Managing Ransomware and District-Wide Shutdowns
Ransomware attacks against schools rarely affect a single workstation. Attackers typically move laterally through the network before deploying encryption, locking down student information systems, email, grading platforms, and building access controls simultaneously. The operational disruption is immediate and total.
The start of the 2025 academic year was marked by a wave of cyberattacks that forced multiple districts into emergency response mode. Business interruption coverage in a cyber policy can respond to these events, but only if the waiting period and coverage trigger are properly structured. A 12-hour waiting period may be reasonable for a corporation; for a school district that must open its doors every morning, even a few hours of downtime creates cascading problems. The policy form matters here: the difference between "system failure" and "security event" as a trigger can determine whether the claim is paid.
A ransomware attack hits a mid-size Houston logistics firm on a Tuesday afternoon. By Wednesday morning, 40,000 customer records are exposed, the company's freight management platform is offline, and a breach notification clock is ticking under Texas law. The firm's general liability policy does not respond. Its cyber liability policy, if one exists, will determine whether the company survives the quarter or shuts down operations within six months. The average cost of a single cyberattack for a small business sits at roughly $254,000, and 60% of small businesses close within six months of a major breach. For companies operating across Houston, Dallas, and Austin, understanding cyber liability insurance in Texas is not optional: it is a financial survival question. This guide breaks down breach response coverage, third-party privacy liability, and network security liability so you can evaluate what your business actually needs before a claim exposes a gap.
Understanding Cyber Liability Risks in the Texas Triangle
Texas ranks among the top five states for reported cyberattacks, driven by a dense concentration of energy, healthcare, technology, and financial services companies across its three major metro areas. The state's business-friendly regulatory posture attracts growth, but that same growth creates an expanding attack surface. Small and mid-market companies with 10 to 500 employees are frequent targets precisely because they hold valuable data but often lack the security infrastructure of larger enterprises..
Data Breach Notification Laws in Texas
Texas Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act (TIPEA) requires businesses to notify affected individuals within 60 days of discovering a breach involving sensitive personal information. If more than 250 Texas residents are affected, you must also notify the Texas Attorney General. The notification must include specific details: the nature of the breach, the type of data exposed, and the steps your company is taking. Failure to comply can trigger enforcement actions and civil penalties. Senate Bill 2610, which took effect in 2024, added new compliance requirements for small businesses handling personal data, tightening the regulatory environment further. A cyber liability policy form may cover the cost of breach notification, forensic investigation, and regulatory defense, but only if those insuring agreements are present in your specific form.
Why Houston, Dallas, and Austin Businesses are Targets
Houston's energy and healthcare sectors handle massive volumes of protected health information and proprietary operational data. Dallas-Fort Worth hosts one of the country's largest financial services corridors, with banks, insurance companies, and fintech firms processing millions of transactions daily. Austin's technology sector, now home to hundreds of SaaS companies and AI startups, stores customer data across cloud environments that span multiple jurisdictions. Each city's dominant industry creates a distinct risk profile. A healthcare practice in Houston faces HIPAA-related exposure that a Dallas wealth management firm does not, and an Austin software company faces technology errors and omissions risk that neither of the other two confront. Your cyber liability coverage should reflect these differences at the insuring-agreement level, not through a generic bundled product.
By: Caden Braly
Founder of Bloc Cyber Insurance
INDEX
Bloc Cyber and Its Licensed Producers Are Authorized to Place Cyber Coverage in All 50 U.S. States and The District of Columbia.
Cyber liability insurance covers the financial losses your business faces after a cyberattack or data breach. This page explains what the coverage includes, who needs it, what it costs, and how Bloc Cyber helps you get protected fast.
We start with a twenty-minute call to walk through your contracts, your draw process, your tech stack, and the last twelve months of attempted fraud. From there we go to market with ten-plus carriers, benchmark terms side-by-side, and present the options in plain language with recommended limits and retentions. Most intakes get indicative terms within one business day.
