Cyber risk insurance for businesses
Protect your business from damages caused by cyberattacks and data breaches.
What is cyber risk insurance?
Cyber risk insurance helps businesses limit their financial losses from cybercrimes like phishing attacks, viruses, ransomware and other types of malware.
Our cyber risk insurance also comes with IT and communications specialist support to help your business recover quickly.
Why protect your business from cyber threats?
Businesses of all sizes are more at risk than ever, as we continue to share and store sensitive information in databases, transaction sites and email inboxes. Even if you have cybersecurity measures in place, an incident can still occur.
The reputational damage, financial losses and business disruption caused by a cyberattack can be devastating—and very expensive. If something happens, cyber risk insurance can limit your losses and minimize the impacts on your customers.
Examples of targeted business sectors
- Retail
- Health and personal care
- Business services
- Professional services
- Education
- Garages
- Construction companies
Confidential information that may be held by your business:
- Credit card numbers
- Banking information
- Medical and healthcare information
- Health insurance numbers
- Social insurance numbers
Good to know
Cyber risk insurance doesn't replace proper cybersecurity tools or habits to protect your business from cyber threats. However, it does protect your business from financial loss should it be the target of a cybercrime.
Our cyber risk insurance
To be eligible for these coverages, your business must have property and liability insurance with us. Add our 2 optional cyber risk coverages to your
existing insurance contract.
Data Compromise
This coverage protects your business when the personal information it's storing is lost, stolen or unintentionally disclosed.
Examples
- There's a break-in, and the burglars take paper documents and digital storage devices containing sensitive personal information.
- You're hacked. Your employees' confidential information is stolen from your system.
- After your laptop or mobile phone is lost, your customers' credit card numbers, SIN and health insurance numbers are leaked.
If your data is lost, stolen or leaked, we may cover the following costs:
- Hiring an expert to determine the cause and scope of the incident
- Defence costs you incur in case of civil action
- Reporting the breach to privacy commissioners
- Consulting a PR firm to help you minimize the consequences on your business relationships
If an incident or breach occurs, we can provide additional services to customers and employees:
- Information
- Helpline
- Fraud alerts
- Identity theft case management
Computer Attack
A cyberattack on your business can result in damage and leave you locked out of your operating systems, data and software. This option covers most of the cost of getting back to business quickly.
Example
An employee accidentally installs malware onto your system, blocking access to your data. Hackers demand a ransom to restore your access to your files. In this instance, most of the cost to deal with the situation is covered.
If you're the victim of a cyberattack, this option may cover the following costs:
- Restoring or reconstituting lost or corrupted data
- Restoring your systems, including replacing or reinstalling software and removing malware
- Other costs incurred if you need to stop or scale back your business activities until your data is recovered
- Hiring a specialized IT firm to negotiate ransoms with cybercriminals threatening to destroy your data and, if needed, pay the ransom
- Hiring a specialized communications firm
Enjoy additional protection
By adding the Computer Attack coverage to your insurance policy, you get E-media Liability coverage free of charge. This covers your defence costs if a civil suit or certain other proceedings are brought against your business in response to something posted online.
Example
You post the picture of a local celebrity on your business's website. A couple of weeks later, the celebrity's lawyer sends you a formal notice. They want you to remove the picture because the celebrity doesn't want to be associated with your products. Your business's defence costs related to responding to the formal notice are covered.
Strengthen your business's cybersecurity
Learn how cyberattacks can affect your business and how you can keep your and your clients' data safe.
FAQ
How much does cyber risk insurance cost?
Since we offer many options to personalize your insurance coverage, it's hard to come up with a precise premium amount. How much you pay for cyber risk insurance is mostly based on the coverage amount you've selected.
What isn't covered by cyber risk insurance?
When an incident occurs, the following expenses are not covered:
- Future financial losses
- Losses associated with intellectual property theft
- Costs to improve IT security systems, including security software updates
Those are just a few examples. Contact us to find out more about what's excluded.
What are some different types of cyber threats?
The most common cyber threats are:
Malware
Malware is software that steals, destroys or blocks the data in your business databases. Hackers may demand a ransom to restore access to your data.
Denial-of-service attacks
This is a cyberattack that makes your services unavailable to customers. For example, it can block purchases on your website.
Phishing
Phishing is when an unknown sender sends emails or text messages to your employees in order to commit fraud or introduce malware into your systems.
Virus
Viruses can infect your computer system and, for example, send a fraudulent email out to your customers.
How can I protect my business against cyber threats?
Cyber risk insurance is a good way to protect your business from the damages caused by cyber threats. But to minimize the risk of cyberattack or data breach, you should also, for example:
- Manage access to your IT system
- Use strong passwords
- Regularly update your software
- Keep a backup copy of important sensitive data
- Protect the hardware and devices that your data is stored on
- Inform and train your employees
- Set up a rigorous procedure for e-transfers
To get personalized tips to help protect your business, contact cybersecurity specialists.
See our other business insurance options
Contact us
By phone
Monday to Friday: 8 AM to 8 PM
Saturday: 8 AM to 4 PM
Damage insurance products are underwritten and distributed by Desjardins General Insurance Inc., provider of automobile, property and business insurance.