Pen Underwriting Teams Up With Police on Cyber Security for SMEs

Pen Underwriting has become the first insurance provider to partner with the Police Digital Security Centre (PDSC) on a new national certification scheme designed to boost the cyber security resilience of small businesses in the UK, by announcing it will recognise and reward firms that can demonstrate they are ‘Digitally Aware’.

Developed by the PDSC, in collaboration with BSI (British Standards Institution), the
‘Digitally Aware’ certification scheme is centred upon a simple online assessment tool, which enables small businesses to test and improve how resilient they are to the most common types of cybercrime.

There is a premium discount available to UK SMEs who achieve the ‘Digitally Aware’
certification, and then purchase cyber insurance from Pen Underwriting through their broker. The intention is to recognise firms who have invested in cybercrime awareness and demonstrate their commitment to taking cyber security seriously.
Simon Newman, Head of Cyber & Business Services at the PDSC, said:

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Pen Underwriting as a specialist cyber insurance provider to UK SMEs. Their commitment to recognising and rewarding small businesses that can prove they are digitally aware will undoubtedly help drive take-up of this new scheme which ultimately works to make firms safer.

“We’ve developed this simple online assessment tool and certification scheme because it’s important small businesses regularly review their vulnerability to common types of cybercrime, understand their exposure to risk and put in place simple control measures to improve their own resilience. And having that enhanced resilience recognised when it comes to buying insurance will be welcomed by UK small businesses, who are already facing a very challenging time.”

Adrian Scott, Head of International & Financial Lines at Pen Underwriting and global cyber risk specialist, said: “This is a very timely and valuable Police scheme that we’re proud to support. It’s in all our interests to help small businesses recognise their vulnerability to the  fast-evolving risks of cybercrime and take steps to improve their resilience to what is now an omnipresent threat.

“Just as the insurance industry acknowledges actions policyholders take to alleviate the risk of flooding to their homes, or drivers who can demonstrate they are a better risk on the roads, so too should we look to encourage firms to reduce their risk of falling victim to costly cybercrime or attacks that can effectively stop their business from trading.”