Comparison: Basic vs. Comprehensive Cyber Coverage
The Three Pillars: Breach Response, Privacy, and Network Security
Cyber liability policies are not monolithic. They are built from distinct coverage grants, each responding to different loss scenarios. Understanding these three pillars helps you identify where your policy form provides protection and where it stops.
Breach Response: Immediate First-Party Coverage
Breach response coverage pays your own costs after a cyber incident. This typically includes forensic investigation to determine the scope and cause of the breach, legal counsel to assess notification obligations, credit monitoring for affected individuals, public relations expenses, and call center services. Some forms also include extortion coverage for ransomware demands, though sublimits and waiting periods vary widely. The critical detail is the retention: your out-of-pocket cost before the policy responds. A $10,000 retention on a $1 million breach response limit is very different from a $50,000 retention on the same limit. At Bloc Cyber, we review these numbers at the form level before binding, because a policy that looks adequate on the declarations page can fall short once you read the endorsements.
Third-Party Privacy Liability: Defending Against Lawsuits
This coverage responds when a third party, typically a customer, client, or business partner, sues your company for failing to protect their data. Defense costs, settlements, and judgments related to the unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information, protected health information, or financial data fall here. Texas has a safe harbor law that can reduce liability exposure for businesses that maintain a recognized cybersecurity framework, but the safe harbor does not eliminate the cost of defending a lawsuit. Privacy liability coverage fills that gap. Pay close attention to whether your policy covers regulatory proceedings as well: a Texas Attorney General investigation can generate significant legal fees even if no fine is ultimately imposed.
Network Security Liability: Coverage for System Failures
Network security liability covers claims arising from your company's failure to prevent unauthorized access, transmission of malicious code, or a denial-of-service attack that affects third parties. If your compromised network sends malware to a vendor's system and causes them financial harm, this is the coverage grant that may respond. This pillar is especially relevant for technology companies and managed service providers in Austin and Dallas whose systems are interconnected with client environments. A single security failure can cascade across multiple organizations, generating claims from several parties simultaneously.
We start with a twenty-minute call to walk through your contracts, your draw process, your tech stack, and the last twelve months of attempted fraud. From there we go to market with ten-plus carriers, benchmark terms side-by-side, and present the options in plain language with recommended limits and retentions. Most intakes get indicative terms within one business day.
The distinction is not academic. A retailer relying on a BOP endorsement labeled "data breach" may find it provides only $50,000 in notification expense coverage with no provision for PCI assessments, forensic fees, or regulatory defense. That is not cyber insurance; it is a marketing feature.
Some regulatory proceedings involve parallel tracks: the regulator's formal action and an internal investigation your company runs simultaneously. Shadow defense counsel represents your company's interests during the regulatory process without formally appearing before the agency. Monitoring counsel may be appointed under a consent order to oversee your compliance.
The costs for these roles can be substantial. Certain policy forms cover shadow counsel fees as part of the defense cost grant, while others exclude them entirely. Court-appointed monitors in state enforcement actions have generated significant fees that strain organizational budgets, and whether your policy responds to those costs depends on how the form defines "defense costs" and "regulatory proceeding."
Shadow Defense and Monitoring Counsel Roles
Litigation Buyout: Ringfencing Known Legal Disputes
When a target company has pending or threatened litigation, the buyer faces a binary problem: either reduce the purchase price to account for the worst-case outcome or find a way to transfer the risk. A litigation buyout policy does the latter. The insurer assumes the financial exposure of the identified lawsuit in exchange for a one-time premium. Capital commitments in the litigation finance sector rebounded 23% after a two-year contraction, which has expanded insurer appetite for these placements.
| Coverage Element | Basic Cyber Policy | Comprehensive Cyber Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Breach notification costs | Included | Included |
| Forensic investigation | Included, often sublimited | Included with higher limits |
| Regulatory defense (state AG) | Included | Included |
| Government contract disputes | Typically excluded | May be covered by endorsement |
| DFARS 72-hour reporting costs | Not addressed | Can be included |
| Business interruption | Limited waiting period, sublimited** | Lower waiting period, full limit |
| Subcontractor/supply chain liability | Excluded | Available by endorsement |
| CUI-specific breach response | Not differentiated | Addressed in form language |
| False Claims Act defense | Excluded | May be available |
Comparing Coverage: Cyber Liability vs. General Liability
One of the most common mistakes we see at Bloc Cyber is the assumption that a commercial general liability (CGL) policy covers cyber events. It does not. CGL policies are designed for bodily injury and property damage claims. Electronic data is not tangible property under most CGL forms, and privacy-related claims are typically excluded by endorsement.
