As cyber threats grow in complexity, so do the demands from cyber insurance providers. In 2025, obtaining coverage—and ensuring payouts after incidents—means meeting stricter criteria. Here are five essential elements for compliance:
1. Create a Formal Incident Response Plan (IRP)
A proactive Incident Response Plan is now a must. Insurance providers require a well-defined IRP to protect you from financial loss, reputational damage, and data breaches. Critical to this plan is a ransomware playbook, detailing specific actions to take if a ransomware attack occurs. This shift emphasizes readiness over reactivity.
Key Steps:
- Create a documented IRP covering all potential threats.
- Include a clear ransomware protocol outlining containment, communication, and recovery strategies.
2. Perform Regular Vulnerability Scanning
Cyber insurance now insists on regular vulnerability assessments. Without them, insurers view your business as a high risk, likely to suffer unanticipated security breaches. Vulnerability scanning detects weaknesses before they’re exploited, transitioning your approach from reactive to preventive.
Key Steps:
- Designate a dedicated team or vendor to perform routine vulnerability scans.
- Address identified weaknesses promptly to reduce exposure.
3. Normalize Security Awareness Training
Human error remains one of the top causes of cyber incidents, so educating employees is critical. Regular security training prevents phishing and social engineering attacks, which are increasingly AI-enhanced. Insurers look for a proactive stance on training to ensure everyone, from entry-level to executives, can identify and mitigate threats.
Key Steps:
- Implement ongoing cybersecurity training sessions.
- Focus on phishing awareness, business email compromise (BEC) prevention, and identifying suspicious activity.
4. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
MFA is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to prevent unauthorized access. Insurers now require it as a standard for coverage, as it greatly reduces the likelihood of credential-based attacks. Implementing MFA across all sensitive systems and data storage points ensures that even compromised passwords aren’t a direct ticket into your systems.
Key Steps:
- Implement MFA for all employees, especially for high-risk and high-access roles.
- Opt for adaptive or risk-based MFA for additional protection.
5. Integrate Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
Modern EDR systems detect unknown and sophisticated threats that bypass traditional defenses. Insurance providers view EDR as a proactive defense, essential for spotting suspicious behavior early. EDR technologies use machine learning to analyze activity across your network, minimizing potential damage before hackers gain a foothold.
Key Steps:
- Deploy EDR solutions with real-time monitoring and behavioral analysis.
- Integrate EDR with other security layers for robust protection.
Get Ahead of Threats with Reliable Cyber Insurance
Meeting these requirements can be challenging but doing so is essential to securing coverage, reducing premium costs, and protecting against today’s dynamic threat landscape. Cyber insurance providers now emphasize a comprehensive, proactive security strategy, making it essential to stay ahead of emerging threats.