MSI

Tammy Kocher

Cyber Underwriting Authority

For more than two decades, I have built products, portfolios, distribution channels, underwriting strategies, brands and global broker and reinsurance relationships across one of the fastest-evolving sectors of our industry: cyber, privacy and technology insurance.

I have a unique historical perspective on the market that influences how I lead today.

In the early stages of the cyber market, the average limit for small enterprises was $1M, and a $5M cyber limit was more than most clients purchased. Our fiercest competitor was the non-buyer. It is difficult to imagine today, but there was no excess market in the beginning. Today, it is not unusual for some Fortune 500 organizations to purchase more than $100M in cyber limits, reflecting the market's extraordinary growth in capacity, competition and coverage. The underwriting tools are more sophisticated, the applications are more in-depth, the minimum-security standards organizations are expected to meet have materially increased over time and carriers now provide services and resources that extend far beyond the policy itself.

I am a complex storyteller.

As an underwriting leader, I approach every organization as though I were making an investment. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of meeting with over 300 Fortune 500 organizations, gaining an in-depth understanding of their people, businesses and risk profiles across a wide variety of industries. Beyond the comprehensive technical analysis, I evaluate the leadership team, the nature of the business, the financials and the security culture. I then synthesize all aspects of the submission and the detailed discussions into a comprehensive analysis that supports deploying meaningful capacity on the best-in-class risks.

The threat landscape doesn't stop evolving when the workday ends, and neither can I.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my career is serving as a contributor and partner within our cyber community. As risks become more interconnected, seasoned relationships become increasingly important. With technological advancements and the rapid adoption of AI, the best outcomes still come from good partners, honest conversations, trusted relationships, tough negotiations and people willing to work through complex challenges together.

Cyber is one of the few industries where the threat landscape can evolve overnight. I constantly stay ahead of emerging threats, changing regulations, complex coverages and market trends.

One of the most important lessons I have learned is that as technology advances and IoT expands, the fundamentals matter more, not less. AI is a clear example. I strongly support innovation and see AI as both a force multiplier and a risk multiplier. It drives efficiency, sparks new ideas and accelerates processes, but it also introduces new attack vectors and governance challenges. AI does not replace our seasoned expertise. It amplifies it. The real differentiator is not AI itself but how thoughtfully we use it: being skilled in our prompts, agile in adoption and disciplined about privacy, security and regulatory considerations.

I don't just grow a book of business. I build a portfolio of promises.

At the end of the day, it is much more than a quote or policy to me. My brokers and clients are counting on me to connect with them as people, protect them as a corporation and build that trust now so that if anything happens to them, they know I am showing up for them with the same conviction I did when I took the initial risk. I am excited about the future of cyber insurance. I believe extraordinary effort and execution matter. As our market continues to evolve, I will continue to combine my underwriting acumen with an entrepreneurial mindset to develop products, partnerships and profitable portfolios that serve clients who put their trust in me.