Comparison Chart: Where Protection Starts and Ends
| Scenario | CGL Policy | Cyber Liability Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Customer sues after data breach | Not covered | Covered under privacy liability |
| Ransomware shuts down operations | Not covered | Covered under breach response / business interruption |
| Malware from your network infects a vendor | Not covered | Covered under network security liability |
| Slip-and-fall at your office | Covered | Not covered |
| Regulatory investigation by TX AG | Not covered | May be covered, depending on form |
| Breach notification and forensics costs | Not covered | Covered under first-party breach response |
| Employee bodily injury | Workers' comp, not CGL | Not covered |
This comparison illustrates why cyber liability coverage is a separate purchase, not a rider on your existing policy. Insurers that require specific security controls before issuing coverage are also tightening underwriting standards, so meeting those requirements is part of the buying process..
Real claims illustrate the exposure more clearly than abstract descriptions. Here are patterns that repeat across the technology sector:
- A SaaS company deploys a billing module that overcharges 12,000 end users over six months. The client demands $410,000 in restitution costs plus $150,000 in legal fees. The tech E&O form responds to the defense and indemnity obligation.
- An MSP fails to complete a server migration on schedule, causing a healthcare client to miss a compliance deadline. The healthcare company faces a regulatory fine and sues the MSP for $275,000. The policy form may respond, but only if the regulatory fine is not excluded as a penalty.
- A custom software vendor delivers an inventory management system that miscounts stock levels. The client loses $600,000 in downstream sales. The vendor's tech E&O policy covers defense costs and settlement, but a sublimit on the policy caps the payout at $500,000.
Average defense costs for technology professional liability claims range from $50,000 to $150,000 depending on complexity and jurisdiction. Settlement amounts vary widely, but six-figure demands are common even for small firms.
We start with a twenty-minute call to walk through your contracts, your draw process, your tech stack, and the last twelve months of attempted fraud. From there we go to market with ten-plus carriers, benchmark terms side-by-side, and present the options in plain language with recommended limits and retentions. Most intakes get indicative terms within one business day.
| Coverage Element | Commercial General Liability | Cyber Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Data breach notification costs | Not covered | Covered under first-party |
| Ransomware payment | Not covered | Covered (subject to sublimit) |
| Regulatory defense | Not covered | Covered under third-party |
| Business interruption from cyberattack | Not covered | Covered with waiting period |
| Funds transfer fraud | Not covered | Covered via cyber crime endorsement |
| Third-party lawsuit over data loss | Excluded or severely limited | Covered under third-party liability |
| Technology product failure | Not covered | Covered under Tech E&O |
How much does a typical PCI forensic investigation cost?
PFI engagements range from $20,000 for a simple, small-merchant investigation to $120,000 or more for complex environments with multiple locations or e-commerce platforms. The card brands dictate the scope, and the merchant pays.
MFA for Remote Access and Privileged Accounts
| Coverage Element | Regulatory Proceedings | Private Right of Action (Data Breach) |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | AG or CPPA enforcement action | Consumer lawsuit under § 1798.150 |
| Damages Type | Administrative fines ($2,500-$7,500/violation) | Statutory damages ($107-$799/consumer) |
| Defense Costs | Usually covered under regulatory defense | Usually covered under third-party liability |
| Fines/Damages | Often excluded or sublimited | May be covered if "loss" includes statutory damages |
| Insurability | Varies by jurisdiction and intent | Generally insurable in California |
| Typical Sublimit | $250K-$1M on many mid-market forms | Full policy limit if no sublimit applies |
| Consumer Rights Violations | Deletion/access failures can trigger fines | Only data breaches trigger private right of action |
Determining Coverage Limits for Texas Enterprises
Selecting the right limit is not a guessing exercise. It requires a clear-eyed assessment of your data exposure, revenue, contractual obligations, and regulatory environment.
