What security controls do I need to qualify for cyber insurance in Georgia?
To qualify for cyber insurance in Georgia today, insurers expect you to have a baseline set of security controls in place before they will offer coverage or a competitive rate. Cyber underwriting has tightened significantly, and a short security questionnaire is now standard. Meeting these requirements is often the difference between getting quoted and getting declined.
The controls insurers most commonly require include:
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): This is the single most important control. MFA means a second step beyond a password, like a code on your phone. Insurers expect it on email, remote network access, and administrator accounts.
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR): Modern security software on every computer that detects and stops threats automatically.
- Regular, tested backups: Backups kept offline or separated from your main network so ransomware cannot encrypt them. Insurers want to know you have tested that you can actually restore.
- Patch management: A routine for keeping software and systems updated so known vulnerabilities are closed.
- Employee security training: Regular training to help staff spot phishing emails, the most common entry point for attacks.
- Email filtering and access controls: Spam and malware filtering, plus limiting employee access to only what each role needs.
Example: a Georgia accounting firm applies for cyber coverage but has no MFA on its email. The insurer declines to quote until MFA is turned on. The firm enables it in a day, reapplies, and secures a policy with a $1 million limit at a reasonable premium. Without that one control, the firm would have stayed uninsured.
The good news is that most of these controls are low cost or built into tools you may already own, and they genuinely reduce your odds of a breach. Learn more about cyber liability insurance. To review your current controls and find a policy that fits, request a free coverage review.