April 20, 2012
4:02:00 PMPMLots of companies know that they need technology insurance but many are confused about the types of policies available from different technology insurance companies. So, what do these companies really need to know about insurance and technology?
As an insurance agent, your job is to direct clients to the right insurance product for their needs. To do that, you need to educate your clients about each type of product, from specialty insurance products to standard BOP and workers comp products. For technology insurance, this is especially important since insurance and technology have only become truly tied together in the last 20 years.
Below are basic definitions of the two main types of technology insurance products available today.
1. Technology professional liability insurance (also known as tech insurance, IT insurance, information technology insurance, technology business insurance, technology errors & omissions, technology liability, and many, many more): As you can see from the list, there are many different names used for technology professional liability insurance. This problem only adds to your client's confusion. In general, when an underwriter uses the term, tech insurance, they are referring to professional liability insurance for IT/technology professionals. This type of insurance encompasses the errors and omissions committed during a job or protects a company from charges of professional negligence or failure to perform their professional duties (either actual or alleged).
2. Cyber liability insurance (also known as cyber insurance, data breach insurance, network security insurance, network insurance and privacy insurance, hacker insurance, data loss insurance): Cyber liability insurance is designed to protects companies from the risks associated with doing business using the Internet, e-business, network security and data breach. For all intents and purposes, it protects a company from unwanted or unintended cyber activity, from a hacker stealing sensitive data to an employee unwittingly passing a virus on to a client.
We like to simplify the difference by saying that technology professional liability insurance is specifically for any company doing business in the technology industry and cyber liability insurance is for every other company. For more information on technology professional liability insurance products, please contact Maggie about SafetyTek and for more information about cyber liability insurance, please contact Chris.