Evaluating Record Counts and Revenue Impact
A useful starting point is your record count: the number of personally identifiable information records you store, process, or transmit. Breach notification costs alone can run $150 to $300 per record when you include forensics, legal review, notification, and credit monitoring. A company holding 50,000 records faces potential first-party costs of $7.5 million to $15 million before any lawsuit is filed. Most small and mid-market companies carry limits between $1 million and $5 million, but the right number depends on your specific exposure. Revenue impact matters too. If a 72-hour system outage costs your company $500,000 in lost revenue, your business interruption sublimit needs to reflect that figure. Many policy forms cap business interruption at a fraction of the aggregate limit, so reading the sublimit schedule is essential.
Industry-Specific Requirements for Tech and Healthcare
Healthcare organizations subject to HIPAA face regulatory penalties that can reach $2 million per violation category per year. Your cyber liability form should include regulatory defense and penalty coverage with limits sufficient to absorb that exposure. Technology companies, especially those providing SaaS or managed services, often face contractual requirements from enterprise clients mandating minimum cyber liability limits of $5 million or more. Financial services firms in Dallas operating under state and federal banking regulations may need coverage for PCI-DSS fines and assessments. Businesses preparing for 2026 renewals should be aware that insurers are increasingly requiring multi-factor authentication, endpoint detection, and incident response plans as baseline underwriting conditions. Failing to meet these requirements can result in declination or coverage restrictions.
We start with a twenty-minute call to walk through your contracts, your draw process, your tech stack, and the last twelve months of attempted fraud. From there we go to market with ten-plus carriers, benchmark terms side-by-side, and present the options in plain language with recommended limits and retentions. Most intakes get indicative terms within one business day.
No. A data breach or cyberattack is a cyber liability exposure, not a technology E&O exposure. You need a separate cyber liability policy form to cover breach response, notification costs, regulatory defense, and third-party claims arising from a security incident. Many technology companies carry both policies because the exposures are distinct.
FAQ: Does this cover me if I get hacked?
P2PE encrypts cardholder data from the point of interaction (the card reader) to the payment processor's secure decryption environment. A validated P2PE solution removes your systems from PCI scope for those transactions, which directly reduces both your compliance burden and your risk profile. Underwriters recognize P2PE as a meaningful risk reduction and may offer premium credits for merchants using validated solutions.
Implementing Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE)
FAQ: Will my insurance pay for a CMMC assessment audit?
Standard cyber liability forms do not cover voluntary compliance audits. Some policies include a "cybersecurity improvement" sublimit after a covered incident, but pre-breach assessment costs are a business expense, not an insurable loss.
FAQ: How does NIST 800-171 compliance help if I get hacked?
Documented compliance demonstrates you took reasonable measures to protect CUI. This strengthens your defense in regulatory proceedings and can support your claim that the breach was not caused by negligence. It also reduces the likelihood of a carrier denying your claim based on failure to maintain represented security controls.
Common Questions About Texas Cyber Insurance
FAQ: Cost, Compliance, and Claims
How much does cyber liability insurance cost for a Texas small business? Premiums vary based on industry, revenue, record count, and security posture. A 50-employee professional services firm might pay $2,500 to $7,000 annually for $1 million in coverage. A healthcare practice with the same headcount could pay significantly more due to HIPAA exposure.
Does Texas require businesses to carry cyber insurance? No state law mandates cyber insurance. However, contracts with enterprise clients, compliance frameworks, and state-level cybersecurity standards often create a practical requirement.
