The Future of Commerce Podcast

Insurance industry cybersecurity: Safeguarding insurance and fintech

Episode Summary

A growing wave of cyberattacks and climate-related disasters are reshaping the insurance industry. In this episode, we explore how insurers are defending against escalating digital threats and adapting to unpredictable property risk — with data, tech, and smarter underwriting.

Episode Notes

As digital transformation accelerates, insurers find themselves under siege — not just from hackers, but from shifting climate and property risk realities. In this episode inspired by the artcile titled — Insurance industry cybersecurity: Safeguarding insurance and fintech, we examine the latest cybersecurity threats facing the insurance and fintech sectors, from ransomware to third-party vulnerabilities, and explore how firms are defending themselves with AI, cloud platforms, and strategic policies. We also delve into the evolving property risk landscape, where increasingly frequent secondary perils — like hail, wildfire, and inland flooding — are forcing a rethinking of traditional underwriting models. Backed by research and market data, this deep dive offers a timely look at how insurers are investing, adapting, and collaborating to stay resilient in the face of compounded risk.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why the insurance industry is a prime cyberattack target
• The role of third-party vendors in 59% of data breaches
• How ransomware has become the dominant threat
• What cybersecurity investments and strategies are gaining traction
• How catastrophic events are hitting new regions in unpredictable ways
• Why “secondary perils” are becoming major cost drivers
• How excess & surplus (E&S) markets are reshaping risk coverage
• The importance of valuation tools, roof scores, and broker-carrier collaboration

Key Takeaways:

• Insurance firms face an average of 1,000 cyberattacks per week — with ransomware and third-party breaches leading the charge
• AI, biometrics, and cloud-native security are becoming standard in multi-layered defense systems
• A quarter of firms studied had unsatisfactory cybersecurity postures despite industry awareness
• Property risk is shifting due to more frequent and severe secondary perils in unexpected locations
• Strategic underwriting, data accuracy, and consistent carrier relationships are now core to managing volatility

Subscribe to our podcast for expert insights on fintech, cybersecurity, and digital risk management. Visit The Future of Commerce for the latest research on how industries are adapting to evolving digital and environmental risks. Share this episode with insurance professionals, fintech leaders, and anyone navigating today’s risk landscape.