What is it?
Cyber Insurance protects your organization and offsets your losses in the event of a breach, like if your non-profit’s information is stolen or exposed by a hacker, or accidentally released by a staff member. This policy typically includes the following coverages:
- Legal coaching on how to handle the breach with privacy regulators;
- Funds for credit monitoring and client notification costs;
- Funds for court-awarded damages and legal fees in case of a civil suit; and
- Public relations services to manage any reputational fallout from the breach.
Highlights include:
- Coverage for First Party Liability Expenses when a breach happens at your own organization. Your policy will provide coverage for expenses associated with: Event Response Services, Crisis Management and PR, Network Business Interruption, Digital Asset Restoration, Ransomware and Cyber Extortion, Computer Replacement, and more.
- Coverage for Third-Party Expenses in the event that you’re sued by a third-party whose data was compromised in the breach. This includes costs associated with Network and Information Security, Regulatory Defence and Penalties, Multimedia Liability, Payment Card Industry Fines, and Penalties, and more.
Why do we recommend it?
As cybercrime grows in frequency and scale, it’s never been more important to keep you, your stakeholders, and their information safe. The potential of a privacy breach—and the cost of recovery—have never been higher. And given their access to sensitive donor information and financial data, non-profits are particularly vulnerable. While attacks on major corporations dominate headlines, sophisticated hackers know that non-profits might not have the resources or IT support to implement complex cybersecurity.
Human error is another major risk factor; non-profits tend to have a high turnover and limited ability to train people on best practices. Additionally, volunteers aren’t always protected behind a corporate firewall and security shortcuts by distracted or unaware staff members can have major repercussions. Misplaced devices, working from a public Wi-Fi or personal server, or even accidentally clicking the wrong link can open the door to social engineering scams, funds transfer fraud, ransomware attacks, and more.
If client or donor information is exposed and you’re found at fault, your organization could be fined up to $100,000 under Canadian privacy laws. Then there are indirect costs of remediation, like client notification, investigation, business interruption, operational downtime, and legal fees. Even worse? The reputational harm alone could be devastating, especially if you don’t take swift action or notify affected parties right away. Once you’ve lost that trust, it won’t be easy to regain or attract donors.
That’s where Cyber Insurance comes in. A dedicated policy won’t just offset your losses; it’ll provide access to breach remediation services. Depending on your coverage, your insurance company might offer network monitoring or oversight to keep track of external cyber threats, alerting you immediately to any high-risk activity. In the event of a security incident, they’ll also connect you with the professional help you need to manage, and recover from the breach—resources you might not otherwise have without your policy.
That way, you can respond swiftly, maintain operations, and continue your mission. You get ahead of security incidents without losing momentum or taking a massive reputational hit. Above all, you can stay resilient in the face of attack. Learn more by visiting our Cyber Toolkit below.