What triggers a claim under a cyber liability policy? A claim is typically triggered by the discovery of unauthorized access, a ransomware demand, a regulatory inquiry, or a third-party lawsuit alleging failure to protect data. The policy's retroactive date and discovery period determine whether a particular event falls within coverage.
Will my policy cover a breach that happened before I bought coverage? Only if the breach is discovered during the policy period and the retroactive date extends back far enough to include the date of the initial unauthorized access. This is a common gap that surprises first-time buyers.
Can I be denied coverage for not having certain security controls? Yes. Insurers are enforcing security control warranties more strictly in 2026. If your application states you have multi-factor authentication deployed and you do not, the carrier may deny the claim.
Does cyber insurance cover social engineering fraud? Some forms include social engineering or funds transfer fraud coverage, but it is often subject to a separate sublimit, sometimes as low as $25,000 to $100,000. Read the endorsement carefully.
Real claims illustrate the exposure more clearly than abstract descriptions. Here are patterns that repeat across the technology sector:
- A SaaS company deploys a billing module that overcharges 12,000 end users over six months. The client demands $410,000 in restitution costs plus $150,000 in legal fees. The tech E&O form responds to the defense and indemnity obligation.
- An MSP fails to complete a server migration on schedule, causing a healthcare client to miss a compliance deadline. The healthcare company faces a regulatory fine and sues the MSP for $275,000. The policy form may respond, but only if the regulatory fine is not excluded as a penalty.
- A custom software vendor delivers an inventory management system that miscounts stock levels. The client loses $600,000 in downstream sales. The vendor's tech E&O policy covers defense costs and settlement, but a sublimit on the policy caps the payout at $500,000.
Average defense costs for technology professional liability claims range from $50,000 to $150,000 depending on complexity and jurisdiction. Settlement amounts vary widely, but six-figure demands are common even for small firms.
We start with a twenty-minute call to walk through your contracts, your draw process, your tech stack, and the last twelve months of attempted fraud. From there we go to market with ten-plus carriers, benchmark terms side-by-side, and present the options in plain language with recommended limits and retentions. Most intakes get indicative terms within one business day.
| Coverage Element | Commercial General Liability | Cyber Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Data breach notification costs | Not covered | Covered under first-party |
| Ransomware payment | Not covered | Covered (subject to sublimit) |
| Regulatory defense | Not covered | Covered under third-party |
| Business interruption from cyberattack | Not covered | Covered with waiting period |
| Funds transfer fraud | Not covered | Covered via cyber crime endorsement |
| Third-party lawsuit over data loss | Excluded or severely limited | Covered under third-party liability |
| Technology product failure | Not covered | Covered under Tech E&O |
Will my policy pay for the fines if I'm not compliant?
This depends entirely on the policy form. Some forms cover PCI fines only if the merchant was making good-faith compliance efforts. Others exclude fines arising from known non-compliance. Read the exclusions carefully before binding.
How much does a typical PCI forensic investigation cost?
PFI engagements range from $20,000 for a simple, small-merchant investigation to $120,000 or more for complex environments with multiple locations or e-commerce platforms. The card brands dictate the scope, and the merchant pays.
What is the difference between a fine and an assessment?
A fine is a penalty for non-compliance with PCI DSS standards. An assessment is a cost-recovery mechanism: the card brands and issuing banks recoup their actual losses (fraud charges, card replacement costs) from the breached merchant. Both are financial obligations, but they arise from different triggers and may be treated differently under a policy form.
Making the Right Choice for Your Digital Assets
Cyber liability coverage for Texas businesses is not a one-size-fits-all product. The right policy depends on where your company operates, what data you hold, which regulations apply, and how your systems connect to third parties. A Houston energy services company, a Dallas financial advisory firm, and an Austin SaaS startup each need a policy form tailored to their specific risk.
The difference between a policy that responds to a real claim and one that leaves you exposed often comes down to details buried in sublimits, retentions, waiting periods, and exclusion endorsements. Those details are readable, but only if someone reads them before you bind.
