7 Reasons to Have Cyber Liability Insurance

If you are like many, you are more connected today than ever before. From cell phones to digital personal assistants, our homes are wired to the max. Our phones are smart, our TVs are smart—even our appliances are often connected to Wi-Fi. While these connections bring many conveniences, they may also introduce additional cyber threats into your home.

The threats of a computer virus or phony email may not be new concepts, but numerous other threats are emerging and occurring at an increasing rate. You or your family could be targets of any one of them.

To help protect our homeowner customers from the growing number of cyber threats, Acuity offers an Identity Fraud Expense and Cyber Protection endorsement. This industry-leading cyber coverage helps protect from financial loss caused by an identity fraud or cyber-related event, including:

• Identity Fraud Expense reimburses for expenses incurred as a result of recovering one’s identity.

• Data Recovery and System Restoration coverage reimburses the cost to recover lost data and/or repair your personal devices after a hacking attack.

• Cyber Crime coverage includes wire transfer fraud, theft of money from your bank account by electronic means, phishing, forgery, and credit card fraud.

• Cyber Extortion coverage reimburses in a situation where an insured may be denied access to a device until paying a ransom amount.

• Cyber Bulling coverage provides reimbursement for financial loss caused by online harassment or bullying. 

• Data Breach of Others coverage provides reimbursement for necessary costs associated with notification of others in the event a cyber event causes a breach in the personal information of others.

• Legal Expense and Damages Reimbursement applies if someone claims you are responsible for the loss of their personal information, or if accused of cyber bullying.

This coverage is also available to homeowners who operate a home business and carry the Home-Biz endorsement.

Beyond insurance, cybersecurity experts recommend the following steps once an individual or business suspects they've been victimized by identity theft:

• Freeze credit files through all three major credit bureaus.
• Sign up for a credit-monitoring service for speedy account-activity alerts.
• Check out the free online cybersecurity tools that allow you to search the dark web for exposed personal information.
• Use strong and diverse online passwords.
• Take advantage of multifactor authentication.
• Never give out unsolicited personal information.
• Be on the lookout for strange-looking or sounding phishing emails or texts.

Acuity’s Identity Fraud Expense and Cyber Protection is comprehensive protection for you and your family in a world of evolving risk. Ask your independent agent to add this coverage to your policy today!