. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Headquartered in Walnut Creek; nationwide presence; founded 1988; employee owned; niche practices including technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Our Locations. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Nationwide coverage heading; Walnut Creek corporate headquarters; Bay Area and other California offices; Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Northeast, Southeast, Honolulu; London Costero listing; footer License #0564249. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Walnut Creek. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Corporate headquarters; founded 1988 in Walnut Creek. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Privacy Statement. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Collection for professional services; disclosure to non-affiliated third parties to solicit quotations from insurance carriers; website content developed in the United States and intended for U.S. users except where otherwise specified. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Heffernan Business Insurance Brokerage. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Forward-Thinking Business Insurance: basic coverages (general liability, commercial property and auto, workers’ compensation); corporate and executive protection (EPL, D&O, fiduciary responsibility, cyber, kidnap and ransom); alternative risk capabilities; claims, loss control and risk-management services; industry practice links including Technology and Claims Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Company Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Pre-IPO and venture-funded heading; mid to late stage specialization; global expansion copy; self-insurance strategies; Key Markets list; Why Heffernan broker history; Joseph Talmadge practice leader; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Small Business Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Tailor-Made Insurance for Small Businesses: sole proprietors to fast-growing companies; types of coverage we can provide (GL, WC, E&O, BOP, cyber); industry list including Technology. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Cyber Security Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Make Cyber Liability Insurance Part of Your Cyber Risk Management Plan: cyber risk team determines exposure, shops the market, presents options and guides coverage selection; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Claims Advocacy. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Full-service claims consulting; workers’ compensation strategy and carrier liaison; medical triage; general liability, auto and property advocacy; vendor compliance tools. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Health Insurance services. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Heffernan Benefit Advisors; Health Insurance / Let us help you find the ideal program: large and small group employee benefits, group dental, group vision, medical, life and disability, voluntary benefits, Medicare; Administration and Advocacy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Contact Us. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Contact form fields: First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Insurance Needed, Description of Operations; Select Need A Quote / Other / Would like to speak with someone; Submit. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Quick Insure. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Fast quotes for personal and business insurance; Business Insurance tiles including Short Term General Liability, Surety, Special Event Insurance, Peer-to-Peer Car Rental; linked Propeller bond portal and third-party bond-provider notice; Trusted Providers copy. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Short-Term General Liability. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Partnership with Thimble Insurance Services for on-demand general liability; eligibility, pricing and coverage may vary by state; non-binding indication disclaimer. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Construction & Contractor Liability Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Protect Your Construction Projects with Builders Risk Insurance: customized builders risk coverage; contractor sectors served; construction-broker contact route; FAQ. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Marine Cargo. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Transportation Insurance Programs for Freight Forwarders and Logistics Companies; Coverage Options: Marine Cargo, E&O and Surety Bonds; Specialty Programs; in-house underwriting authority; exclusive access to major insurance carriers; dedicated claims division with settlement authority. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Transportation Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Our transportation subsectors include (trucking and final mile delivery); We offer the following exclusive and sponsored products (auto liability, motor truck cargo, umbrella, workers’ compensation, cyber and management liability); appointed with top transportation carriers. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Healthcare Insurance for Health Care Services. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Healthcare Services: Medical Malpractice (Med Mal); commercial-insurance solutions for physician groups, clinics, hospitals and other health care businesses; relationships with the nation’s top insurance carriers; captives and self-insurance options. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Home Care Business Insurance. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; We offer comprehensive coverage for: workers’ compensation, general and professional liability, EPL, owned auto, Non-owned and Hired Auto, Crime–Third Party Theft, Employee Dishonesty Bond, cyber, medical billing E&O and property; home-care, home-health and hospice program audience. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Private Equity and M&A. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; HIB Private Equity and M&A Practice (private-equity firms and strategic investors); Representation & Warranty (RWI) Insurance; Transactional Risk Mitigation list including contingent, environmental, tax and litigation buyout. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Heffernan Network Insurance Brokers. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Formerly OLI Insurance Services; wholly owned subsidiary; agency acquisition and perpetuation; exclusive carrier access described for partner agencies. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- London, UK – Costero Brokers. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Costero Brokers Ltd. London office listing; full-service London brokerage; link to costerobrokers.com. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Modern Brokerage Solutions. Heffernan Insurance Brokers; Independent brokerage; digital document access and service activity status; TrustLayer and Quick Insure mentions; AI workflow for claims administration. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Heffernan Insurance Brokers Acquires Kristin Manwaring Insurance Associates, Inc. Heffernan Insurance Brokers via PR Newswire; 26 August 2026 release; Walnut Creek; independent brokerage; F. Michael Heffernan, President and CEO; License #0564249 in about block. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- SkyKnight Invests in Heffernan Insurance Brokers to Support the Platform’s Continued Growth. InsuranceNewsNet reprint of SkyKnight Capital BusinessWire; 22 July 2019 announcement; minority investment; ESOP recapitalization; Mike Heffernan quote on retaining employee ownership. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- California License Number Search. California Department of Insurance; License-number search form. Accessed 2026-09-16.