If you are purchasing your first cyber liability policy or renewing an existing one, consider working with a specialist who reviews the actual policy form rather than selling from a summary. You can
request a coverage review with Bloc Cyber to walk through the insuring agreements, identify gaps, and confirm that your limits match your exposure before a claim tests them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Caden Braly
— Founder, Bloc Cyber
I'm Caden Braly, founder of Bloc Cyber, the specialty cyber insurance arm of Braly Insurance. I built Bloc Cyber around one idea: businesses deserve coverage that actually responds when a cyberattack happens. I work closely with clients to understand their exposure, place the right policy through specialty carriers, and stand with them through the claim. My goal is simple — give every business straight answers and protection they can trust.
Full profile → caden@bloccyber.com LinkedIn
Industries We Protect
Cyber Coverage Built for Your Industry
Every industry faces a different cyber threat, from patient records in healthcare to wire fraud in construction. Bloc Cyber matches coverage to the risks your sector actually faces, drawing on specialty carriers that understand your business. Find your industry below to see how we protect it.
Healthcare
Banking
Retail / E-Commerce
Legal
Technology / SaaS
Education
Energy / Utilities
Manufacturing
Construction
Defense
Healthcare
HIPAA-grade protection for patient data
725
healthcare breaches disclosed in 2024
HIPAA-grade protection for patient data
▣ Ransomware on EHR systems
▣ PHI exfiltration
▣ Medical device exploits
▣ Business email compromise
Sub-sectors we place
Hospitals and health systems
Physician practices and specialty clinics
Dental practices and DSOs
Behavioral health and addiction treatment centers
Medical billing and revenue cycle management firms
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Banking
Coverage that meets FFIEC and NYDFS expectations
$5.9M
average cost of a financial sector breach
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ Wire fraud and BEC
▣ Credential stuffing
▣ Third-party vendor risk
▣ Ransomware
Sub-sectors we place
Community banks
Credit unions
Mortgage lenders and loan originators
Wealth management and RIAs
Payment processors and merchant acquirers
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Retail / E-Commerce
PCI-DSS aligned coverage for every checkout
42%
of retailers hit by ransomware in the last year
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ Magecart / card skimming
▣ POS malware
▣ Account takeover
▣ Supply-chain intrusion
Sub-sectors we place
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands
Shopify and marketplace sellers
Brick-and-mortar multi-location retailers
Restaurants and QSR franchises
Grocery and specialty food retail
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Legal
Privilege, client files, and trust-account safeguards
1 in 4
law firms reported a breach in 2024
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ Wire-transfer fraud
▣ Privileged data theft
▣ Email account compromise
▣ Ransomware
Sub-sectors we place
AmLaw / large firms
Boutique litigation firms
Personal injury and plaintiffs’ firms
Estate planning and trust attorneys
Title and real estate closing firms
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Technology / SaaS
SOC 2 and ISO-aligned risk transfer
$4.88M
avg. cost of a SaaS breach in 2024
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ Supply-chain attacks
▣ Cloud misconfiguration
▣ Token and key theft
▣ Zero-day exploits
Sub-sectors we place
B2B SaaS platforms
Managed service providers (MSPs) and MSSPs
Fintech startups
AI and machine learning companies
Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Education
FERPA-aligned coverage for student and research data
80%
of K–12 districts hit by ransomware since 2022
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ Ransomware on district networks
▣ Student PII theft
▣ Fake invoice fraud
▣ DDoS on exam platforms
Sub-sectors we place
K-12 public school districts
Private and charter schools
Colleges and universities
EdTech platforms
Tutoring, test prep, and online learning providers
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Energy / Utilities
OT and IT coverage for critical infrastructure
24/7
operational-tech monitoring requirements
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ ICS/SCADA intrusion
▣ Nation-state actors
▣ Ransomware on OT
▣ Insider threat
Sub-sectors we place
Municipal utilities (water, electric, gas)
Oil and gas operators
Pipeline and midstream companies
