Cyber Insurance Requirements
What cyber insurance carriers actually require, and how Hi-Tek’s stack tracks the requirements year over year. Renewal handled, not panicked about.
What Do Cyber Insurance Carriers Require?
Cyber insurance carriers update their requirements every renewal cycle as the threat landscape shifts. The most common patterns: MFA on every login, EDR on every endpoint, 24/7 SOC monitoring, email security with anti-impersonation, backup designed to survive ransomware, annual penetration testing and tabletop exercises, vulnerability management cadence, privileged access management, written information security program aligned to a recognized framework. Different industries’ carriers differ. Hi-Tek’s stack tracks what carriers actually require, and we update as carriers update. We complete the renewal questionnaire on your behalf, produce supporting documentation, and coordinate with your broker.
What Carriers Most Commonly Ask For
Multi-Factor Authentication Everywhere
MFA on every login, on every endpoint, on every cloud service. The most common single requirement on every carrier questionnaire. No exceptions.
EDR On Every Endpoint
Endpoint detection and response on every device. Carriers now require it as a baseline; some require specific products from approved lists.
24/7 SOC Monitoring
Security Operations Center monitoring 24/7. Some carriers ask for specific SOC capabilities (SIEM aggregation, response time SLAs).
Email Security With Anti-Impersonation
Anti-impersonation, transport rules, attachment sandboxing, banner warnings. Email is the threat surface where most BEC and wire fraud occur.
Backup Designed To Survive Ransomware
Immutable storage layers, off-site replication, restoration tested on a defined cadence. Carriers ask about backup architecture, not just whether you have backups.
Annual Penetration Testing And Tabletops
Annual penetration testing with documented remediation. Tabletop exercises against ransomware and BEC scenarios. Phishing simulation every 30 days.
Vulnerability Management Cadence
Documented remediation cadence for vulnerabilities. Carriers ask about your patching SLAs and your tracking discipline.
Privileged Access Management
PAM for admin accounts. Carriers increasingly ask about how privileged credentials are managed and audited.
Written Information Security Program
WISP aligned to a recognized framework (NIST CSF, FTC Safeguards Rule, NY DFS Part 500, HIPAA Security Rule, SOC 2 where applicable). Carriers want documentation, not assertions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cyber Insurance
Why are cyber insurance requirements changing every year?
Because the threat landscape changes every year. Ransomware, BEC, supply-chain compromise, and AI-enabled phishing have all materially shifted carrier loss ratios. Carriers update their requirements to manage their loss exposure. Most clients see at least one material requirement update per renewal cycle.
Does Hi-Tek track carrier requirements continuously?
Yes. Our security stack and documentation are designed to track what carriers actually require. We update as carriers update. We complete the renewal questionnaire on your behalf, produce supporting documentation, and coordinate with your broker.
Are different industries’ carriers different?
Yes. Healthcare carriers (more stringent given OCR reporting obligations) differ from financial services carriers (different regulatory framing) differ from generalist mid-market carriers. We track the requirements that apply to our clients’ actual industries.
What if my current MSP can’t answer the carrier questionnaire?
Common situation. We’ve inherited many engagements where the prior MSP couldn’t or wouldn’t answer the carrier questionnaire honestly. The first 60 days of a new engagement often include rebuilding documentation to the carrier’s expectations.
Does Hi-Tek work with any specific carriers?
We work with whatever carrier our clients have. We coordinate with brokers, complete questionnaires in the format the carrier expects, and produce evidence packages that carriers and brokers can use directly.
How does cyber insurance interact with compliance frameworks?
There’s significant overlap. NIST CSF, NY DFS Part 500, FTC Safeguards Rule, HIPAA Security Rule, and SOC 2 all require many of the same controls cyber insurance carriers ask about. Our managed cyber security service is designed for both.
What if we get hit with ransomware? Will the carrier pay?
Carriers pay when the controls in place at the time of the event meet what the questionnaire said was in place. The most common reason for a denied claim: a control the questionnaire claimed was in place was not actually in place at the time of the event. Documentation accuracy matters.
How often should we review cyber insurance posture?
Continuously. Renewal-cycle review (every 12 months) is the minimum. We recommend monthly check-ins on the security stack and quarterly review of the documentation package. Don’t wait until the renewal questionnaire arrives.
Renewal Coming Up?
A 30-minute conversation about your renewal posture. We tell you what we would change, with or without us.
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