Cyber Insurance

Protection against data breaches, cyberattacks, and digital liability.

Typical cost: $1,000 – $7,500+ per year

What Is Cyber Liability Insurance?

Cyber liability insurance protects businesses from the financial fallout of data breaches, cyber attacks, and network security failures. With the average data breach costing small businesses $120,000-$200,000, cyber insurance has become essential for any business that stores customer data or relies on technology.

First-Party vs. Third-Party Coverage

First-party coverage pays your direct costs: forensic investigation, notification expenses, credit monitoring, data restoration, ransomware payments, and business interruption. Third-party coverage defends against lawsuits from affected customers, regulatory fines, and payment card industry penalties.

Who Needs It

Any business that stores customer data (names, emails, payment info), relies on computer systems, processes credit cards, or could be targeted by ransomware needs cyber coverage. Healthcare, retail, financial services, and professional services face the highest exposure.

What's covered

Data Breach Response

Covers forensic investigation, customer notification, and credit monitoring services.

Ransomware Coverage

Pays ransom demands and costs to restore systems after ransomware attacks.

Business Interruption

Covers lost income while systems are down due to cyber incidents.

Data Restoration

Pays to reconstruct or restore data damaged or destroyed by attacks.

Cyber Extortion

Covers ransom payments and negotiation costs for various extortion schemes.

Regulatory Defense

Pays fines, penalties, and defense costs for privacy regulation violations.

Third-Party Liability

Defends against lawsuits from customers and partners affected by your breach.

Specialized coverage

Explore specific cyber insurance options.

Pros and cons

Advantages

  • Covers rapidly growing cyber risk that other policies exclude
  • Provides expert breach response resources and vendors
  • Ransomware coverage can save your business
  • Regulatory defense as privacy laws proliferate
  • Business interruption for system downtime
  • Third-party coverage for customer lawsuits

Considerations

  • New and evolving coverage with inconsistent policy forms
  • Premiums increasing significantly due to ransomware claims
  • Requires meeting security standards to qualify
  • War exclusions may void coverage for nation-state attacks
  • Coverage limits may be insufficient for major breaches
  • Acts of employees may be excluded

Frequently asked questions

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