Cyber Insurance Requirements Are Getting Tougher
Cyber insurance has shifted from a financial safeguard into a mechanism that actively shapes how organizations approach cybersecurity. According to a recent SecureAIT analysis, insurers are no longer willing to underwrite cyber risk based on questionnaires or high-level assurances alone. Instead, they are demanding clear evidence that foundational security controls are not only in place, but consistently enforced and tested.
One of the most significant changes is the move toward baseline security controls as non-negotiable requirements. Multi-factor authentication (MFA), particularly for remote access, privileged accounts, and cloud services, has become a standard expectation rather than a differentiator. Insurers increasingly view the absence of MFA as an unacceptable risk, given its proven effectiveness against common attack vectors such as credential theft and phishing.
Backup and recovery practices are another area under closer scrutiny. Insurers want to see immutable or offline backups, routine testing of restoration processes, and clear documentation showing that organizations can recover critical systems within acceptable timeframes. The ability to demonstrate operational resilience now plays a central role in underwriting decisions, especially in response to the continued prevalence of ransomware attacks.
There has also been a growing emphasis on incident response readiness. Insurers are asking whether organizations maintain a documented and tested incident response plan, whether internal teams understand their roles during a cyber event, and whether external partners, such as legal counsel and forensic specialists, are identified in advance. This reflects a broader understanding that response capability often determines the severity and cost of an incident.
Taken together, these requirements signal a clear shift in the cyber insurance landscape. Coverage is increasingly tied to demonstrable cyber maturity rather than theoretical compliance. For organizations, this means cyber insurance is a reflection of how effectively cybersecurity is governed, measured, and integrated into broader risk management practices.
Rodriguez, Justin. 2025. “Cyber Insurance Requirements Are Getting Tougher: What Every Organization Must Know in 2026.” SecureAIT. December 9.
READ: https://bit.ly/3ZD9mpu
- Business Resilience
- Canary Trap
- Cyber Insurance
- Cyber Risk
- Insurance Requirements
- Risk Management
- Security Strategy
