Cyber Liability Insurance
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How much does cyber liability insurance cost?

Cyber liability insurance covers expenses related to data breaches and cyberattacks. Policy costs are determined by factors like your policy limits and how much sensitive data your company handles.

What is the average cost of cyber liability insurance? 

Regardless of policy limits, the median cost of cyber liability insurance is $140 per month (or $1,675 per year) for Insureon small business customers. The median excludes high and low outliers, so it provides a better estimate of what your small business is likely to pay than the average cost.

Many small business owners (27%) pay less than $1,000 per year for cyber liability insurance, and another 36% pay between $1,000 and $2,000 per year. These figures are sourced from an analysis of policies issued to Insureon customers.

Cost of cyber liability insurance for Insureon customers.

How to protect your business from cyberattacks

The cost of cyber liability insurance depends on your cyber risks

Network security companies, IT consultants, and other companies that are responsible for their clients' cybersecurity may pay more for cyber liability coverage. They need third-party cyber liability insurance, which provides protection if a client blames their business for failing to prevent a cyber incident.

Most businesses only need first-party cyber liability insurance to defend against their own cyber risks. Businesses that handle a large amount of sensitive customer information, such as credit card numbers or Social Security numbers, pay more for this coverage.

For example, healthcare professionals with access to patients' medical records and retail stores that collect customers' payment information may have a higher premium.

To see insurance costs for businesses in your industry, visit our industry-specific cost analyses:

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How do policy limits affect cyber liability insurance cost?

If you choose a cyber liability insurance policy with higher coverage limits, expect to pay more. The cost of a policy is directly related to the amount of cyber insurance coverage you buy.

Policy limits include both a per-occurrence limit (the amount the insurer will pay on a single claim) and an aggregate limit (the amount the insurer will pay during the policy's lifetime, usually one year).

Cyber liability policies have limits that range from $1 million to $5 million or more.

Which cyber insurance policy limits do small businesses choose?

More than half of the small businesses that purchase cyber liability insurance through Insureon (54%) choose a policy with a $1 million per-occurrence limit, a $1 million aggregate limit, and a $1,000 deductible.

Other common limits are $2 million, $3 million, and $5 million. Businesses that face higher risks may choose higher policy limits to protect against escalating costs.

Overall, the amount of cyber liability coverage your business needs depends your industry, your type of business, and the type of personal information or customer data you handle.

Why do cyber incidents cost so much?

Many small businesses forgo cyber liability insurance because they assume they're low risk. However, a cyber incident can devastate any type of business. In fact, 61% of cybersecurity incidents occur at small businesses, and the average cost of a small business data breach is more than $85,000.

Here's how these costs can escalate at a small business:

A cyberattack brings down the software that a company relies on for customer transactions. The company misses three business days of work while the software is unavailable. Cyber liability insurance can pay for the business interruption caused by the outage.

An IT consultant is sued for failing to prevent a ransomware attack on a client. The consultant has to pay the cyberextortion demand required to recover the client's data, on top of legal defense costs.

A data breach exposes the personal information of hundreds of customers at a small retail shop. The retailer has to pay for a credit monitoring service for all those customers for several years, as well as any costs associated with the state-required notification for each customer. They may also have to invest in a public relations campaign to help fix their reputation.

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Why do cyber liability claims cost so much?
There has never been a greater risk of cyberattacks against small businesses, and the costs have never been higher. Learn why cyber claims are so expensive, and how cyber liability insurance can help protect your business.

How to save money on cyber liability insurance

Cyber liability insurance costs will vary based on several factors. In addition to choosing lower policy limits, these tips can also keep costs down:

Pay the annual premium upfront. You can usually choose to pay your cyber liability insurance premium in monthly or annual installments. While it’s tempting to go with monthly payments because they require less cash upfront, many insurance companies offer businesses a discount for paying the entire annual premium at once.

Manage your cyber liability risks. If your small business has no cyber liability claims history, you could save money on your premium. You can also save money by implementing security measures at your business. For example, you might:

  • Routinely change your business’s account passwords
  • Invest in secure equipment and software
  • Teach employees to recognize and avoid malware and phishing attempts

Learn more about business insurance costs

Updated: August 2, 2022
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