Cyber insurance applications have become detailed security questionnaires. Answering them accurately matters: an inaccurate answer can affect your coverage when you need it most. This guide covers the controls insurers commonly ask about and how to prepare. It is general guidance, not legal or insurance advice; your broker and policy wording are the final word.
The controls insurers commonly ask about
How to answer accurately
Closing gaps before renewal
Start with the controls that come up most often. Enforcing MFA on every account, deploying EDR or MDR to every computer, and backing up Microsoft 365 with a separate service cover a large share of typical questionnaires. Then document an incident response plan and schedule staff training.
Common mistakes
How we can help
Our fixed-fee Security Posture and Compliance Assessment benchmarks your Microsoft 365 tenant against the CIS Benchmark and Microsoft Secure Score and gives you a written report you can use when completing insurance and vendor questionnaires. It maps your gaps; it is not a certification or a formal audit. NexJen Essentials clients already have MFA enforcement, endpoint protection with MDR, and Microsoft 365 backup included.
Common questions
What do cyber insurers require from small businesses?
Requirements vary by insurer and policy, but applications commonly ask about MFA, endpoint detection and response, protected and tested backups, patching, email security, admin account controls, training and incident response planning.
Is antivirus the same as EDR?
No. Traditional antivirus blocks known threats. EDR watches device behavior to detect and respond to attacks in progress, and MDR adds a team that monitors and responds to those alerts.
Can an IT assessment help with my insurance application?
Yes. A written assessment of your current controls helps you answer accurately and shows where to improve. Ours maps gaps against the CIS Benchmark and Microsoft Secure Score; it is not a certification.
What if I cannot answer yes to every question?
Answer accurately and talk to your broker. Many gaps, such as MFA and EDR, can be closed quickly before renewal.
Check your controls before renewal
Our free Security Snapshot shows obvious gaps, like accounts without MFA, so you can answer the questionnaire accurately.