Impact of Cybersecurity Risks on Insurance Costs

Fremont, CA: Industry specialists have noted that the increasing severity and frequency of cyber threats have driven a sharp rise in insurance policy premiums throughout 2021. In response, businesses are now confronted with a choice—either invest in new policies at elevated costs or prepare for higher premiums on existing coverage. Several factors influence cyber insurance pricing, with five key internal and external elements playing a critical role:

The Five Crucial Elements that Affect Cyber Insurance Costs

Sector:

Specific industries are more susceptible to cyberattacks compared to others. These include public administrations, technology, and healthcare sectors. In addition to the frequency of cyberattacks, insurers consider the magnitude of associated costs, particularly in the financial industry. Consequently, organizations operating within these sectors can expect higher insurance premiums.

Size:

Even though small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) typically possess a range of distinct cybersecurity tools, the size of an organization's threat surface increases with the number of devices, users, and systems it has. Consequently, the chances of falling victim to a cyberattack also rise. Policies are customized based on the organization's size and level of complexity.

Geographical and Remote Presence:

Having operations or employees in multiple countries increases the potential risks. It necessitates implementing additional cybersecurity measures tailored to the specific context and local regulations, especially regarding data protection. The growing trend of remote work must also be considered, as it expands the organization's boundaries and necessitates using VPNs. Policies are also adjusted to address these circumstances.

Company Revenue Determines the Cost of Coverage:

The cyberattack's impact on the insurer's coverage and policy costs is heavily influenced by the company's revenue, making it a crucial factor in determining the maximum losses incurred.

Types of Coverage:

Organizations also customize their policies based on the prevalent or severe risks they aim to protect against. Safeguarding against advanced cyberattacks like living-off-the-land APT groups is more expensive compared to addressing more typical threats, such as ransomware delivered through phishing emails or instances of credential theft and employee identity theft.

Insurers mandate that organizations have basic cybersecurity measures to qualify for their policies. This encompasses endpoint protection, which surpasses traditional antivirus software, and the growing necessity of multi-factor authentication (MFA) to safeguard the organization's accounts and credentials. This requirement is because most data breaches happen due to cyber attackers exploiting weak passwords and the absence of an additional layer of security or by successfully pilfering credentials.