Renewable energy (solar, wind) developers
Electric cooperatives and rural utilities
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Manufacturing
Business interruption protection for connected plants
25%
of all ransomware attacks target manufacturing
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ Ransomware halting production
▣ IP theft
▣ ICS exploits
▣ Vendor compromise
Sub-sectors we place
Industrial and heavy equipment manufacturers
Food and beverage processing
Pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers
Automotive and parts suppliers
Aerospace component manufacturers
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Construction
Protection for project files, wires, and jobsite tech
$200K+
average wire-fraud loss in construction
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ Wire-transfer diversion
▣ BEC on project payments
▣ Stolen bid data
▣ Ransomware
Sub-sectors we place
General contractors
Commercial HVAC, electrical, and plumbing subs
Civil and infrastructure contractors
Homebuilders and residential developers
Architecture and engineering (A&E) firms
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
Defense
CMMC, DFARS, and CUI-compliant risk transfer
CMMC
2.0 compliance required by 2026
Common threats we underwrite against
▣ CUI exfiltration
▣ Nation-state APTs
▣ Supply-chain compromise
▣ Cleared-personnel targeting
Sub-sectors we place
DoD prime contractors
CMMC-regulated subcontractors
Defense software and systems integrators
Aerospace and satellite contractors
Federal IT and cleared staffing firms
Typical turnaround for indication of terms: 1 business day.
The Bloc system
One foundation.
Ten industry-specific builds.
The Bloc mark is built from stackable planes — each one a different angle on the same core structure. That’s how we place coverage: one underwriting discipline, tuned and re-tuned for every industry we serve.
Coverage
A policy you can actually read.
Structured in three clean blocs.
01
First-Party
Your direct losses when an incident hits your business.
✓
Incident response & forensics
✓
Business interruption
✓ Data restoration
✓ Cyber extortion / ransomware
✓ Funds transfer fraud
✓ Reputational harm
02
Third-Party
Your liability to clients, partners, and regulators.
✓
Network security liability
✓
Privacy liability (HIPAA, GDPR, state laws)
✓ Regulatory defense & fines
✓ PCI-DSS fines and assessments
✓ Media liability
✓ Breach notification costs
03
Specialty
Advanced coverages for complex risks and contracts.
✓
Technology E&O
✓
Social engineering fraud
✓ Contingent business interruption
✓ Systems failure
✓ Bricking & hardware replacement
✓ CMMC / regulatory-specific endorsements
Typical limits placed
$1M / $1M starter
$5M / $10M mid-market
$25M+ layered towers
Custom retentions
Common Questions
Cyber Liability Insurance, Explained
What does cyber insurance cover?
Cyber insurance covers the financial losses from a data breach or cyberattack. This includes breach response, legal fees, customer notification, ransomware, business interruption, and regulatory fines, depending on your policy.
Does my business really need cyber insurance?
Yes. Any business that stores customer data, processes payments, or relies on connected systems faces cyber risk. Small and mid-sized companies are frequent targets because they often have fewer defenses.
How much does cyber insurance cost?
Cost depends on your industry, revenue, data volume, and security practices. We market your risk to multiple carriers to find strong coverage at a competitive price. Request a quote for an exact figure.
What is the difference between first-party and third-party cyber coverage?
First-party coverage pays for your own losses, like data recovery and lost income. Third-party coverage pays for claims from others harmed by a breach on your systems.
How fast can I get a quote?
Most clients receive a quote in under 24 hours after we review the details of their business and exposure.
What should I do first after a cyberattack?
Contact us right away. We help you start breach response, connect you with forensic and legal support, and guide your claim so you contain the damage quickly.
Insights
Field notes from the placement desk.
What carriers are asking right now.
Start a quote
Tell us about your business.
We’ll come back with terms.
We’ll review your stack, your contracts, and your exposure — then place the program against the right markets. Most intakes get indicative terms back within one business day.
01
Quick intake
We only ask what the carriers actually need.
02
Benchmark
Side-by-side terms from 10+ specialty cyber carriers.
03
Bind
Plain-language policy review, e-signed and in force.
